Project 2 - Theorizing Architecture

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM [ ARC 2224 ]

PROJECT 2 THEORIZING ARCHITECTURE Tutor Mr. Lam Shen Fei Student Cynthia Lee Siaw Wun 0306112

1.0

Introduction 1.1

Project Description The aim of this project is to understand the

theories of architecture as proposed by the selected theorist. A critical analysis between the architecture and

the

selected

theories

is

done

through

observations and relations to its social, cultural and intellectual

context

and

are

conveyed

through

diagrams and essay. The analysis can be done by choosing up to four buildings in a single context and analyze the building(s) through the theories as proposed by the selected theorist. Clear and logical arguments are to be presented to completely relate the theories and architecture.

1.2 Background of Selected Theorist Jane Jacobs also known as Jane Butzner was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in the year 1916. After graduating from Scranton High School, she worked part time as a women’s page editor at Scranton Tribune. Not long after, in the year 1935, during the Great Depression, she moved to New York City with her sister in which she immediately fonded the Manhattan’s

Greenwich

Village,

which

did

not

conform to the city’s grid structure. Her first few years in New York she worked as a freelance writer often writing about working districts in the city. She then graduated from Columbia University’s School of General Studies with a variety of courses ranging from geology to economics. Later she became a feature writer then a reporter for Amerika in which she met her husband Robert Hyde Jacobs Jr., and got married in 1944. They had two sons, James and Ned and a daughter, Burgin. Jacobs left Amerika in 1952 when it announced it would relocate to Washington, D.C. She found a job at Architectural Forum, published by Henry Luce. She had an early success and began to take assignments on urban planning and “urban blight”. She then started to write a piece “Downtown Is for People” for Fortune magazine that outraged C.D.Jackson, publisher of Fortune as it was her first public criticism of Robert Moses. This brought attention to Chadbourne Gilpatric, the Associate Director of Humanities Division at the Rockefeller Foundation. In 1958, Rockefeller Foundation granted

Jacobs to produce a critical study of city planning and urban life in the US in which Jacobs was to explore the field of urban design to improve thinking on how the design of cities can serve a better urban life in terms of cultural and humane value. She spent three years conducting this research and finally, Random House published her manuscript as The Death and Life of Great American Cities in the year 1961.

1.3

The Death and Life of Great American Cities “This book is an attack on current city planning and rebuilding.” – Jane Jacobs, 1961. In this book Jane Jacobs argued that the modern urban planning rejects the city itself, because it rejects human beings living in a community as it is layered by complexity and chaos. She stated that the policies of modernist planners such as urban renewal are the most violent, while the separation of uses is the most prevalent.

She claimed that these policies destroy communities and innovative economies as isolated, unnatural urban spaces are created. Thus Jacobs encouraged the “four generators of diversity” that “create effective economic pools of use”. The “generators” are:

•

Mixed

primary

uses,

streets

are

activated throughout the day •

Short

blocks,

high

pedestrians

permeability are allowed •

Building of various ages and states of repair

•

1.4

Density of population

Introduction of Selected Site and Buildings

Picture 1.4.1: Aerial view of Putrajaya Putrajaya Precinct 2 and 3 are the selected districts for this research. Putrajaya is well known to be one of Malaysia’s Federal Territory that spans over 5000 hectares and is about 25km from Kuala Lumpur. If functions as the

more administrative city of the country. Putrajaya is also defined by the several precincts that are divided based on uses such as commercial, authoritative and residential.

The buildings selected to be observed and conducted for the research are: •

Jabatan Audit Negara [ Pic 1.4.2 ] •

Immigration of Malaysia [ Pic 1.4.3 ]

•

Menara Tulus [ Pic 1.4.4 ]

•

Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara Putrajaya [ Pic

1.4.5 ]

Picture 1.4.2 Picture 1.4.4

2.0

Picture 1.4.3 Picture 1.4.5

Methodology The analysis of the theories on site are conducted by having site visits to the selected buildings. Observations are carried out and recorded

during the site visits for a more complete research.

