Comparative Analysis Essay by Lin Shan En

School of Architecture, Building & Design Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Architecture

Theories of Architecture & Urbanism

Comparative analysis essay East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai, China Jalan Besar, Jalan Tukang & Jalan Sulaiman, Kajang, Malaysia

Name : Lin Shan En Student ID : 0331085 Tutor : Mr Prince Favis Isip

Content

Foreword / 1

Street background / 2 2.1 East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai, China 2.2 Jalan Besar, Jalan Tukang & Jalan Sulaiman, Kajang, Malaysia 2.3 Contact points

Comparative analysis / 6 3.1 Interchange point of public transport as a necessary focal 3.1.1 Underground metro station 3.1.2 Bus stop 3.2 Open space catering for life between buildings 3.2.1 Century Plaza 3.2.2 Triangular pocket space 3.3 Eateries nodes powered by enclosure 3.3.1 Famous local snack 3.3.2 Back lane food stalls 3.4 Active frontages 3.4.1 Big brands storefronts 3.4.2 Small stalls in front of Plaza Metro 3.5 Riverfront as edges 3.5.1 The Bund 3.5.2 Langat River

Conclusion / 29

References / 30

Foreword As an extension from the case study in Part 1 of the project, this assignment takes a further look, calling for an in-depth comparative analysis between two streets situated within a common urban context of different countries in Asia. The two streets in question are East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai, China, from Part 1 and Jalan Besar, Jalan Tukang & Jalan Sulaiman Kajang, Malaysia from local site research. The key analysis factor lies in determining the similarities and dissimilarities between these two urban streets, in terms of nature of contact points, patterns of social activities and degree of contact intensity, which are affected by the quality of built environment and significant cultural influences. When relating the analysis with the framework of urban setting and cultural context of both streets, main reference is made to Jan Gehl’s influential book ‘Life between buildings: Using public space’ to study how human behaviour and quality of outdoor public life are influenced by physical planning and nature of activities.

Street background 2.1 East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai, China 2.2 Jalan Besar, Jalan Tukang & Jalan Sulaiman, Kajang, Malaysia 2.3 Contact points

2.1 East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai, China In 1851, Nanjing Road was constructed as “Park Lane” from the Bund to the racecourse on today’s Henan Road, and was widely called “Da Ma Lu” which translates into “Great Horse Road.” The road was further extended to ZheJiang Road and XiZang Road in 1854 and 1862 respectively. In 1921, for the settlement road names to be intelligible to native, Park Lane was renamed Nanjing Road. The development of Nanjing Road, can be seen to move in a westward direction from the Bund facing Huangpu River. In 1945, the local government renamed the former Bubbling Well Road to Nanjing Road West, and the original Nanjing Road at the other end became Nanjing Road East. The entire stretch came to be known as Nanjing Road that stretched 5 kilometers. In advance of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, city leaders turned several blocks in Nanjing Road into a walking street in 1999, now known as East Nanjing Pedestrian Street. The three groups of sculptures made of casting copper, built to celebrate on the new China: “a family of three people”, “young married women” and “the mother and the daughter”become an attraction of the newly renovated pedestrianized street. Accommodating more than 1700,000 visitors per day, its stretch of over 1 kilometer combines shopping, street space and traﬀic organization. It also adapted the idea of ‘golden line’ from French architect Jean-Marie Charpentier to put all the facilities such as chairs, dust bins, street lamps and advertising all on this ‘golden line.’ The renovation of part of Nanjing Road to become a pedestrianized street, with people orientated landscape environment design, encourages life between buildings when life is to take place on foot instead of in automobiles. One can catch a brief glimpse of others from a car or from a train window, but only “on foot” does a situation function as a meaningful opportunity for contact and information in which the individual is at ease and able to take time to experience, pause, or become involved. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.74)

