SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM

(ARC 61303/ ARC 2224)

PROJECT 2 A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY

NAME : LEONG VUI YUNG

ID : 0320362

LECTURER : Dr. NOR HAYATI HUSSAIN

SUBMISSION DATE : 27/11/2016

1.0 Introduction

“First life, then spaces, then buildings- the other way around never works”.

Study through the theory by Jan Gehl’s book “Life Between Building Using

Public Space”, he introduces his findings which concentrates on main streets

and bustling city centers. Its focus on ordinary days and the multitude of

outdoor space that surround us. He also analysis about the everyday activities

and their specific demands on the man-made environment in order to improve

the valued and quality of the public space in between buildings. Therefore,

based on his idea of three types of outdoor activities, I had analyst both Union

Square and Petaling street in order to find out the environment conditions and

activity pattern. It also helps me to learn the good points and increase the

possibility of Petaling street from foreign country.

2.0 Site Introduction2.1 Petaling Street (China Town)

Figure 1.0 Petaling Street Site Plan

This site is located within Kuala Lumpur city centre, the pioneer town of the

city which also known as china town of Kuala Lumpur. In the past, it was

concentrated by Chinese community who doing tin mining and slowly change

into residential and business districts. The city centre presents itself as the

business centre of Kuala Lumpur territory since the 1800s till present 21

century.

Due to the good position in between the historical and modern site, the site is

a famous destination for both local and foreign tourists now. It is a famous

hotspot where the hustling and bustling never comes to an end. Day or night,

crowds coming to here for the local street foods or to get some bargains on

pirate product or replicate things sold here. Therefore, Petaling Street is one

of the shoppers' paradise that full with culture and historical values.

Around the site, you can find lots of temples for Chinese and also Indians

communities. These temples are the important places of worshipers living in

city centre to workship their god. Moreover, there are also many institutions

found at the eastern side of China town. These institution reinforce the site

with younger generations and bring opportunities to the local communities.

Therefore, the high diversity of user groups and land uses within the

concentrated spot make whole site become busting and lively.

Sadly, although most of the shops are managed by Chinese, but foreign

workers have been wisely hired due to low salary and high efficiency

compared to locals. Gradually, the whole site has been took over by the

foreign workers and illegal activities happened. Hence, although the site is

physically permeable, but due to the safety and less maintenance issues, the

whole site are being forgotten and despise by the new generation now.

2.2 Union Square

Figure 2.0 Union Square

site plan

Case study that I have

chosen is the Union

square and Maiden lane in San Francisco. San Francisco was ranked the

second most-walkable city in USA in the annual ranking released by walk

score in 2016. Its grid urban form makes the city predictable and provides for

easy navigation to everyone who happens on the area.

Union Square, a public plaza located in the heart of downtown San Francisco,

is one of the largest premium shopping districts in USA that features

everything from upper class department stores to discount stores. It is

bordered by Geary Street, Powell Street, Post Street and Stockton Street. A

mature and developed transport system in this area promotes permeability

throughout the site and also increase the environmental quality.

Directly east from Union Square off of Stockton Street is where Maiden Lane

is located. Maiden Lane is formed by two continuous short and narrow alleys

which features exclusive boutiques and cafes. It has trees along its sidewalks,

street furniture like benches to invite the people to linger, designed sidewalks

with pavement and also sidewalk umbrellas when the sun gets hot. Hence, it

is also known as a pedestrian mall. This lane will be fully pedestrianise during

the day and open for vehicle at the night. In the past, Maiden Lane was known

to be the red light district of the city, providing a negative impression to those

in the area. It was later turned into one of the finest shopping streets in USA.

Today, Maiden Lane is the home to various high-end boutiques, cafes and art

galleries, creating viable and vibrant urban community.

3.0 Types of activities:

3.1 Union Square

Through the analytical diagram

(Figure 3.0) above, it can said

that this site ranked as the

second most-walkable city

because of the mature form of activity throughout the site. Based on Jan

Gehl’s idea of three types of outdoor activities, I found that necessary activity,

optional activities and social activity within the site has corporate together and

make union square walkable friendly.

Based on the data collected, there are five important contact points along the

Union Square until Maiden Lane. First contact point that I identified is the

intersection point of public transport such as buses and cable car meet. This

contact point form due to the high intensity of necessary activity happen. A

designed safety island has made the waiting area become more friendly and

encourage people to use public transport. But due to the short waiting time

and no sitting area, the contact intensity is low.

The second contact point is the Centre open plaza of Union Square. This

plaza provides a large space for people to gather and meet. High amount of

optional activities and social activities make this contact point vibrant to the

site. Designed walkway, sitting area and some open plaza invite a lot people

stay for longer time and interact with each other. Activities such as sitting, sun

bathing and outdoor dining promote people to involve in the square. Hence,

this contact point having a high contact intensity.

