Kapil Sinha REPORT

7/26/2019 Kapil Sinha REPORT

1/26

SEMIOTICS IN ARCHITECTURE:ARCHITECTURAL REPRESENTATION AND MEANINGS IN

LEGISLATIVE BUILDINGS

KAPIL KUMAR SINHA

SCHOLAR NO.: 2010BARC023

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED AS A PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,

BHOPAL.

9THSEMESTER

YEAR: 2014


2/26

SEMIOTICS IN ARCHITECTURE:ARCHITECTURAL REPRESENTATION AND MEANINGS IN LEGISLATIVE

BUILDINGS

KAPIL KUMAR SINHA

SCHOLAR NO: 2010BARC023

A dissertation submitted as a part of the requirements

For the degree of Bachelor of Architecture

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURESCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,

BHOPAL.

Dissertation Committee

.

Ar. Parama Mitra Teacher-in charge

.

Ar. Saurabh Popli Advisor/Guide

.


3/26

i

Abstract

Semiotics as a discipline has gained recognition in many sphere. Semiotics as a structural

tool has been used for methodologically comprehending this process meaning formation,

i.e. for the interpretation of architecture. Architecture is system of sign and symbols whose

meanings are evolved from the interpretation of the society within which it is produced.

Interpretations are provided by ordinary people, elite members of society and the architecthimself. Interpretation are generally beyond the architects intention or control, therefore a

strategy is required where the architect is engaged in the mechanism of interpretation

thereby creating a meaningful architecture.

Architecture has always been a media for representation of point of view. Since from

history thoughts and ideas are part architectural expression. Architecture is a tool of

transforming abstract concepts into physical reality. Symbolism becomes more important

when it comes to designing of public built forms. Representing people of state and

symbolizing state power is a part of legislative architecture.

Keywords: Semiotics, Symbolism, Sign, Legislative Buildings, Interpretation,


4/26

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am forever thankful to Prof. Rachna Khare HOD of Architecture to giving me an

opportunity to present this report and her continuous guidance.

I am always grateful to my mentor Prof. Saurabh Popli for his motivation, enthusiasm

and guidance. I would also like to thank Ar. Parama Mitra for her encouragement and

fruitful comments.


5/26

iii

CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

ABSTRACT i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii

CONTENTS iii

LIST OF FIGURE v

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. SEMIOTICS

2.1 Architecture as Language 2

2.2 Character of Sign and Symbol 2

2.2 (i) Charles Jencks Model 3

2.2 (ii) Giovanni K Koening Model 4

2.2 (iii) Bontas Model 5

2.3 Meanings of the Architectural Symbol 6

3. CASE STUDY

3.1 The Manitoba Legislative Building

3.1 (i) Building Description 8

3.3 (ii) Grand Staircase Hall 10

3.3 (iii) Rotunda 11

3.3 (iv) Conclusion 12

3.2 Parliament House, Canberra

3.2 (i) Building Description 13

3.2 (ii) The Design 13

3.2 (iii) The Chambers 14

3.2 (iv) Cabinet Room 15


6/26

iv

3.2 (v) The Forecourt 15

3.2 (vi) The Great Verandah 15

3.2 (vii) The Foyer 16

3.2 (viii) The Great Hall 16

3.2 (ix) Conclusion 17

4. CONCLUSION 18

REFERENCES 19


7/26

v

LIST OF FIGURE

Figure 1: The Semiological Triangle .................................................................................................................3

Figure 2 : Hindu temple Door at Angkor Wat .................................................................................................... 4

Figure 3 : Buland Darwaja,Agra ........................................................................................................................ 4

Figure 4 : Bonta's Model (Architecture and its Interpretation) .........................................................................5

Figure 5 Stair Case ............................................................................................................................................6

Figure 6 Speaker Chair in Parliament Seatings ................................................................................................ 6

Figure 7 The Palace Complex, Brasilia ............................................................................................................. 7

Figure 8; North Front Elevation ......................................................................................................................... 8