2.2 Jalan Besar, Jalan Tukang & Jalan Sulaiman, Kajang, Malaysia All of Kajang originated from the Chua River resting at the bank of Langat River. It was the source of life for the Temuans where they set up their settlement along and lived as nomad as early as in 1820. In 1870, the first batch of brick houses in Kajang was built along Jalan Mendaling, Jalan Tengah and Jalan Tukang. Kajang Station was later introduced by the British in 1897, to provide intercity services for the town and also to expand the local industries of coffee, rubber and tin mining. This is when the influx immigrants into Kajang started to create the base for a multiracial community. In 1960, Kajang became a quiet Chinese trading town surrounded by Malay villages and Indian Plantation labour. In 1980, segregation and zoning occurs when the national government introduced New Economic Policy, which became a major influencing factor in the economic and political life of the local community later. In 2000, MRT was introduced for higher accessibility to Kajang and the shopping mall Metro Plaza was built on the open space where Pasar Kajang used to be. The highway bypass across the area, causes the road to have heavy traffic with poor walkability, unfavourable for life to take place on foot. When traffic volume was greatly increased, outdoor activities become practically non-existent. (Jan Gehl 2011, p. 35) Pasar Kajang, the traditional wet market which used to bond the community under a lively setting is replaced by a coarse grain shopping mall which drives function inwards. The development in Kajang is such that it compromise the quality of outdoor activities with decreased public open space for people.

2.3 Contact points

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Underground metro station Century Plaza Famous local snack Big brands storefront The Bund

DIagram 2.3.1: Contact points in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Bus stop Triangular pocket space Back lane food stalls Small stalls in front of Plaza Metro Langat River

DIagram 2.3.2: Contact points in Jalan Tukang, Jalan Besar & Jalan Sulaiman, Kajang

Comparative analysis 3.1 Interchange point of public transport as a necessary focal 3.1.1 Underground metro station 3.1.2 Bus stop 3.2 Open space catering for life between buildings 3.2.1 Century Plaza 3.2.2 Triangular pocket space 3.3 Eateries nodes powered by enclosure 3.3.1 Famous local snack 3.3.2 Back lane food stalls 3.4 Active frontages 3.4.1 Big brands storefronts 3.4.2 Small stalls in front of Plaza Metro 3.5 Riverfront as edges 3.5.1 The Bund 3.5.2 Langat River

3.1 Interchange point of public transport as a necessary focal

Figure 3.1.1: Underground metro station in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street (Source: google street view)

Figure 3.1.2: Bus stop in Jalan Besar, Kajang (Source: Lin Shan En)

Necessary activities under all conditions

Both underground metro station at East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai and bus stop at Jalan Besar, Kajang functions as transition point, a path instead of a destination. Thus, the activities here will take place regardless of external environment as the participants have no choice. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.9)

Triangulation - external stimulus

Because people tends to move in a fast past to their destination, to make their stay longer in this ‘touch & go’ transition point requires an external stimulus. This stimulus can be vendor selling food beside the bus stop who act as a middle person or at least a stopping point, or a physical object such as a sculpture of interest. Conversation then can be initiated naturally when that have ‘something to talk about’. This provide a social bond between people by prompting strangers to talk to each other as though they were not. (William H. Whyte 1980, p.94)

3.1.1 Underground metro station

Figure 3.1.3: People using umbrella due to scorching sun (Source: google street view)

Figure 3.1.4: ‘Family of three’ sculpture and name plate indicating the entrance to East Nanjing Pedestrian Street (Source: http://fupeikang.blog.sohu.com/)

No protection from unpleasant weather

People coming via Shanghai Metro Station were observed holding umbrella due to the scorching sun. They have no choice but to use this space even if the external built environment is not favourable because this underground metro station is a necessary transition point. However, only the bare minimum of necessary activity occurs, and people do not stay long enough before moving to the next point for spontaneous resultant activity to occur. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.11)

Optional activities driven by physical landmark

Chance contacts might happen when people queue up to take pictures with the prestigious nameplate and the sculpture of ‘a family of three’ where the street begin. The interrelationship between these physical landmark and the people is described using the term triangulation by William H. Whyte in Chapter 11 of ‘The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces’. People A and B exchange smiles and conversation about a common topic, in this case, the sculpture of interest, C becomes something to talk about.