Next contact point is support by optional activities and social activities,

whereas the outdoor dining area provided by a few restaurants in Maiden

Lane makes people stay and gather. This outdoor dining area attracts people

through the pleasant environment and services provided. A transition of open

space to a narrow lane make the pedestrian vision change and slow down

their walking speed. Hence, the intimate scale of building typology makes

people focusing on the activities within and enhance the relationship in

between. This eventually makes the contact point high in contact intensity.

Moreover, There are some constant street performance happen in Maiden

Lane. A famous couple of opera singer and live band make a significant

contact point within the lane. After the street performance is the outdoor

gallery. The fully pedestrian walkway encourages people to stay without

worried about the vehicle passes by. Although the whole lane being cut off by

the Grant Avenue, the visual connect through the contact points make the

entire street remain walkable friendly. People with the similar interest

encourage them to socializing and make moderate contact intensity happen.

3.2 Petaling Street

Figure 4.0 Necessary Activities Figure 5.0 Optional Activities Figure 6.0 Social Activities

Based on the data above, it can said that the whole site is less pedestrian

friendly. From the figure 4.0, necessary activities are highly happen around

the site due to the narrow building typology and high concentration of human

density limit the public transport. Additionally, the poor visual permeability

within Petaling street caused the pedestrian focus on main road instead of

back alley.

Moreover, From the figure 5.0, the covered pedestrian walkway in petaling

street gives the highest optional activities. The pedestrianised walking mall

offers a higher quality and keep out the hot sun and rain. Thus, constant flow

of human intensity from day to night make this spot become vibrant and

familiar.

Based on figure 6.0, it can said that the social activity is dispersed throughout

the site. It is because there are no suitable open space for people to stay and

interact. As a result, small amount of people will only gather at the junction or

corner lot of the shophouses.

3.2.1 Contact Points

Study through the activities within Petaling Street, I found out that there are

some vibrant contact points are happening within Petaling Street. These

contact points run the entire Petaling Street and significant to the site which

make the site permeable friendly.

Figure 7.0 Petaling Street T Junction

The first contact point is the most busting contact point within Petaling Street,

which is the main entrances of Petaling Street. This contact point is success

due to the intersection of multi activities. Posited right at the T junction with

the intersection of transportation hub, the loading bay and gateway of Petaling

Street make this contact point become vibrant and busting from day to night.

Figure 8.0 Petaling Street covered walking mall

The second contact point is the entire covered walking mall throughout

Petaling Street. This covered walking mall promotes slower walking speed

and make the pedestrian to discover and negotiate with the stall around. The

entire contact point is support by the permanent and continued human flow.

Although this contact point is the centre focus point of Petaling Street, but this

contact point is not pleasant to walk. During daytime, the entire street are

semi enclosed to the vehicle, some owner of mini stall or motor are still

passing through the street with the pedestrian. Thus, the pedestrian are not

fully permeable safe. Meanwhile, during the night time, although the whole

street are fully enclose for pedestrian, but the over crowed mini stall are

almost fully occupied the walkway. There are only two lines of single person

width walkway for pedestrian to cross the market. This intimate scale of

walkway makes the owner close with the pedestrian in order to increase the

opportunity to selling their products. But this also make the street not

welcoming and dislike by the local. Hence, necessary activities are not

frequently happen along the street.

Figure 9.0 Food stall along the roadside

Third contact point is the open dining area throughout Jalan Sultan. This

contact point is one of the main selling point that attract people to visit

Petaling Street because of the local food serves to the diners. The flexibility of

the five foot way and sidewalk are then occupied by these restaurant to

extend their business.

Figure 10.0 Street Performance in Petaling Street

Beside food communities, there are some street performance and mini stalls

around the street that attract people to stay and enjoy their performance.

These social activities make the contact point lively and vibrant to the site.

Figure 11.0 Pasar Karat

Fourth contact point is the back alley from Pasar Karat to Lorong Petaling.

During the daytime, the flea market that selling second hand or stolen goods

are located at the left hand side of the street. This scenario happened due to

the shoplots are only provide shade to a side. This causes the seller can only

run their business depending on the weather condition.

Figure 12.0 Mini stall at Lorong Petaling

Next to the Pasar Karat is Lorong Petaling. This back alley is the main

entrances to the illegal activities. The vegetations right opposite are providing

shade to the alley. Thus, lots of pimp and stall are located there to sell their

illegal products.

Study through these contact points at Petaling Street, It can summaries that

the contact points of Petaling Street are not mature enough and having a low

contact intensity. It is because these contact points are mainly form by single

activities or economical reason. Therefore, the intensity of contact point are

not stable and mature and it can be removed or replaced easily.

4.0 Similarities

In order to enhance the walkability of Petaling Street, a study between Union

Square and Petaling Street are taken. Based on the collected data, it shows

that the life between public space in Petaling Street are not mature and stable

as Union Square. However, there are some similarities in between that we

should appreciate.

Figure 13.0 Maiden Lane during Peak Hours Figure 14.0 Petaling Street Main Entances

Firstly, both Maiden Lane and Petaling Street are walkable pedestrian mall.

