Short answer

Designers must acknowledge that the meaning and use of their designs are not fixed and can evolve based on user interaction and societal changes.

Field: Classic Design
Source: Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies (JARS) (2018)
Method: Discourse analysis and critical examination of architectural form and its socio-political context.
Evidence: Strong effect

The design of monumental structures can serve as a potent medium for states to project and legitimize power, while simultaneously becoming sites for citizens to reinterpret and express their own identities and social practices. This classic design research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies (JARS). Using Discourse analysis and critical examination of architectural form and its socio-political context., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers must acknowledge that the meaning and use of their designs are not fixed and can evolve based on user interaction and societal changes.

Study

Classic DesignHigh ImpactStrong effect

Monumental Architecture as a Tool for Power and Identity Negotiation

Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies (JARS) · 2018

Key Findings

01Monuments function as symbolic devices for the state to legitimize and maintain power.
02Citizens can re-appropriate monumental forms through semantic subversions to express their own social and political activities and form modern identities.
03The meaning of monumental design can be complex, incongruous, and contradictory, especially in response to changing socio-political situations.

Application

Design takeaway

Designers must acknowledge that the meaning and use of their designs are not fixed and can evolve based on user interaction and societal changes.

How to apply

When designing public spaces or monuments, consider how different groups might interact with and interpret the space, and how these interpretations could evolve over time.

Project actions

01Consider the historical and cultural context of any design project.
02Think about how a design might be used or interpreted by different groups of people, not just the intended user.

Method & Evidence

AimHow do monumental architectural designs mediate state power and national identity, and how do citizens subsequently re-appropriate these forms for their own social and political expressions?

MethodDiscourse analysis and critical examination of architectural form and its socio-political context.

ProcedureThe research analyzed the Democracy Monument in Bangkok, Thailand, by first investigating its role as a political architectural form used by the state to manifest power. It then shifted focus to how citizens re-appropriated the monument through semantic subversions for social and political activities and identity formation.

ContextPublic monumental architecture, urban planning, socio-political discourse.

Variables

IVDesign of monumental architecture.

DVMediation of state power, citizen re-appropriation, identity formation.

CVSocio-political context, historical changes.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a nuanced understanding of how designed forms can carry multiple, sometimes conflicting, meanings.
+Connects architectural design directly to broader socio-political and ideological discourses.

Limitations

It can be challenging to definitively prove the 're-appropriation' of a design without extensive ethnographic study.

Reliability & validity

The validity of the findings relies heavily on the interpretation of discourse and historical context, which can be subjective. Reliability would depend on consistent application of discourse analysis methods.

Think critically

To what extent can designers control or influence the meanings and uses of their creations once they are in the public domain?

Design Principles

"Designed artifacts, particularly public ones, are sites of ongoing negotiation between intended purpose and user interpretation."

Understanding how built forms embody and are re-appropriated for political and social expression is crucial for designers. It highlights the dynamic relationship between designed objects, their intended meanings, and their lived realities, influencing how spaces are used and perceived over time.

What This Means for Your Design

Buildings like monuments aren't just structures; they're like messages from the government, but people can also use them to send their own messages or express themselves.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to support arguments about the social and political impact of design choices in your design project.
2.Reference this study when discussing how user interaction can alter the intended meaning or function of a designed artifact.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The Democracy Monument case study illustrates how monumental architecture serves as a powerful tool for state power projection and identity legitimation, yet also becomes a site for citizen re-appropriation and semantic subversion, highlighting the dynamic and often contested nature of designed forms in public spaces.

Source

Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies (JARS)

Democracy Monument: Ideology, Identity, and Power Manifested in Built Forms

journal · 2018

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about monumental architecture as a tool for power and identity negotiation?: Designers must acknowledge that the meaning and use of their designs are not fixed and can evolve based on user interaction and societal changes. Evidence: Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies (JARS) (2018).
Why does "Monumental Architecture as a Tool for Power and Identity Negotiation" matter for design?: Understanding how built forms embody and are re-appropriated for political and social expression is crucial for designers. It highlights the dynamic relationship between designed objects, their intended meanings, and their lived realities, influencing how spaces are used and perceived over time.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers must acknowledge that the meaning and use of their designs are not fixed and can evolve based on user interaction and societal changes.
What were the main findings?: Monuments function as symbolic devices for the state to legitimize and maintain power.. Citizens can re-appropriate monumental forms through semantic subversions to express their own social and political activities and form modern identities.. The meaning of monumental design can be complex, incongruous, and contradictory, especially in response to changing socio-political situations.
What research method was used?: Discourse analysis and critical examination of architectural form and its socio-political context..
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2018 journal from Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies (JARS).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing public spaces or monuments, consider how different groups might interact with and interpret the space, and how these interpretations could evolve over time.
What are the limitations?: The study focuses on a specific monument in a particular socio-political context, which may limit the generalizability of findings to all monumental architecture.