Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Qom.
Abstract
One of the important issues in the field of "philosophy of architecture" is the nature and essence of meaning and the processes associated with it in architectural works. This research addresses the main question: What are the effective components in the process of reading and interpreting the meaning of an architectural work, and based on these components, can one believe in the determinacy of meaning in architectural works or not? To explain the answer to this question, while comparatively examining various theories and then critiquing and evaluating them, utilizing qualitative content analysis and drawing upon Islamic teachings, it becomes clear that although factors such as the audience's prior knowledge and preconceptions do influence the interpretation and reading of the work's meaning, based on the overall outcome of all the effective components on meaning (including the architect, the audience, the work, and the context), the semantic domain of the text/architecture is determinate and relatively closed—a domain whose limits, quality, and model of attainment are explained through the theory presented in this article.
Theology of Art