For Maiden Lane, the vegetation and comfortable weather encourage

pedestrian enjoy the slower pace while shopping within the street. Whereas in

order to increase human comfort level and dealing with the hot and humid

weather of tropical country, a designed covered roof in Petaling Street allows

people walking through the street without worried about the weather change.

Figure 15.0 Opera singer in Maiden Lane Figure 16.0 & 17.0 Street Performance in Petaling Street

Secondly, social activities like street performance and mini stall (gallery in

union square, book stall in petaling street) can be found throughout both site.

These activities become the identification and signature to the entire street.

According to the Jan Gehl, activities happen in the public realm are important

and inherently attract people and draw them to walk and linger in the space.

Therefore the street performances are one of the important elements that

make the street lively and personalized the street.

Figure 18.0 Outdoor Dining at Maiden Lane Figure 19.0 Food Stall at Petaling Street

Thirdly is the outdoor dinning area. Both Maiden Lane and Petaling Street are

having the flexibility and extendable outdoor space within the street. The

flexibility of the space makes the street lively and vibrant. These optional

activities are promoting the social activity as well as the contact intensity of

the site. Hence, these points are the main element that promotes strong

communal sense and improve the neighborhood relationship.

5.0 Dissimilarities

Based on the further study of both sites, I found that there are some strong

dissimilarities between Union Square and Petaling Street which we can learn

and improve the walkability from each other.

Figure 20.0 Constant contacts point in Union Square

Figure 21.0 Non constant contacts point in Petaling Street

Firstly, Union Square has constant sequence of contact point, whereas

Petaling Street has no constant contact point. A designed constant contact

points engaged the site that make it pedestrian friendly. Although the grid

urban form at Union Square has discontinue the street movement pattern, but

the existing constant contact points are able to maintain the walkability

throughout the site.

Figure 22.0 Various Activities Happen in Maiden Lane

Secondly, Union Square has a mature support in between different activities.

Advance Transport system with designed open space promote high tendency

of necessary, optional and social activities. Whereas Petaling Street is having

a strong separation between these activities. For example, the strong contrast

of necessary activity zone and optional activity zone within Petaling Street

separate and disperse the human flow. It is because a space with multi-use

will make the space multi user. Therefore, Less interconnection within

activities cause the site low in contact intensity.

Figure 24.0 less maintenance back alleyFigure 23.0 Designed walkway

and landscape at Union Square

Thirdly, Union Square is having a strong Visual and physical permeability

compared to Petaling Street. Union square has a beautiful and good

maintenance landscape, whereas the public realm in Petaling Street are lack

of maintenance and remain unchanged from the past until now. The

development within Petaling Street are only limited to the own plot area and

none of the local community are not active in enhancing the communal

spaces.

Furthermore , the last dissimilarities between this two site are the differences

of solid and void and sense of scale. A system urban grid form and designed

movement pattern from large open space to narrow pedestrian walking street

slow down the pedestrian movement speed and enhance the permeability in

Union Square. On the other hand, compact build typology and high

concentration of people cause Petaling Street narrow and congested. These

narrow street causing pedestrian prefer walk further away or choosing the

main road due to the safety consideration.

Figure 25.0 Urban grid form of Union Square

Figure 26.0 Deform grid pattern of Petaling street

6.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, both Petaling Street and Union Square are highly potential and

can be transform into a better walkable friendly city. Although Petaling Street

is poor in hard side now, but there are some positive elements that need to be

preserve and cherish. The contact points form naturally in between buildings

are unique and give the street characteristic. Therefore, I believe through

proper design and urban planning, Petaling Street will become one of the

dominant hot spots in Kuala Lumpur that rich in cultural and historical value.

As Jan Gehl states, Life between Buildings can only move us toward more

lively and healthy public places. Therefore, I am agree with Jan gehl’s theory

about design a space according life, then space, then building. By enhancing

the quality and life within Petaling Street, first we need to enhance the life in

between buildings.

Last but not least, it can be said that life between building space are the most

important things that we need to be aware and take consideration before

designing. We should put down the thinking of built to archive personal needs

by replacing the public realm. It is because Rome wasn’t built in a day, but

they were laying bricks every hour. Contact points that form naturally is fragile

and sensitive to space. It cannot be duplicated or simply take from

somewhere. It only born from the space through proper design. Thus, as an

architect, we have to be highly sensitive to the community as well as the

surrounding context.

(2870Words)

7.0 References

1. Gehl, Jan (2011). Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space (6th Ed).

Island Press, Washington Dc.

2. Gehl, Jan (2013). Cities for people. Island Press, Washington Dc.

3. How Cities Come Alive: A Book Review of “Life Between Buildings” – The

Global Grid. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2016, from

http://theglobalgrid.org/how-cities-come-alive-a-book-review-of-life-

between-buildings/

4. Life between buildings: Using public space by Jan Gehl (extract). (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2016, from http://www.rudi.net/pages/8741

5. Lynch, Kelvin (1990). The image of the city. The MIT Press.

6. Rasmussen, S. E. (1962). Experiencing architecture. Cambridge: M.I.T.

Press, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.