From 1974 to 1975, Siah Armajani embarked on one of the longest and most ambitious series of his career, Dictionary for Building, tirelessly creating hundreds of handmade models. These models functioned as a sketchbook or laboratory, allowing him to develop a unique visual language composed of architectural elements with endless possibilities. Dictionary for Building became a seminal body of work, laying the foundation for what was to come.

Reflecting on this series, Armajani stated: “ I was trying to put together an index of art and architectural possibilities—all the physical properties of doors, windows, and so forth. A chair against a wall, a chair by a window—these are real experiences. Everything in Dictionary for Building I have seen in actual life. I saw a door at the top of the stairs, a door in the basement, a door on the first floor, the second floor. I saw doors in many shapes and forms. I did not make anything up. Everything is documented.”

In 1979, Armajani expanded the series into large-scale Dictionary for Building sculptures, bringing the architectural and domestic elements from his models into full-size forms. These works included doors, windows, frames, staircases, tables, chairs, benches, bookshelves, etc. In many cases, two or three contrasting elements were placed in direct confrontation, as seen in Dictionary for Building: Tabletop Bookshelf, where a tabletop and a bookshelf are juxtaposed.

In his essay Language, Dictionary, Self-Reflection: Activity Models, art historian Hans Ulrich Reck states: “In each of the models in the Dictionary for Building series, at least two architectural elements or building principles are set up to confront one another, isolated from both their somatic and utilitarian contexts. These arrangements are designed to stand out in their essence, with their function revealed as elements of language.” He continues: “Armajani’s montages treat the architectural elements as if they were linguistic expressions, encountering one another as strangers on an imaginary stage.” Later, he reflects on the underlying concept of the series: “ The deepest intuitive concept underlying the poetic Dictionary for Building is perhaps a perception of the continuing divide between possibility and realization.”

In 1986, Armajani finally completed Dictionary for Building.