Photos are taken as well as the evidence of the research and to support the key points of the theories.

Although not permitted to enter the buildings, but observations are carried out as specific as possible from the outside of the building.

3.0

Theories 3.1

Peculiar Nature of Cities In this chapter of Jane Jacobs’ theory, Jacobs

(1992) mentions that buildings must border sidewalks

in order to provide constant surveillance by the users of the building. This in turn will allow a greater flow of people using the sidewalks and parents can keep and eye on their children from the windows. It can be seen in Putrajaya that a majority of the pedestrian paths are located on the edges of office buildings (Diagram 3.1.7). This provides ample security and surveillance to the users of these walkways. The sidewalks of the buildings in Putrajaya are also wide enough to allow many activities to happen there (Diagram 3.1.9). The users inside the building are able to see what is going on at the sidewalk of the buildings and also the main boulevard in front of the building throughout the day (Diagram 3.1.8). In addition, there is also CCTV surveillance provided along the sidewalks for security and safety reasons.

Also,

according

to

Jacobs

(1992),

the

neighborhood parks should reflect the criteria’s of the sidewalks in terms of constant usage and pedestrian movements. She mentioned that if these are not fulfilled, parks will become dangerous and nobody would be going there, causing a decrease in communication among the residents. Thus, the sidewalks

of

requirements

Putrajaya to

allow

must

fulfill

constant

the usage

basic and

pedestrians. For example, as seen in the pictures below, the sidewalks around the 4 buildings are wide enough for both pedestrians and cyclists (Pictures 3.1.1 to 3.1.6). Then there is also some softscape happening along the sidewalks to give a touch of

nature into the concrete sidewalks. The softscape or sometimes

a

pocket

garden,

have

benches,

lampposts, garbage bins, and pathways for the pedestrians to appreciate throughout the day. The lampposts will allow good lighting during the night where there are lesser people, to provide a good surveillance and give everyone a comfortable and safe environment to be in (Diagram 3.1.10).

‘

3.2

The Generators of City Diversity

For this chapter, Jane Jacobs mentioned that in a district, as many of its internal parts there are, the district must serve

more than one primary function. For example, work, education, museums, and public buildings. This is to ensure the presence of a variety of people throughout the day who are in the same place for their respective purposes, and allow them to use many common facilities. It can be seen that the 4 buildings selected have different function and even the little booths alongside them have different purposes.

Thus this will allow all kinds of people with different purposes to be in the same area, sharing the same facilities, hence communication is engaged.

Besides that, Jacobs (1992) also emphasize on the fact that most blocks must be short, so that the opportunities to turn corners are as frequent as possible (Diagram 3.2.7). It is also to in order for people to be able to explore streets which they would not have explored beforehand. This would allow for more business opportunities as more routes would be available for citizens. As seen from the diagram 3.2.7, the 4 buildings are each built separately and have their own respective walkways, creating a cross junction on the road.

And on the road there are pedestrian crossings, traffic lights and also more walkways in between the roads for the pedestrian to enjoy the space there.

Jacobs (1992) also mention that the district must have buildings that vary in age and condition, including a good proportion of old ones so that they vary in the economic yield (Pictures 3.2.1 to 3.2.6). The older buildings would be plain, ordinary and of low value, but if a city only has new buildings, the enterprises that exist there are automatically linked to those that can support the high cost of the new construction. As seen from the pictures xxx, the architecture

of the selected 4 buildings are different, each with their own statement to attract the eyes of the citizens. Although the buildings are new constructed in the recent years, some of the buildings still carry on the essence of ancient or old architecture in their design, giving the space a variety sense of architecture.