3.1.2 Bus stop

Figure 3.1.5: Two big trees, one at each side of the bus stop provide shading for people waiting for bus (Source: Khoo Sue Ling)

Figure 3.1.6: Food vendor set up her temporary stall beside bus stop (Source: Lin Shan En)

Trees as shading

During the day, the two big trees, one at each side of the bus stop provide shade for people waiting for bus. Physiologically, the trees regulate thermal comfort by creating a microclimate within the enclosure. Psychologically, people feel protected and cuddled under enclosure of natural environment.

Optional activities driven by food vendor as a middle man

Resultant activities happen when people who come down from the bus, stop for a while to buy food from the vendor, or else they will move on to their destination without staying for a longer period. Here the food vendor is the third person who contributes to a possible starting point for contact at other level. Conversation are initiated naturally between the food vendor and people buying food.

people coming up from underground metro station

people using umbrella because there is no shade from sun

‘Family of three’ sculpture prestigious nameplate

Diagram 3.1.1: Underground metro station in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai

vendor selling food trees at both side of the bus stop to provide shading

Diagram 3.1.2: Bus stop at Jalan Besar, Klang

Summary of comparison Although bus stop in Jalan Besar is well shaded compared to underground metro station, the better quality of outdoor environment does not make a diﬀerence in supporting necessary activities of both street. Both contact points has similar nature as a transition point which mostly caters for only necessary activities, thus the presence of an external stimulus is crucial in the attempt to make people stay longer for social activities to happen. The external stimulus, which gives the people ‘something to talk’, is diﬀerent in both street (physical landmark in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street; third person in Jalan Besar), but plays similar role in the ‘triangulation’ interrelationship with people.

3.2 Open space catering for life between buildings

Figure 3.2.1: Century Plaza in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street (Source: google street view)

A self-reinforcing process

Figure 3.2.2: Triangular pocket space in Kajang (Source: Khoo Sue Ling)

Open space between building, either in the form of large plaza such as Century Plaza in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, or in a smaller intimate scale like the triangular pocket space facing the junction where Jalan Tukang and Jalan Besar, Kajang intersects, provides opportunities for diďŹ&#x20AC;erent kind of activities. When someone begins to do something, the others tend to participate themselves or just to experience what the others are doing. Individuals and events can inďŹ&#x201A;uence and stimulate one another until the activities grow both in scope and duration. (Jan Gehl 2011, p. 65) Because this spaces are to be deďŹ ned by the public domain, the design of the physical environment plays important role to direct the behavior pattern and activities carried out at this space.

3.2.1 Century Plaza

Figure 3.2.3: A park used by the local for ‘tai chi’ practice in the morning (Source: google street view)

Figure 3.2.4: At night Century Plaza is crowded with tourists for shopping (Source: https://goshopshanghai.com)

Duality - character of social activities varies from day to night

The nature of social activities is diﬀerent in Century Plaza during morning and at night. In the morning, this space is used by locals for ‘tai chi’ practice. Due to a limited number of people with common backgrounds, social activities are comprehensive where greetings, conversations & discussions arise from common interests. On the contrary, night shopping by tourists will stimulate more superﬁcial social activities with the majority being passive contacts – seeing and hearing a great number of unknown people. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.13)

Generating diversity

On successful city streets, people must appear at different times. (Jane Jacobs 1992, p.169) When the nature of social activity changes with the change of function and users, it ensures that this plaza has presence of people who go outdoors on different schedules and are in the place for different purposes, but they are able to use many facilities in common. Also, in between the times of uses for these spaces, when the users exchange the ‘ownership’ on this plaza, contact might happen between two different group of users: the local & the tourist.

