A New Method for Reading Architectural Texts Based on the Theory of Intertextuality (Case Study: Al-Qadir Mosque, Iran)

One of the major challenges in the field of architec ture is the reading and critiquing individual works re gardless of relevant textual layers that may affect the formation of the work. The main concern of the pre sent research is the great importance of criticism to the architectural community. Unfortunately however, the lack of systematic readings of architectural works has led to the absence of reliable criticisms that may help improve the quality of the works. As one of the most widely used concepts in contemporary literary criticism, intertextuality refers to the idea that a text is interconnected with earlier and later texts; there fore, every text should be read and appreciated in relation to other texts. As a concept, intertextuality is not exclusive to literary arts. It is also relevant to other artistic subjects including cinema, painting, mu sic, architecture, photography and, in general, all forms of cultural or artistic production. Intertextuality has grown out of the field of literary criticism and has been put to use in reading and critiquing other artistic texts as well. In this study, we intend to read architec tural works through an application of the theory of in tertextuality to the field of architectural criticism. By relying on an intertextual reading, this study ad dresses the relations between peritext and intertext elements and their impact on the formation of the overall meaning of architectural works. We have for mulated the Intertextuality Reading Model for the in tertextual reading of architecture based on the theory of intertextuality and have evaluated the model by applying it to our reading of Al-Qadir Mosque as a case study. The question that we, herein, seek to an swer is: How do we read architectural works based on the Intertextuality Reading Model? This study uses a qualitative design. Data collection was conducted via descriptive procedures and content analysis was car ried out via discursive procedures, i.e., logical argu ments. The study focuses on the theory of intertextu ality and addresses the different layers of the text, i.e., the architecture work, in light of syntagmatic and paradigmatic axes, diachronic and synchronic ap proaches, codification and implications. Our findings indicate that the use of an intertextual method pre vents superficial readings of architectural works, fa cilitates the understanding of hidden layers of mean ing and activates broader paradigms of interpretation. The different semantic aspects of an architectural work in intertextual relations can be uncovered by a plurality of different layers at the vertical (“dia chronic”) axis of its semiotic system and the horizon tal (“synchronic”) axis of its codification system.