Figure 9 : Pediment at north elevation ..............................................................................................................9

Figure 10 : The Golden Boy and the dome ...................................................................................................... 9

Figure 11 : Semi Circular Mural depicting World War I .................................................................................. 10

Figure 12 : Speaker Chamber Mural ............................................................................................................... 10

Figure 13 : Grand Staircase Hall ..................................................................................................................... 11

Figure 14 : Rotunda .........................................................................................................................................11

Figure 15 : Parliament House, Canberra ........................................................................................................ 13

Figure 16 : Top View of Parliament House ...................................................................................................... 14

Figure 17 : The Senate Chamber and House of Representative ................................................................... 14

Figure 18 : Cabinet Room ............................................................................................................................... 15

Figure 19 Mosaic Work in Forecourt ............................................................................................................... 15

Figure 20 : The Great Verandah .....................................................................................................................16

Figure 21 the Foyer ......................................................................................................................................... 16

Figure 22 the Great Hall .................................................................................................................................. 16


8/26

1

Introduction

In a society like ours, there is always clash between old and new, religion and secularism,

evolution and revolution, tradition and modernity, craft and technology. Diverse attitude of

our people towards technologies, tastes, values, and source of inspiration is the problem

the architect has to face and it becomes challenge for the architect to express them.

The task of architect is to create a built form that is easily identifiable by people of the

society as their own. Architects designing in such a society have always dilemma of what

language to use in order for architecture to depict peoples beliefs, traditions, culture and

identity; and how to represent them in reality1.

The discussion of Architecture has always revolved around the relationship of form and

functions. Function has been held to give meaning to form, while form has been held to

express function. In fact, this proposition has formed the rational basis for architecturediscourse within avant garde theory for the last century. This proposition assumes that the

meaning of the architectural forms is the result of natural expression.

Function is one aspect, and only one, through which form achieves meaning, denotation.

Beyond that, an architectural form express meanings which are beyond its function. These

Expressions are most relevant to a society and its culture.

The meaning of Architecture can only exist within its cultural specificity of time and place.

In his Elements of semiology, Roland Barthes writes, A truly meaningless architecture

remains outside realms of culture and thus it would cease to be architecture 2. Architecture

is a cultural product, and its meaning is understood when we study architecture as cultural

system, a system of sign and symbols, through which people identify with their

environment and then their environment becomes meaningful.

Meanings in architectural forms depends upon the process of interpretation, which is

shaped by the society. It is argued that architecture is generally has two level of messages.

The first message is for the ordinary peoples; second is for the members of the elite who

possess the knowledge which enables them to grasp the more sophisticated message. The

former message gains the world wide acceptance and has a wider social base. The built

form hence becomes not just the housing of people but also the representation of society

and its culture.

1Amer A. Moustafa, Architectural Representation and Meaning

2R. Barthes, Elements of Semiology and writing Degree Zero


9/26

2

Semiotics

Architecture as Language

Semiotics is the science of studying systems of sign within a culture and society. The

culture can be understood as a system of communication. Semiotics has always been

challenge to architecture. It has been argued that architectural objects are not made to

communicate but rather to functions. For example roof serves to cover, and a stair serves

movement from one level to another. According to a research it concludes that architecture

is experienced as communication, even though it is recognized by functions.3

Man needed shelter from wild weather and aggressive animals, man finds recess in a

mountain, cave. Later, he look around and see enclosed space that might be vaulted; anidea of a cave comes to his mind. The cave for him is cut off space wherein he can protect

himself from rain and attacking animal. When next time he seeks shelter, his idea of

shelter is cave. There is an association as the semiotics term goes, developed in his

imagination that cave is where one can get shelter and safety.

He can later recognize a cave as idea of shelter and safety is suggested to him without his

intending or needing to take shelter. The model of cave is codified on an individual level

as idea of shelter. As a human being, he should be able to represent the idea verbally or by

illustration.