3.2.1 Century Plaza

Figure 3.2.5: Secondary seatings serve as a possible starting point of contact at other level between local who walk their pet (Source: google street view)

Figure 3.2.6: Possibility of criss crossing Figure 3.2.7: Passive contact where tourists path between local walking taking tram services together her pet and tourists shopping can hear and see each other (Source: google street view) (Source: http://www.mafengwo.cn/)

Figure 3.2.8: Hardscape and facilities include event stage, LED screen and water fountain contribute to The happenings in Century Plaza (Source: http://fupeikang.blog.sohu.com)

Figure 3.2.9: The steps of the event stage still function as secondary seatings during the days when no events are held (Source: google street view)

Integration of various events to increase contact surface

Possible contacts may happen between tourists who take the tram service together, the sellers and the buyers, and also strangers who watch street performance together. Common activities and experiences as well as unexpected and unusual events generate conversation, and resulted in a higher overall participation of people in the scene, which contributes to the liveliness of Century Plaza. This can be described using the analogy of a living room in house, where diﬀerent family members can be occupied with various activities at the same time, but individual activities and people can also function together. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.107)

Secondary seatings in large open area

Interplay between limited number of primary seating opportunities and a large number of secondary places to sit such as: the steps of the stage and ﬂower pot pedestals, prevent this large scale plaza to appear abandoned during oﬀ peak hours. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.161)

3.2.2 Triangular pocket space

Figure 3.2.10: Panorama showing the triangular pocket space which is ďŹ&#x201A;anked between two buildings with dormant frontage and blank wall, and the only active view towards the street is blocked by an alienated scale bus stop to the context (Source: Charlotte Chin)

Figure 3.2.11: Recently painted mural art is visually attractive from far, but is diďŹ&#x192;cult to appreciate when people are in the triangular pocket space, due to the sightline angle (Source: http://www.naomiching.com)

Monotonous orientation and view

Figure 3.2.12: Unpleasant hygiene and maintenance gives a negative impression (Source: Charlotte Chin)

A big bus stop causing visual blockage from this pocket space towards the street. The seatings which are originally facing an active view of the road, is now left empty, due to the lack of unobstructed view of surrounding activities. (Jan Gehl 2011, p. 153) In the day, no one will ďŹ nd it particularly entertaining to sit on the benches, because there is nothing to see except the bland walls of both side of buildings. Even the recently painted wall art, although visually attractive from far, are not in eye level from the pocket space, thus not well designed for a human sense of sight, which is a frontal and horizontal sensory apparatus. (Jan Gehl 2011, p. 63)

3.2.2 Triangular pocket space

Figure 3.2.13: Safety is a big concern when there is no Figure 3.2.14: Busy junction in front of the pocket space become streetlights and the space is enclosed by all an edge when people ﬁnd it diﬃcult to cross the sides where people hard to notice if any crime road to come to this pocket space take place (Source: google street view) (Source: Lin Shan En)

A question of protection

At night, the safety in this pocket space is even worrying as there is no streetlight and this space appears dark and unappealing, giving a sense of insecurity where crimes might happen.

Quality deterioration of outdoor activity due to traﬃc at junction

Congested traffic at junction is not pedestrian friendly. Difficulty in crossing the junction contributes to the poor accessibility to this pocket space. A study carried out by Appleyard and Lintell in 1970-71 in San Francisco showed that when traffic volume was greatly increased, outdoor activities become practically non-existent. (Jan Gehl 2011, p. 35)

Potential of intimate scale

Although the contact frequency and intensity appeared to be low in this pocket space, it is mostly due to lack of consideration in the placement of facilities such as seating. Its potential lies in its urban form, between two closely packed building funneling inwards, which creates intimacy for human scale interaction, so that the meeting begins to become truly interesting and relevant in a social context. In terms of social ﬁeld of vision, people can perceive relatively clearly the feelings and moods of other when the distance is reduced to between 20-25 meters . (Jan Gehl 2011, p. 65)

stage with LED screen at both side

tram service stage’s steps as secondary seatings

locals practicing tai chi

ﬂower pot pedestals as secondary seating tourists shopping

DIagram 3.2.1: Century Plaza, East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai

primary seating without other function gives negative impression when unoccupied

wall art not at eye level and can only be viewed from far

busy traﬀic junction makes the open space diﬀicult to access

big bus stop as visual blockage

seating without active street view

plain dormant wall at eye level

DIagram 3.2.2: Triangular pocket space facing the junction where Jalan Tukang and Jalan Besar intersect

Summary of comparison Both open spaces demonstrate a self generating process, where the number and duration of activities happening and people using the space is influenced by the physical planning. The physical planning in Century Plaza, is able to accommodate different kinds of activities at a time and at different time, which define the nature of this contact point as duality in activities and users. This is when chance contacts and passive contacts happen frequently, quoting Jan Gehl: something happens because something happens. On the contrary, although the triangular pocket space has an interesting urban form for a intimate scale, the physical planning deters people away from it, and when a space is unused, it gives out a negative impression. As a result of chain reaction: nothing happens because nothing happens.

