New Aspects in the Architectural Semiotics

In recent years, some major studies in architectural theory have appeared which are of great relevance for architectural semiotics, because they clarify and expand various methodological and content-related aspects, from the art or social sciences which are also examined in semiotical research. These very differently oriented studies have in common that they are based on already existing general theories, such as Goodman's symbol theory and Luhmann's system theory, or the structure-artefact theory, and that they have operationalized these theories so that they can be applied to architecture in investigating architectural communication and meaning processes in a new way. It is shown that the traditional approach of semiotics to architecture can (and must) be significantly differentiated and expanded. The article presents some of these developments and characterizes their theoretical impact in some central points.