Finally, Jacobs (1992) also mentioned that there must be a sufficiently dense concentration of people, for whatever purposes they may be there. In Putrajaya, the dense concentration of people would be the employers working at the office buildings there. This theory is emphasized to ensure that there will be more people on the sidewalks throughout the days and years. However, this would result in an increase amount of high rise buildings which could jeopardize the sidewalk safety. Nonetheless, even with that theory, the site selected does not have a safety issue as the sidewalks are extremely well under control and surveillance throughout the day, thus the citizens are more exposed to the walkways.

3.3

Forces of Decline and Regeneration

In this chapter, Jane Jacobs has stated a few points to explain the tendency for a city to be destroyed by itself without proper urban planning. One of the factors for that would be that there are no diversity left in the city due to duplication of urban planning and function of the districts or neighbourhoods in the city. Thus, a city should be rich of different planning and function of each districts in order to create

a

more

diverse

community.

Putrajaya

has

successfully create a good diversity among the districts known as precincts in the city. Different programmes are applied into each districts, thus creating a city that has no duplication of districts. As seen in the site chosen for this research, there is a variety of activities or programmes happening in one place, making sure that there is no duplication of functions in the same area (Pictures 3.3.1 to 3.3.9). There is a random placement of leisure areas such as cafes, restaurants and benches in between the four buildings to create a diverse community as seen in diagram 3.3.10.

Also, when the buildings are cut in section as seen in diagram 3.3.11, there are a variety of programmes or activities happening in each floor, allowing a diversity in the

single building. Thus, this theory from Jane Jacobs is successfully applied in this context.

Another factor pointed out by Jane Jacobs is about the importance of the physical and functional effects of border vacuums on the city by creating boundaries and splitting the city into smaller fragments. Border vacuums should be a seam of the city rather than a barrier to divide the city. Such examples of the seam would be cafĂŠ and other leisure facilities so that the residents of different districts can be connected rather than being divided. The pedestrian walkways along and in between the four selected buildings include public spaces for pedestrians, paths for bicyclists and several pocket parks to ensure the vibrancy and life of the city at all times (Diagram 3.3.10). Thus, these walkways act as a seam among the buildings to ensure optimum connection between the users of the four buildings during their lunch hour or when it has passed their working hours.

These facilities that act as a seam between the four buildings will create a peaceful and harmonious environment that is healthy for the community living there and the working environment will always be in a positive mode. This enforces the theory suggested by Jane Jacobs where a border should be more of a seam rather than a barrier for the citizens.

4.0 Conclusion In conclusion, The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs explains the concerns on the problems of city planning and the strategy taken by the city planners throughout the twentieth century. Jacobs has provided a good analysis of what contributes to the success of neighborhoods by concentrating and focusing on the city streets and sidewalks, parks and neighborhoods. The neighborhood, in the eyes of Jacobs, must have sidewalks and parks that are safe, providing communication between people and also providing opportunity for children to be watched and taught. Jacobs looked at the factors that contributes positive vibes to the city. However, she also examined the factors for the decay and degeneration of city neighborhoods and explained her concern for the cities if they were to follow with the same tradition in urban planning.

Thus, through this book and theory proposed by Jacobs, it is

physically and mentally seen that she has influenced the world with her theory and has opened up the minds of new and old urban planners.

5.0

References

•

The Death and Life of Great American Cities Summary & Study Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-the-death-andlife-of-great-american-cities/#gsc.tab=0

•

Blake Clinton (2011). Jane Jacobs’ Requirements for Urban Diversity, Part 1. Retrieved, 3 April, 2015 from https://theshortestverse.wordpress.com/2009/02/06/ja ne-jacobs-requirements-for-urban-diversity-part-1/

•

Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York:Random House.

•

Boulevard Square, Putrajaya | Projects - Langdon and Seah. (n.d.).

Retrieved from http://www.langdonseah.com/en/bn/projects/view/boul evard-square-putrajaya/all/my/

•

Putrajaya – Everything you need to know about Putrajaya. (2015). Retrieved April 1, 2015 from http://kuala-lumpur.ws/attractions/putrajaya.htm

•

Jacobs, J. (1992).The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Vintage Books.