3.3 Eateries nodes powered by enclosure

Figure 3.3.1: Famous local snack shop, Shao Wan Sheng In East Nanjing Pedestrian Street (Source: https://weiwenku.net/)

Food as an universal attraction

Figure 3.3.2: Back lane eateries in Kajang extending function to public space (Source: Lin Shan En)

”If you want to seed a place with activity, put out food.” (William H. Whyte 1980, p.50) This is especially true given famous local snack shop, Shao Wan Sheng in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street and the back lane eateries in Kajang attracts people, forming a node. The chief role of stores, bars and restaurants in giving concrete reasons for people to use a space in emphasized in ‘The Death and Life of Great American Cities’. These activity generated by people aiming for food and drink, is itself an attraction to other people. (Jane Jacobs 1992, p.36)

Captured by distance receptors: eyes, ear & nose

One the reasons food attracts people is because how it stimulate our sense of smell, other than sense of sight and sense of hearing. While these three senses are equally important for us in experiencing the outside world (Jan Gehl 2011, p.64), not much things can trigger our smell receptors in a pleasant way compared to our photoreceptors.

People attracts people

Food attracts people who attract more people. People didn’t move out of the main pedestrian ﬂow; they either stayed in it or moved into it, which explains why the sight of people in these two contact points attracts more people. In ‘The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces’, this particular behavioural pattern is termed as ‘self congestion’. (William H. Whyte 1980, p.21)

3.3.1 Famous local snack

Figure 3.3.3: Enclosure with trees gives to human comfort physically and physiologically (Source: http://www.dianping.com)

Natural enclosure

Figure 3.3.4: Seatings arranged in the middle of road, following the golden line concept, but loses sense of privacy and protection (Source: google street view)

The shaded sitting area under canopies of tree located beside the shop, Shao Wan Sheng not only oﬀers a good look at the passing scene, but also the pleasure of being comfortably under a tree provide a satisfying enclosure; people feel cuddled, protected. (William H. Whyte 1980, p.46) Trees planted in pedestals, also oﬀer to secondary seatings with shading.

Seatings in the middle of street - less privacy

All the seating facilities along East Nanjing Pedestrian Street is along the middle line of the street, following the golden line concept. However, sitting areas in the middle of spaces are less preferred compared to places for sitting along facades and spatial boundaries where one’s back is protected. Seatings at the edge of the space, will oﬀer a sense of refuge as well as a prospect of what is going on. (Ian Bentley 1985, p.69) This is similarly true to how people prefer a seat along the wall rather than in the middle of the room when dining in a restaurant or cafe. (Jan Gehl 2011, p. 157)

Social activities based on theme driven consumption

Due to globalization, this local snack shop with history more than 100 years has now opened ﬁve branches around Shanghai, with one of the branch being at Nanjing West Road. In a way, this shop is now commercialized to cater for tourists as place to buy souvenirs.

3.3.2 Back lane food stalls

Figure 3.3.5: Enclosure of back lane by buildings at both side creates an intimate setting which houses local activities (Source: Nicholas Choy)

Figure 3.3.6: Backlane ﬁlled with people and activities, make it safer for people to use as a shortcut route even at night (Source: Lin Shan En)

Physical enclosure

Being physically enclosed by the back of buildings at both side, the activation of back lane by these food stalls make it safe for people to walk along even at night, because this place is ﬁlled with activities and people. Although the buildings are turning their backs towards this back alley, the rear of the building are not left dormant, and there are eyes upon the alley, to insure the safety of people using this back alley as shortcut. (Jane Jacobs 1992, p.35)

Temporary seatings

The use of undesignated eating spaces show how the locals take ownership of the place. Temporary tables and chairs instead of fixed seats have more spontaneity and freedom to it compared to fixed seatings. In ‘The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces’, fixed seats are referred as awkward in open spaces because there’s so much space around them. (William H. Whyte 1980, p.35) This is unlikely to occur here: as the temporary tables and chairs take up the spaces for walking, the path for walking become narrower, creating an intimate scale for contact to happen.

