Lets look at these photographs...

what binds these situations

together?

meaning

Homo-significants

Types of Meaning
Intrinsic

Inherent or essential meaning (direct connection of ourself to the universe)

e.g. our physical substance and the universe
& schemata

Extrinsic
Meaning based on convention (we are anything but passive receptors of
outside stimuli, but always perceive them according to a former expectation)
e.g. Language shapes both our thought and knowledge of reality (Whorf)

Meaning could be achieved through:

Opposition or Association

Types of Signs
Symbol
Stand in place of an object (flags, door signs etc.)

Index
Points to something (indicators, the word big, arrow etc.)

Icon
Stand in place of an object (flags, door signs etc.)

Types of Signs
Signifier
Material aspect of sign

Signified
The mental concept of a sign
There are two types of signified:

Denotative-referent to the real

object
Connotative-justification beyond the
object

Sign: Area of Study?

Areas of investigation (as identified by Charles Morris)

Semantics
Referring to meaning of sign:
Relationship of sign to object they represent

Syntactics
How things are arranged together:
Relationship of sign-vehicle within sign system

Pragmatics
Language used and its context:
relationship of sign to interpreters

Semiotics
the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation

Through semiotics, one could identify:

Mnemonic meaning
Relationships of signs
Production of signs
Functions of signs
System and process underlaying signification
Expression, representation and communication
Identity

Semiotics Triangle
Thought
Content
Concept
Signified

Symbol
Form
Word
Signifier

Referen
t
Percept
Denotatum
Thing

Source:
Jenks, Charles, and George Baird ( 1969).

Humans are created with two

types of entity / form
PhysicalMeta-physical

Happy
Sad
Pain
BodySpirit

Smile
Frown
Squinch

Man creates everything to represent

their own image / identity
They expressed or manifested these feelings
in their everyday actions / life
All are materialized based on their set of constructs

Designers expresses their feelings through

DESIGN
Design is the sign-vehicle to the generation of meaning

DESIGN
.........is the manifestation / representation of the self,
culture or a specific group

Source: www.computerworld.net.ve

DESIGN
....freezes meaning in time!
It manifests a conceptual state into an appreciated physical state

Rashid

Elsener

Stark

Wright

Corbusier

Pelli

Allahyarham
Ar Dato Dr. Ikmal Hisham Albakri

Dato Baharuddin Abu Kassim

Malay

Creative

Humbleness

integrity

Religion

Cultural roots

Aspirations of a new

Respect

Nation

Hierarchy
Immaculate

Malay
sovereignty
Detailed

The Equation of meaning

Design = Sign
Sign = Codes
Codes = Meaning
Therefore:

Design = Meaning

This equation could therefore be

summated as:

Designers are custodians

of the codes that
preserves the meaning

There are no universal

meaning
only agreed meaning

No one meaning is the same...there is no

Universalism......because Universalism kills the uniqueness of
the human race.....

O mankind, indeed We have created you

from male and female and made you peoples
and tribes that you may know one another.
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of
Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed,
Allah is Knowing and Acquainted

Surah Al-Hujurat: verse 13

Lets play a game to identify a

meaning.....

Islamic

Is this Islamic?

No
But the building have
minarets and onion domes
and Islamic-like motifs??

Source: www.welcomehome.co.uk

The Brighton Pavilion

Is this Islamic?

No
...But she is wearing a hijab??

The Hijab

Are this Islamic?

Source: www.unesco.org

Source: www.favoriforumum.net

No
...But they feature Quranic writings on them??

Source: blog.bebes.com.es

Is this Islamic?

Maybe / Yes
...But it does not feature any dome-like
patterns or Quranic inscriptions??

We are placed on earth with a purpose.....and

our purpose is only one, which is:

I created the jinn and humankind only that

they worship me
Surah Az-Zariyat : Verse 56

Let us all uphold

the code!
As designers..
Lets create meaningful and responsive
designs!

WallahuAlam

Thank You
Azlaini Haji Abdul Aziz
Interior Architecture 2011