Roland Barthes writes that: as soon as there is a society, every usage is converted into as

sign of itself. For example the bulb is used for the purpose of lighting, but this use cannot

be dissociated from sign of innovation or idea or thinking. The bulb symbol becomes signfunction, it communicates the function to be fulfilled.4

In fact, in architecture apart from the possible function of the object, various other

meanings are attached with that object, which is interpreted by viewer and to use them in

their own way.

Characterization of Sign and Symbols

Architecture is system of signs and symbols, and it is important to categorize these signs.

For this semiological triangle was developed by O.K. Ogden and I.A. Richards from the

theory of Ferdinand de Sassures, a leading figure in field of semiology. According to this

triangle each sign has to be seen as two entity; a signifier (graphic equivalent) and a

signified (the concept). The relation between signified and signifier is always changing

according to preference of individual. The letter dog is a signifier that evokes the signified

dog to the person who know English. The two entities of the sign are unified by the social

3Umberto Eco, Function and Sign: Semiotics of Architecture

4R. Barthes, Elements of Semiology and writing Degree Zero


10/26

3

convention. Saussure proposes that the relation between the whole sign and what it refers

to is arbitrary. Each sign in a system has meaning by virtue of its differences from all other

signs.

Ogden and Richard developed Sasures notion of sign. The two sided entity was developed

into a three sided model, the semiological triangle. The model is composed of Sassuressignifier (symbol) and his signified (reference) and they added a third element referent

(actual object). Their triangle proposes that, in most cases, there is no direct relationship

between symbol and referent.

Figure 1: The Semiological Triangle

According to Charles Jencks, semiological triangle addresses the relationship between the

three sides of the triangle: symbol, reference and referent5.

Charles Jencks Model

In architecture, forms can be symbol, a reference, and referent. If a door is taken as an

example Door is a symbol which communicates access (referent) then the referent is the

hard thing to define. Is it the physical reality of the door as an object? But in case what is

relation between referent and reference if door refers to the function in fulfills, there is no

separation between referent and the symbol.

5Charles Jencks, Meanings in Architecture


11/26

4

Figure 2 : Hindu temple Door at Angkor Wat

The problem get more difficult when we apply this model, the triangle to the Buland

Darwaja (Victory Gate) such a gate is a symbol, while it denotes a passage, but it clearly

connotes Victory or magnificence of it. Here the reference would replace the referent;

otherwise the referent is simply the symbol in itself. Therefore, the semiological triangle

does not characterize an architectural sign.

Figure 3 : Buland Darwaja,Agra

Giovanni K Koening Model

Another approach to characterize the architecture sign is given by Giovanni K Koening.

He defined the architectural sign from the perspective of behaviorist, observing that he

would be able to influence the behavior of the people living in neighborhood.6This

influence would be more profound and prolonged than the verbal order like sit down.

6G Dorfles, Structuralism and Semiology in Architecture


12/26

5

According to Koening Architecture is a system of sign vehiclesthat promotes certain

kinds of behavior. Hence the architecture signs has to be verified on the basis of response

sequence that architecture creates. The meaning of architectural form in this respect

depends on the corresponding behavior. This approach is not appropriate for

characterization because it is dependent on human responses, which may vary. Humanresponses are not always recorded through history so it is not available to research the

meanings of signs.

Bontas Model

According to this approach developed by Bonta, the term indicator is introduced. An

indicator is directly perceivable event so that it is possible to learn something about other

events which are not directly perceivable.7For example When queue of car s are jammed

in road, a sudden sound of siren and image of police car can be inferred as something

unusual happening, it might be accident, fire etc. thus the driver makes the way for the

Police car to move. This is a direct perceivable event that suggest some accident.

The Traffic signal on road are different type of indicators. Traffic signals are indicators

that are supposed to fulfill two conditions. Firstly they are deliberately produced by signal

to transmit some kind of information. Secondly they are recognized by the driver as such

to communicate a certain message. Signals therefore have form and meaning; interpreter

and emitter.