Social activities based on locality

These eateries mostly cater for locals and immigrant workers who stay around for their necessary activities. Social activities are based on their common background where conversation and greetings arise naturally because they are more likely to know each other as they visit this place regularly.

natural enclosure by trees

driving function inside

seating in the middle with wide spaces around

Diagram 3.3.1: Famous local snack shop, Shao Wan Sheng in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street

Physical enclosure by building at both side

spilling activities outside

temporary tables & chairs

Diagram 3.3.2: Back lane eateries in Klang

Summary of comparison Comparison between these two eateries demonstrate how the nature of activities, in a cultural aspect, aďŹ&#x20AC;ect the density and intensity of contacts, independent of built environment quality. In East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, although the natural enclosure by trees make the outdoor area a pleasant place to stay, the fact that the local snack shop drives function into, decrease the number of people using the street. In contrary, although the physical enclosure of back alley make it seems unsafe to use, the spilling of food activities to the passageway, negates the eďŹ&#x20AC;ect of bad quality of built environment.

3.4 Active frontages

Figure 3.4.1: Big brands like Innisfree & Forever 21 attract crowd Figure 3.4.2: Small individual stalls lining along the facade of along their storefront Plaza Metro which is a large shopping mall (Source: google street view) (Source: Khoo Sue Ling)

To assemble along the facade

The design of facades provide possibilities for inďŹ&#x201A;uencing the concentration of activities and the intensity of experience for those who pass by. To activate the public environment, strategies are: active and closely spaced exchange zone between street and facade, which is observed in the spilling out of small stalls in front of Plaza Metro at Jalan Sulaiman, Kajang; and short distances between entrances for every storefronts along the shopping street of East Nanjing Pedestrian Street. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.93)

Time to experience

Both active frontages slow down pedestrian movement, giving a reasonable amount of time to see and process visual impressions. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.69)

3.4.1 Big brands storefronts

Figure 3.4.3: Wide pedestrianized shopping street ďŹ&#x201A;anked with big brands at both side (Source: https://thecastienco.com/)

Figure 3.4.4: Apple store drawing people from the street into the buildings (Source: https://foursquare.com/)

Zone for staying the edge effect

The activities grow from inward, from the edge (frontages area of big brands such as Apple Store and Innisfree) toward the middle of public spaces where they start their personal activities and take over the entire space. However, the spaces in the middle of street were not used until the edge zone is fully occupied (Jan Gehl 2011, p.149), which gives a negative impression of an empty street, especially when the big brands storefronts are constantly driving function inward. Activities are carried out inside the buildings, instead of between building.

Theme driven consumption space

It is arguable whether this contact point tells the identity or character of the place, because H&M, Innisfree and Apple store can be found all over the world. These retail chains appear in almost the same form anywhere which in a way, contributes to the placelessness of East Nanjing Pedestrian Street. It limits the potential of outdoor space as free meeting space where users are mainly consumers that need to be entertained and from whom you must make a proďŹ t.

3.4.2 Small stalls in front of Plaza Metro

Figure 3.4.5: Other than its entrance at ground level, Plaza Metro has blank wall over its large facade, with nothing much to see from far (Source: google street view )

Breaking down of coarse grain to ďŹ ne grain

Figure 3.4.6: Small stalls turning their back towards the street (Source: Lin Shan En)

Plaza Metro is a shopping mall which drives function inwards. Its large scale with poor details on the exterior walls are designed for automobile city, where cars occupy the street instead of human. Isolation instead of contact will take place if there is no spilling out of activities at the front facade of Plaza Metro. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.72)

This breaking down of scale is of similar concept as how large units are situated behind or above the small units along the facade so that only the most interesting activities take up space in the facade. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.93)

Smooth transitions between public and private area

The small stalls at the front facade of Plaza Metro blur the boundaries between the inside of shopping mall and the exterior urban environment as they function as a transitional zone. As connecting links, these stalls make it easier , both physically and psychologically, for residents and activities to move back and forth between in and out because it is hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.113) Active and closely spaced exchange between the street and facade of Plaza Metro enable the indoor private activities of shopping to co-exist in close physical proximity with the outdoor life between buildings. However the stalls are all turning their back towards the street, which loses opportunities to attract people from far with view towards activities happening at the stalls.

