¶ … Sign and Symbol," by John Onians Signs, symbols are different depending on Context and Medium:

Context = needs of builders, users

Medium -- physical dispositions of floors, walls, roofs, supports, materials

Link between physical and expressive properties -- gives signs and symbols power in architecture

In architecture, walls, doors have real and symbolic functions

Eg. A wall excludes "before it expresses exclusion" -- has real, physical effects

Wall, roof of hut -- protection; posts -- stability; doorway -- openness; threashold -- controlled access

Group of huts = social coherence

Architecture gave meaning to concepts fundamental to existence

Hut does not just communicate meaning, it constitutes meaning, it...

embodies meaning
Eg of symbolic architecture that is deliberate -- Dogon -- buildings located to express gender roles, and placement of head, body

Underlying awareness that response to buildings is "cognate with response to people"

Dense urban cities -- need to differentiate between classes, status, roles; expressed in different durability of materials -- also with height! -- symbol of tall building being closer to heaven -- ancient ziggurat v hut

By first millennium -- all cultures seemed to be aware of the role of architectural sign, symbol

Columns (in Egypt -- decorated to represent abundance with fronds of trees -- v- Greece with vertical lines)

Steps and podium express social status

The arch associated with heaven and conquest -- eg the triumphal…