Index is another kind of indicator that is not used by the emitter deliberately to

communicate. Indexes are understood by the interpreter as unintentional part of the

emitter. Unlike the traffic signals meaning of index is dependent on individual past

experiences and socio cultural boundaries.

Another kind of index is intentional indexes that are intentionally on the part of theinterpreter, but not perceived as such by the interpreter. Pseudo Signals are indicators that

are believed by the interpreter to have been intentionally produced by the emitter without

there being so. Different types of indicators according to their intentionality is classified in

the Bonta Model.

Figure 4 : Bonta's Model (Architecture and its Interpretation)

In architecture indicators operates within a system of expressions which consist of signals,

indexes, pseudo-signals and intentional index. System of expression in architecture could

be any combination of these indicators, while in Verbal language expressive system only

composed of signals. In architecture Indicators are in continuous change, architectural

form that are signal in one context could become index in another context. The context

could be time period or geographical ones or both.

7J.Bomta, Architecture and its Interpretation


13/26

6

Meanings of the Architectural Symbols

According to Bontas model, there are indicators that communicates i.e. signal and pseudo

signals; and ones that indicates i.e. indexes and intentional indexes. Communicative

signals can be considered to be have two levels of meaning i.e. denotation and connotation.

Architecture form can be an indicator of a conventionally denoted meaning i.e. its

functionality. For example a stair denotes the function of moving from one level to another

level. This codified relation is expected to be understood by everyone so that relation

between form and function is fulfilled. An architectural form therefore should not only

make function possible but also it should communicate function to its user. This

communication habits are established in a specific culture.

Figure 5 Stair Case

If Architectural forms denote its functions it should also connote idea of this function. As

mentioned before cave for early man denotes the function of shelter. As time passes

meaning associated with the cave got changed since the functional denotation changedwith the tome

A chair communicates that a person can sit on it. It denotes its function i.e. one can sit on

it.A chair with ornamentation on the other hand would communicate more information.

Although its primary function is sitting but some special features in its design i.e. bigger in

size, decorated makes it connote that the person sit on it is of special dignity. This

connotative meaning may overpower the denotative meaning. Considering in India throne

might not necessarily connote authority, but democracy, power.

Figure 6 Speaker Chair in Parliament Seatings


14/26

7

Meaning in architecture are purely based on the cultural context.8Le Corbusier and

Ozanfant have distinguished the sensation to form in two category i.e. primary and

secondary.

Primary sensation is purely determined by color and shade; and are constant, universal for

all men regardless of their race, class, and creed. While Secondary sensation are based onindividuals background and culture.

Primary sensation are supposedly more significant than secondary ones. But the meaning

are socially bounded. For example in Brasilia palace complex was built of primary shapes,

all in light colors and simple pattern. The congress hall was composed of two semi spheres

and rested on a flat plane. Therefore these shape should release same sensation of harmony

and balance. But what happened was differ from what Corbusier wished. The two high rise

of the palace complex symbolized the waste of money spent on the project. It is though

because meanings are purely based on cultural and social context, which the high rise, was

not accepted by the peoples.9

Figure 7 The Palace Complex, Brasilia

In architecture usually mix up occurs. Generally speaking symbol is an architectural form

that have connotative meanings, meaning that are beyond denotative functions. In

semiological triangle we have seen that when it is applied to architectural forms it is

always difficult to separate symbol from referent. Now in case of Bontas diagram which

classifies indicators according to two criteria their intentionality by the emitter and their

perception by the interpreter. So we can say an architectural forms are symbol when its

communicative message is perceived as being intended.




15/26

8

Case Study

1. The Manitoba Legislative Building

Manitoba Legislative building is a remarkable monument to masonic architecture and

ancient temple design. Its iconography, replete with arcane imagery and estoric lore,

honors numerous deities from the classical and ancient near eastern world. The buildings

principal architect is Frank Worthington Simon.