Innisfree drawing function in Apple store drawing function in

middle of wide street relatively empty

Diagram 3.4.1: Big brands storefront in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, Shanghai

blank wall of large scale building diﬀicult to draw interest from far

Small stalls where breaking down of scale and spilling out of activities occur

Diagram 3.4.2: Small stalls in front of Plaza Metro in Kajang

Summary of comparison The active frontages of big brands storefront in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street drive function in, unlike in Kajang, where the opposite occur, the small stalls extend out from the shopping mall, to create a transitory link between indoor and outdoor activities. This diﬀerence in strategies of active frontage is due to the diﬀerent role both Asian cities play. In East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, the nature of activities are based on theme driven consumption, thus the strategy is to attract the shopping behaviour of tourists, which is an optional activity to them. In Kajang, this shopping mall is a part of daily activities of its people, shopping in Plaza Metro is more of a necessary activity.

3.5 Riverfront as edges

Figure 3.5.1: The bund has a view towards the skyline of modern skyscrapers of Shanghai (Source: http://www.mafengwo.cn/)

Associated with the beginning of development

Figure 3.5.2: Riverfront of Langat River facing residential area (Source: Khoo Sue Ling)

Huangpu River and Langat River are the source of life for both Asian cities. The relationship between the Bund (riverfront of Huangpu River) and Nanjing Road is described using the analogy of bow and arrow: “if the bund was like a bow, then nanjing road was the arrow, ﬂying westward which has been the direction that has guided Shanghai’s urban development for a long period of time” (Nanjing Road: A walk down memory lane, 2019) For Kajang, the bank of Langat River where Sungai Chua is situated at was the source of life. All of Kajang originated from the Chua River where the Temuans ﬁrst set up their settlement along and lived as nomad.

Edge

Both river serves as edges separating two districts, by allowing visual permeability but not physical permeability. Huangpu River, separate Shanghai into two parts: while historical architectural complex built in western styles are seen along East Nanjing Pedestrian Street, the other side of the River are tall modern buildings constructed in recent decades. The sharp contrast gives a glimpse on the development of the city in the past century. Langat River on the other hand, separate residential area away from the commercial streets, thus people only come here for basic functions such as meals and banking.

3.5.1 The Bund

Figure 3.5.3: Both sides of Huangpu River (Source: http://www.shanghai.gov.cn/)

Edges as uniting seam

Figure 3.5.4: Lit-up sightseeing tour boat at the bund (Source: https://dissolve.com/)

Although HuangPu River is physically impermeable, the view towards the other part of Shanghai from the Bund give a glimpse on the development of Shanghai city in the past century as the skyscrapers on the east and the classical architectures on the west are in sharp contrast. The physical division with visual relation on both side of the river is a uniting seam at a big country scale. (Kevin Lynch 1960, p.65)

Invitation - to be able to see what is going one

Most of the length of the Bund is accessible and visible to the tourists. The effect is reinforced by the concentration of different paths towards it and activities which happen along the extent. Events to be perceived: river view with lit-up boats take place in front of the viewer and on approximately the same level, attracting crowd to fill up the big space. New activities then might begin in the vicinity of events that are already in progress, when chance contacts between tourists form the nature of social activities. (Jan Gehl 2011, p.23).

Tourist attraction

At night, the Bund is spectacularly illuminated. Historic colonial-era buildings across from the Bund promenade, together with modern skyscrapers skyline view across the river, make tourists stay longer , increasing the frequency of ‘see & hear’ contacts.

