Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of explaining how the cultural signs of Iran’s indigenous architecture are reinterpreted in contemporary architecture. This issue has become one of the major theoretical concerns in contemporary architecture due to the expansion of globalization and the challenge of maintaining a connection with the heritage of vernacular architecture while simultaneously responding to new needs.
Method: In terms of purpose, this study is fundamental, and in terms of method, it is qualitative. The theoretical framework of the research is based on the integration of Peirce’s triadic theory of signs, Eco’s theory of cultural codes, and Barthes’ theory of myth. For the analysis, three prominent examples of contemporary Iranian architecture were selected: Tabiat Bridge, Mellat Cineplex, and the National Library of Iran. Data were collected through documents, architectural plans, images, and scholarly sources, and were analyzed at three levels: type of sign, cultural code, and mythological meaning.
Results: The findings of the study indicate that, in the selected cases, the continuity of cultural identity has been achieved not through the direct reproduction of historical forms, but through the reinterpretation of the concepts and cultural codes of Iranian architecture. Concepts such as the Persian garden, intermediate space, spatial hierarchy, social interaction, scenography, and cultural memory have been re-created within the language of contemporary architecture.
Conclusion: The results of the study showed that symbolic and indexical signs play a far more prominent and effective role than iconic signs (i.e., the direct and superficial imitation of past elements) in the production of meaning and the authentic representation of cultural identity in contemporary architecture. In fact, in order to preserve its dynamism and identity, contemporary Iranian architecture needs to move beyond surface appearances and formal imitation toward the reproduction of indigenous semantic and spatial structures. This structuralist and semiotic approach can provide an appropriate foundation for establishing a creative link between the tradition of Iranian architecture and the demands of the modern world.