Irish-Vernacular Architecture: An Illustration of Semiotic Analysis

Abstract

A methodological framework of vernacular architecture may be employed to study the interaction of culture and design. This is possible because culture and design are interwoven in such a way that studying one provides insights into aspects of the other. Houses employ powerful symbols, often representing a culture’s social structure. While lack of documents often constrain the study of design, vernacular architecture may represent the historical nature of the cultural material being examined. Structural semiotic analysis provides a methodological framework for researching material culture through studying a sample of items, analyzing them in the context of supporting information, developing testable hypotheses, and proposing a supportable theory of the object’s cultural meaning. The process is illustrated in this article using examples of vernacular architecture from 18th and 19th century Ireland.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ann C. Ziebarth

Ann C Ziebarth is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Textile, Clothing, and Design at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.