Building DescriptionThe building is a steel frame construction on concrete caissons. The steps are granite while

exterior walls are tyndall limestone. The roof is flat with a tar and gravel covering. The

building has an H shaped plan with the ministerial and civic service offices in the wings

and the grand staircase, public rotunda, and legislative chamber in the center connectingthe four wing. The overall dimension are 328 ft by 337 ft and height of the dome is 240 ft.

There is a small but spacious entrance which opens up into a very large, two story grand

staircase hall. This is the most dramatic space along the axis. The grand staircase leads to a

smaller, more enclosed rotunda space.

The exterior display a combination of classical and non-classical details. The north front

elevation shows two wings and the central projecting portico with six fluted ionic columns,

a pediment, and a sculpted tympanum flanked by a pair of Egyptian sphinx. The female

figure of Manitoba sits full front in the middle. Two figures of Labor and capital, clasp a

jar from which a stream of water fertilizes the earth. Next is a ploughman and a horse,

tilling the soil balancing the bull. Between this and Manitoba is a man and womanbringing the fruits of the soil balancing the family group.

Figure 8; North Front Elevation


16/26

9

Figure 9 : Pediment at north elevation

The two sphinxes on either side of the main pediment, represent Wisdom and Knowledge.

The irregular shaped octagonal dome over a square colonnaded drum is again placed overthe rotunda. The four large groups at base of dome represent Agriculture, Labor, Science

and Art. The fifteen foot Golden Boy, perched on top of the dome variously representing

success, progress, enterprises and eternal youth

Figure 10 : The Golden Boy and the dome

The east side of the pediment shows a group of two figures on either side of the pediment

representing Peace. The two seated figure flanking the east entrance la Verendyre, the

Canadian explorer and Lord Selkirk founder of the red River Settlement.

The West elevation also shows a group of two figures represent General Wolfe and Lord

Dufferin, third governor General of Canada.

Interior Walls are tyndall limestone with element of the both classical and non-classicaldetails. There is a semicircular mural over the entrance to the legislative Chamber

subjected on Canadas War Record depicting story of World War I.


17/26

10

Figure 11 : Semi Circular Mural depicting World War I

The ceiling of the Legislative chamber depicts the ancient code of law, the five codes oflaw, and the ten virtues. Behind the speaker chair figures are present which represents

Courage, Vigilance, Sacrifice, and loyalty; five great legislators; and a scene showing

justice flanked by wisdom and knowledge and other figures of humanity and the tree of

life.

Figure 12 : Speaker Chamber Mural

Grand Staircase Hall (Room of Protection)It is called room of protection because of its five distinct protective icons 1. Two Bronze

Bison, 2. Fourteen Lion Head, 3.Eight Cattle skull, 4.Head of Medusa, 5.Head of Athena.

In the ancient world each figure was venerated for its unique power to protect from badluck and evil. On the third floor supporting a cornice of the north wall is a reproduction of

the Caryatid Porch on Athenian Acropolis. The figure carry a scroll and key in their hands

which is to represent the Hermetica, a text on magic, alchemy and astrology. Thus it

represents wisdom of light in ancient mysteries of Egypt.The staircase hall is mostfascinating feature is sunlight entering through ceilings ritually empowering each five

protection icons.


18/26

11

Figure 13 : Grand Staircase Hall

Rotunda (Room of Transformation)Above the staircase Hall there is a circular balustrade regarded as the Legislative Altar

which depicts the temple of Persephone, whose altar is precisely the same as legislative

building. The Rotunda has five patterned rosettes, eight Corinthian columns and lighting

fixtures with thirteen bubs. These number (5, 8, and 13) are sequence of Fibonacci Series

which is shown to produce the golden proportion, a divine constant by the Greeks and is

the basis of temple structure in Egypt as well as the gothic Cathedrals.

Figure 14 : Rotunda


19/26

12

ConclusionThe Manitoba Legislative building is encoded with powerful images intended to guide,

direct, shape and inform the lives of the people who act as representatives in government.

