Polysemous Cube: An Interdisciplinary Comparative Semiotic Analysis of Cubic Forms in the Kaaba, September ۱۱ Memorial, and Jewish Architecture

This study provides a comparative interdisciplinary analysis of the symbolism and theoretical potential of the cubic form across three distinct architectural contexts: the Kaaba in Mecca, the September ۱۱ Memorial in New York, and Jewish architecture, including memorials and synagogues. Drawing on semiotic theory (Roland Barthes), the phenomenology of sacred spaces (Mircea Eliade, Christian Norberg-Schulz), and anthropological structures of imagination (Gilbert Durand), this analysis demonstrates how a single geometric form can convey deeply divergent, sometimes contradictory, yet powerful meanings within different cultural and historical contexts. A close examination of these cases reveals the cube’s capacity as a universal archetype of stability, a symbol of absence and trauma, and a vessel for mystical and existential concepts. This study not only enriches the understanding of architectural symbolism but also offers significant theoretical potential for contemporary architecture to express complex human experiences, from divine presence to collective loss

Keywords:

Cubic Form , Architectural Symbolism , Semiotics , Sacred Space , Collective Memory