Humanization or technology of “soft power” in the urban space: The semiotics of loft

Abstract

The subject of the article is the study of the architectural and design style of the loft as a means of transforming the urban space. This style is analyzed from the point of view of the concept of space production as a mechanism for soft power implementing and social correction of an urban community. The evolution of the loft style from the forced reaction to the de-industrialization of urban space is traced to the creation of a complex semiotic model of urban culture. Loft design reflects the process of recombination of symbols inherent in the humanized space. The complex of buildings of the Tate Modern Gallery (London) is presented as an example of a loft object. The reconstructed building of Bankside Power Station contains a specific spatial code based on the cultural conventions of the Modern Age. This loft object demonstrates temporary layers of meanings and aesthetic preferences. The space in the city has a practical, functional and commercial significance. It is formed by a culture of mass consumption. Loft design is a solution to the problems of dehumanizing the urban environment and the model city creating a desert around described by J. Baudrillard. On the one hand, the loft becomes an aesthetic manifestation of the idea of the historical memory of an architectural object. On the other hand, the history of the loft style demonstrates the transformation of culture into a key business restructuring the physical, economic and social space of the modern city.