Elucidating Social Perception In Representing Genius Loci and Sense Of Place; A Semantic Approach To Identity-Oriented Cultural Environments
Subject Areas : Environmental
Mohammad Dabdabeh
1
*
,
Habib Shahhoseini
2
*
,
Morteza Seddigh
3
1 - : Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ta.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
2 - Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ta.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
3 - Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Deylaman Institute of Higher Education (DIHE), Deylaman, Iran.
Keywords: Cultural Environments, Identity, Social Perception, Genius Loci and Sense of Place, Semantic Approach.,
Abstract :
Cultural environments have long served as platforms for shaping collective identity and conveying meaning within social contexts. What breathes life and significance into these spaces is the interplay between social perception and the representation of genius loci and sense of place. This study aims to explore how social perception influences the manifestation of these concepts within identity-oriented cultural environments, adopting a semantic approach to their interpretation. This research employs a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore the meaningful connections between social perception and the concepts of genius loci and sense of place within identity-oriented cultural spaces. Data were gathered through the analysis of theoretical texts, historical sources, and cultural symbols. By decoding semantic and semiotic layers, the study elucidates the role of lived experience and collective meaning in shaping spatial structures. Findings suggest that social perception plays a central role not only in individuals’ spatial-sensory experiences but also in the reproduction of the latent meanings embedded in those spaces. Sense of place is nurtured through social interactions, collective memory, and cultural symbols, and is ultimately reflected as genius loci—a spirit interwoven with the hidden semantic layers of spatial form. The study concludes that social understanding of place, through perceptual and semantic dimensions, fosters richer representations of genius loci and sense of place in cultural environments. This perception is a construct of active user engagement, shared memories, and symbolic meanings embedded in the physical and spatial order. Therefore, the design of identity-oriented cultural environments in the contemporary era necessitates attention to the users’ shared language and indigenous social values within a semantic framework.
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