The Building is a statement about hopes and dreams, history and culture of Manitoba

which is depicted by symbolic metaphors, ancient ideology and Masonic philosophy. Themessage hidden in its form is multilayered and employs symbolism in a context.

According to Jencks model in the case of Manitoba Legislative building Architectural

form acts as referents in most of the cases where architect has put the thing directly into

form so that there is no difference between the Symbol and Referent.

While analyzing with the approach of Giovanni K Koening where he defined symbols

from users point of view. Taking the example of the grand staircase hall which is also

known as room of protection, though its functionality does defines its possibility of

protection but its form has coding of protection because of the presence of protecting icons

which makes this place more influential.

Now through Bontas Model, In this case there is an emitter who is intentionally

communicating a message and there is an interpreter who is unintentionally receiving themessage, so the symbols used are intentional index. While in some cases where form are

derived from scale and function the message are pseudo signal because emitter is

unintentionally communicating message which is received by the interpreter intentionally.


20/26

13

Parliament House, Canberra

Figure 15 : Parliament House, Canberra

Building Description

Parliament House in Canberra is home to federal Parliament. Architects Mitchell/Giurgola

& Thorp have created building that is a meeting place for members of parliament and a

symbol of Australias democracy. It is a place where decisions that shape the nation are

made, a site for celebration, memorial and sometimes protest, and above all a building for

the people It is 300 meter long and 300 meter wide and is the biggest building project

undertaken in Australia since the 1960

The DesignDesign is based on two huge curved walls, each 460 meters in length which divides the

parliament house into four zones. The House of Representatives, senate chamber, public

space and executive government wing.

Capital hill site was reserved for the people for a ceremonial public building called the

capitol, which would celebrate the achievements of the Australian people. Its elevated

position above parliament house symbolizes parliament is accountable to the people, who

oversee their representatives.

The two chambers-the house of representative and the senate are located on a line known,

asThe legislative axis in the members hall at the very center of the building beneath the

Australian Flag, visible through glass skylight. This intersection is halfway between two

chambers. It symbolically brings together the different elements that make up Australian

Democracy- the people, the members of parliament, and the government- under the

unifying symbol of the flag.


21/26

14

Figure 16 : Top View of Parliament House

The SiteThe incorporation of the building into the landscape is a key element of the design.

Parliament could not built on the top of the hill as this would symbolize government

imposed upon the people. The building should nest with the hill, symbolically represent

rise out of the Australian landscape, as true democracy rises from the state of things.

The ChambersThe two curved walls in parliament house also separate the two chambers, a division that

physical represents Australias Bicameral parliamentary system in which laws can only

passed if both houses agree.

Each chambers has a distinctive architectural style. It can also be seen in the rooftops of

both the chambers are angular and are finished with the red terracotta tiles. This tile is

reference to the red tiled rooftops of many Australian homes

The colors gradually lightens up as it get closer to the ceiling, where it combines with the

natural light from the skylight to give chamber an airy, floating quality. Architect intended

that this be a metaphor for free and open society.

.

Figure 17 : The Senate Chamber and House of Representative


22/26

15

Cabinet RoomThe room is located on the ground floor of the parliament house opposite the prime

ministers office. While it is one of the few rooms that has no natural light, the cabinet

doesnt resemble bunker. Rather it has a simple leanness that is intended to represent

democracy. The architect compared the room with its smooth, understand and elegantsurfaces, to a large ship.

Figure 18 : Cabinet Room

The ForecourtThe fore court is the main entrance to Parliament House, is designed to invite people into

building to observe the democratic process. The large open space, it is framed by two walls

that appear to be outstretched as if in gesture of welcome.

The Forecourt is paved with stone and red gravel, with a large ceremonial pool at its

center. In the middle of this pool is a granite mosaic created by Indigenous artist Michael

Jelson. Jagamara. The mosaic sits on an island symbolizing the Australian continent. Thenatural colors and hard surfaces of the Forecourt evoke the ancient land, while the mosaic

refers to the Indigenous presence in Australia. The Forecourt space represents the period in

the countrys history before European settlement.