3.5.2 Langat River

Figure 3.5.5: Langat River as an isolating barrier between the commercial and residential district (Source: Khoo Sue Ling)

Edge as isolating barrier

Figure 3.5.6: Tin Hong Si temple by the side of Langat River (Source: Khoo Sue Ling)

Langat River segregated the commercial part of Kajang Old Town which houses bank, eateries, shopping malls and shophouses alike, with the residential area. When the living function and working function is segregated, social interaction which happens outside where you live and and where you work decrease, as people only travels here for basic functions and leaves immediately. The disruptive power of an edge in causing isolation even when there is visual permeability is evident in Kajang, due to its diﬀerent role as a small scale township compared to in Shanghai. (Kevin Lynch 1960, p.64)

Lost space: out of sight, out of mind

Access towards the Langat River from triangular pocket space is sunken down due to level diﬀerence, together with the funneling of view towards the river which is facing the dormant rear facade of shophouses, makes the presence of the river easily forgotten when out of sight. “If people do not see a space, they will not use it.” (William H. Whyte 1980, p.58) There is also nothing much to see at the other side of the river as compared to the Bund.

Cultural signiﬁcance

The river is blocked by rows of shophouses turning their back towards the river, giving to very low visual permeability, thus only people who already know the area can take advantage of them. (Ian Bentley 1985, p.12) These people are those who uses the temple, Tin Hong Si. This temple is almost the only possibility people even use this space to meet neighbours and co-worker, other than the unloading of service truck to the back of shophouses.

modern skyscraper of Shanghai

tourist attraction: high density but low intensity lit-up sightseeing boat

Diagram 3.5.1: View from the Bund across Huangpu River to skyline of Shanghai modern skyscrapers

Tin Hong Si - temple of cultural signiﬁcance: low density but high intensity

service truck

Residential area

Diagram 3.5.2: View across Langat River to residential area

Summary of comparison Different nature of activities at both riverfront: tourist attractions and cultural significance give rise to different density of contact and intensity of contact, where high density of contacts does not necessary secure high intensity of contacts. Although the Bund is seen to have high density of contacts, as it is visited by many tourists everyday, the intensity of contacts are mostly of low level: passive contacts and chance contacts, because these tourists do not know each other and the Bund is visited by different tourists everyday. On the other hand, although the temple by the side of Langat river is not as crowded - low density of contacts, locals who visit the temple will come back regularly. The intensity of contact is higher: acquaintances and friendship, because the locals who visit the temple are of common background and know each other.

Conclusion Although both streets in study are commercial district, they differ in scale, function & users they cater, and direction of development. This causes the nature of activities to be different. While East Nanjing Pedestrian Street practice the precise urban design to strategize itself as a vacation destination, the hidden agenda is to drive function into the building, as a theme driven consumption space, to gain profits from the tourists. Although this street still houses activities for local, but it is limited to certain times of the day. Because most of the time the street is used by tourist, contacts are of high density but low intensity as people who uses this street changes everyday. Contacts formed are mostly ‘touch and go’. Kajang, on the other hand represent the fluid working lifestyle of its people, the bus stop, the temple, the back lane eateries and shopping mall, all cater for people’s daily life. The people who uses this contact points are the almost the same everyday. Contact might be of lower density, but higher intensity as these people visit the place regularly. In long term, there is always possibility to form contact at another level, which the intensity of contact points can increase as times goes on. Although physical built environment does affect human behavior as suggested by comparison of contact point 1 and 2 of both streets: where number and duration of outdoor activities are influenced by physical planning; comparison between contact points 3 and 4 of both street sees how human behaviour is independent of physical built environment, but instead influenced by the nature of activities the contact points hold. For instance, the shopping activities in East Nanjing Pedestrian Street drives people into the building, although with favourable external environment people do not stay outdoor. Contact point 5 shows how both river, as a physical edge with visual connection between both sides, can have totally different effect to the cities and people. Being able to see the historical remnants and modern new development of Shanghai is a uniting seam in big scale, when tourists can get a glimpse of the development of Shanghai. However, in Kajang, the Langat River although offers visual relation between the residential area and area of study, the fact that it is physically impermeable make it more inconvenience to the locals to travel here all the times. Isolation occurs between the people under a small scale township.

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