The dynamics of meaning in mosque architecture: A case study of old and modern mosques in West Java Indonesia

Abstract

Humans are homo religiosus with a natural desire that there is an absolute power beyond reasoning which makes them "existent". This is observed from their religious behaviors as well as the continuous increase in their spirituality. Humans have a basic need to worship according to their religious orders and the construction of mosques is considered the fulfillment of the main needs of Muslims to conduct their prayers. The diversity of mosque forms in West Java showed that there is a mutually influencing relationship between the basic need for space to accommodate prayer rituals which tend to be dogmatic and the human desire to appreciate architectural elements of mosques as a form of contextual and dynamic spirituality enhancement. The comparison between the needs and desires in mosque architecture as indicated in previous studies was used as the main reference to understand the dynamics of the meaning in mosque architecture in order to produce new meaning reading diagrams. This was achieved through three main stages with the first being the re-description of the ideograms and typograms pairing in each mosque from the previous studies, the second is the identification of keywords that form the basis of thought for architects, users, and organizers as a series of triangulation processes to reveal new meanings and functions in the case study of mosques, and the third is the placement of the results of the analysis on the Function-Form-Meaning diagram to produce a new meaning reading diagram to identify the dynamics of meaning in mosque architecture in West Java. The contribution of this study is to enrich the theory and method of the meaning process in mosque architecture as well as to serve as a guide for architectural practitioners in designing mosques.

Architecture Mosque in Indonesia: The Typical Pattern and Its Shifting Form from The Period of The Kingdom to The Emergence of The YAMP Mosque Phenomenon

“…The design of this mosque attempted to break free from tradition and reinterpret the essence of architectural locality. It emphasized simplicity, and functionality, minimized ornamentation, showcased the honesty of materials (Dewiyanti & Budi, 2015), and explored aspects of function and meaning based on modern ideologies and spirits (Astrina & Indrarani, 2022).…”

“…Dewiyanti & Budi (2015) explain in more detail in the table: (Table 2) The Salman Mosque emerged as a generator of modernism in several aspects: it was the first mosque that differed from its predecessors, its structural design employed computer technology, and the opinions of the mosque's architect, Achmad Noe'man, indicated that modern architecture represented Islam moving towards modernization (Dewiyanti & Budi, 2016). However, the expected influence of modernization envisioned by the architect (Achmad Noe'man) did not significantly impact mosque architecture in Indonesia, partly due to the limited scope (in terms of function, form, and meaning) of the principles applied (Astrina & Indrarani, 2022). According to Asy Syahid (2018), the significant aspect of mosque modernization is the focus on its interpretation.…”

Typology of Rumah Lontiok Architecture in Kuok Kampar Riau

“…There is a wave or hanging bee carving at the stairs. The curving symbolizes hope and persistence in struggling, and the curve line symbolizes the human life journey that is always in the fate circle [14]. There are also ornaments on the wall of Rumah Lontiok namely the Gondo Ari carving.…”

Architecture of the Kajoran Cultural Heritage Mosque Building Complex and Community Life Around the Building Area

“…Several studies related to mosque architecture in the world, predominantly focusing on cosmological, cultural, and ideological meanings that influence the interpretation of mosques, have been carried out by researchers [5] [6]. One study related to mosque architecture in West Java stated that mosque architecture was influenced by the wishes of pious worshipers and the personal desires of the architecture [7]. Although the architecture of the Kajoran mosque is relatively close to the kingdom's territory, in detail, the architecture and the surrounding life have differences.…”