Figure 19 Mosaic Work in Forecourt

The Great VerandahThe great Verandah pays tribute to the tradition of the verandah in Australian Homes,

which gives shelter from the sun and rain and is the place where guest are welcomed and

farewelled.


23/26

16

Figure 20 : The Great Verandah

The FoyerThe foyer is designed to be a cool and tranquil space in contrast with the open forecourt.

Natural light filters from windows and skylight through 48 columns clad in grey greenmarble. The column creates an impression of space opening and closing, just as walking

through forest.

Figure 21 the Foyer

The Great HallThe Great Hall is a large space designed for ceremonial and other official occasions.

Described as a warm timber envelope, it features a central skylight, and floor and wall

paneling made from various Australian timbers. Known as the room of the land, the Great

Hall conveys a sense of how the physical environment has shaped Australia.

Figure 22 the Great Hall


24/26

17

ConclusionParliament House is a landmark building which has become an icon of Canberra with the

flag mast. The fundamental significance of the building lies within concepts of making a

national place. It function both as working place for the parliament and as symbol of

national unity and commitment to democratic process of government. The building formreflects the history, cultural diversity, development and aspiration of the nation. The

building particularly the curved wall and flagpole is a strong symbolic element in the

landscape.

According to Jencks model, thoughts or concept is expressed through symbols and thus

creating a difference between symbol and referent. Though the symbols and referent is not

the same in this case, message coded is successfully passes to the interpreter.

The building has strong message of unity and aspiration coded in its form which is more

influential and profound than some written message.

According to Bontas Model message coded in the architectural form is signal; since it has

intentional emitter and intentional interpreter in most of the built forms. While in some

case like use of red roof tile in the ceiling is a case of intentional index where emitter isintentional but message is unintentionally interpreted by interpreter.


25/26

18

Conclusion

Every architectural form is associated with some meanings. It may be calculated respond

to direct need of the human or it may be symbolic code encoded it, but associated meaningare an essential requirement for effective communication.10The studied example are

successful iconic architecture produced by the great architects. Both the examples are very

different in approach of symbolization of values, history, people etc. Both the buildings

have almost same form of expression but are different in the form of content. TheManitoba Legislative building uses referent to connote the national identity in architectural

form while Parliament House, Canberra uses symbols for the same expression.

In the study of these two building it is established that culture is composed of an

integration of sign and symbols operating within a society. Architecture is also a sign

system like science, language, religion etc.11Hence understanding how this system operate

would achieve better communication between design and society.

It is very important understand that interpretation is an action which is developed withinsociety, and designer have very less control over the formation of meaning. The emitter

produces indicators, but it is up to the interpreter to decide whether the message have same

meanings the emitter intended.

In this study two approaches are studied it is up to the Interpreter whether the former

approach can communicate message successfully or the later one. We should bear in or

mind that final judgment of the meaning of architecture is up to the interpreter i.e. society

or the user. Architect work is measured in the scale of social consensus where the societys

taste matches the meaning associated to the architectural form.

10M. Salim Ferwati, Semiotics as a guide for Architectural formation



26/26

19

REFERENCES

1.

Architectural space and greimassian semiotics, Kkristina juodinyt-kuznetsov

2.

Essay on semiotics and architecture; "explaining the meaning of the symbols in Architectural,Mohammad Ali Sargazi

3.

Function and sign: the semiotics of architecture, Umberto Eco

4. Masonic interpretation of Manitoba legislative building, Frank Albo

5. Architecture as languagesemiotic componential analysis of architecture la Charles

Jencks, http://stadtinnenarchitektur.de/?p=410

6. The semiotics of the new parliament house, indyk, i.

7. www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=254&Itemid=24

8.

www.aph.gov.au

Kapil Sinha REPORT

Documents

Transcript of Kapil Sinha REPORT