Islamic Art Studies

Islamic Art Studies

Void Space; The Locus of Manifestation and Perception of Meaning in Islamic Architecture(Examining the Influence of Void Spaces on the Audience, Based on the Views of Mulla Sadra)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mahdi Baniasadi Baghmirani 1
Seyed Behshid Hosseini 2
Azadeh Shahcheraghi 3
1 PhD Student in Architecture, Department of Architecture, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Art, Tehran, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/ias.2021.259921.1447
Abstract
Void spaces possess an active and powerful identity in architecture. Void spaces, by emptying themselves of matter, provide the ground for the manifestation of meaning, and the perception of meaning influences the audience. Mulla Sadra considers matter intertwined with non-existence, which includes sensory perception. He considers the senses incapable of revealing external reality. In fact, reverence for void spaces is reverence for the non-material. It is in this realm that Mulla Sadra's thoughts on perception can be aligned with architectural discussions. This research is qualitative and interdisciplinary, conducted using a comparative-analytical method and utilizing documentary studies. The results indicate that void spaces are the locus of the manifestation of meanings and can influence their audience. By comparing Mulla Sadra's perceptual perspectives with the meanings present in void space, we find that void space, due to its abstraction from matter, enables the emergence of meanings and perception; which influences the audience both unconsciously (implicitly) and consciously (explicitly). In Mulla Sadra's view, traversing void spaces is like a kind of movement from the apparent to the inward, where the audience becomes aware of a kind of implicit perception, guiding them towards meaning (perfection).
Research Objectives:


Explaining the semantic status of void spaces in architecture and how they exert influence on the audience.


Linking and aligning Mulla Sadra's philosophical views on perception with the perception of meaning in architectural void spaces.


Research Questions:


What are the semantic influences of void spaces on the audience?


How can Mulla Sadra's philosophical view on perception be aligned with the understanding of meaning in void space?
Keywords
Void Space
Mulla Sadra
Perception
Meaning
Conscious and Unconscious Influence
Quran Majid.
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