Comparative Essay -Theories of Urbanism and Architecture

THEORIES OF URBANISM AND ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMME : BSC (HONS) IN ARCHITECTURE PROJECT 2 : COMPARATIVE ESSAY ANALYSIS SELECTED STREETS : YIZHONG, TAICHUNG & JALAN BESAR, KLANG Name: Shum Li Sze Student ID : 0322822 Tutor : Mr Prince Favis Yap

Content 1.0 Foreword

2.0 Street Introduction Description History and Morphology Site Plan 3.0 Comparative Essay 3.1 Path & Edges

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4-7

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Privatization of public realm Enclosure and human scale proportion

3.2 Landmark and Node Node points

3.3 Legibility 4.0 Conclusion Comparison Table 5.0 Reference

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1.0 Foreword The existence of the physical environment of cities and human behaviours are complementary to one another. The outdoor qualities and intensity of human contact are influenced by multiple factors where physical environment is one of them that affects human behaviour in varying degrees (Gehl,2011, p.9). The physical environment can be identified by both tangible and intangible street elements that respond to that context, therefore influencing the perception of an individual toward the environment as a place to walk. (Ewing & Handy, 2009, p.67) In this approach, this comparative essay focuses on and discusses about how the qualities of a public realm and urban space affect the qualities of outdoor activities. Based on the case study (Yi Zhong Street, Taichung) and Studio Project V site research (Jalan Besar, Klang), the similarities and dissimilarities in patterns of social activities, types of ‘contact points’ and the degree of contact intensity between the two cities were identified and examined.

Figure 1.0 (a) Graphic representation of the relationship between the quality of outdoor spaces and the rate of occurrence of outdoor activities (Source : Gehl, 2011, p.11)

Figure 1.0 (b) Conceptual framework (Source: Ewing & Handy, 2009, pg.67)

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2.0 Street Introduction

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2.0 Street introduction Description of Yi Zhong Street, Taichung Yi Zhong Street which is situated at the commercial district of Tai Chung, Taiwan is one of the most popular shopping hubs in Taichung where its vibrancy starts from noon till midnight during the operation hours of the market. The market has a long stretch with a variety of stalls and a majority of them involve fashion and food, targeting the youth in the streets.

History and Morphology of Street

1910

1945

2018

In the 19s, Taichung Park was built as part of the eager intentions of the Japanese to make Taichung as one of the modern cities of Taiwan. In 1960, more institutional buildings such as the National Taichung University of Science, and National Taiwan University were built.

Consequently, the streets bloom with shops and stores to cater to the needs of the students.

The increment of stalls along the street thus gave birth to the existence of the night market.

Gradually, the street became commercialized and turned into a tourist spot and famous attraction in Taichung.

Site plan

Institutional Commercial

The buildings in Yi Zhong Street are arranged in cluster typology where most of them serve the purpose commercial and residential buildings.

Residential

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Description of Jalan Besar, Klang Jalan Besar, Klang which is best known for its historical sites, is lined with shophouses on both sides of the street. Throughout its existence, it has witnessed countless historical events that eventually led to the rise of the modern era. The development of the street has not been significant even in recent times and now the street thrives with mix-used development, which varies from commercial to residential to institutional.

History and Morphology of Street

Prehistoric 1951 2018 Early human settlements were found around the Klang river as tulang mawas (an iron tool) were found around this region. During the 19th century, the increase demand of tin mining from West resulted in a rapid expansion of Klang. It was further developed after the completion of Klang Valley Railway in 1886 where it then stimulated the development of coffee and rubber business.

Later on, an official boundary of Klang is being determined where it separates Klang into North Klang and South Klang by the Klang river. Port Klang is the constructed in 1901 which caused a major impact to the development of Klang. In 1950s, a network of roads and buildings were established and bridges were built to connect the north and the south. Now, the expansion of vehicular network forms an urban grid with a high intensity of urban grains.

Site plan Most of the shophouses are catered for commercial purposes where local people expanding their own traditional business and the majority of them are food outlets and services.

Open space Commercial Historical buildings 7

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3.0 Comparative Analysis

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3.1 Paths and Edges Privatization of public realm of Yi Zhong Street, Tai Chung Yi Zhong street at Taichung is a one-kilometre long street that is lined with numerous shop lots and stalls from both sides. It consists of multiple intersections along the streets, forming a linear chain that connects people from other streets to Yi Zhong.

The frontage of shop lots at Yizhong is inconsistent with different types of overhangs and different approaches of shop entrances.

Privatization of shop frontages can easily be found as shop owners display their goods at their shop frontages to attract the crowd. Due to the minimal number of vehicles, the businesses expand onto the tar road, creating a narrower street. It establishes an interaction between both sides of the street and the contact between its people with the people who pass through. The closer proximity between the shop owners create the possibility of meeting or even starting a conversation, maintaining an already established contact.

Gradually, the growth of contact intensity from passive contact to close friendships are likely to happen.

Figure 3.1 (a) Contact point at Yi Zhong Street Necessary activity: Business activities, people come to shop Optional activity: The crowd attracts tourists or people to pause and look around Social activity: Interaction between the shop owners and customers, tourists who asked for directions

Figure 3.1 (b) Contact point at Yi Zhong Street Necessary activity: Business activities Optional activity: The crowd and the interaction of customers with shop owner attracts people to pause and look around Social activity: Interaction between the customers and shop owner, family or friends outing

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Privatization of public realm of Jalan Besar. Klang Jalan Besar is lined with a row of traditional and modern shophouses at each sides of the street where the shophouses are linked together by a five feet walkway. The five feet walkway forms the frontage of the shophouses, functioning as a corridor that provides shelter to the people. In Jalan Besar, the privatization of the five feet walkway could be identified where the shop owners extend and occupy the walkway with the goods and furnitures to be sold to the customers. While occupying the walkway, it creates a variety of degree of contact by creating a variety of movement patterns and omitting the typical linear movement at the walkway.

The privatization of corridors create an opportunity for passer-bys to see, hear and to experience. The additional chairs at the walkway invites people to sit; the stalls and tables with nicely arranged business goods create a possible contact opportunity; the interaction between the customers and the shop owners implies a source of inspiration for those who walk by. Activities that are brought out to the walkway establish various contact forms, forming a transition from passing by to engaging to connect or even establish a close relationship. Activity between buildings exists with the privatization of five feet walkway.

Figure 3.1 (c) Contact point along the five foot walkway Necessary activity: Business activities, people come for breakfast, tourist come for the famous coffee Optional activity: The crowd and the smell of coffee attract tourist or people to pause and see Social activity: Interaction between waiters and customers, gathering among friends and acquaintances.

Figure 3.1 (d) Contact point along the five foot walkway Necessary activity: Business activities Optional activity: The crowd and the interaction of customers with shop owner attracts people to pause and look around or join in the conversation Social activity: Interaction between the customers and shop owner

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Figure 3.1 (e) Contact points at Yi Zhong Street, Tai Chung Privatization of space expands to the street at the frontage of the shops. Contact between people happens along the street. .

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Figure 3.1 (f) Contact points at Jalan Besar, Klang Privatization of space occurs within the corridor at the frontal of shops only. Contact between people happens within the five feet walkway.

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Enclosure and human scale proportion of Yi Zhong Street The width of the street is inconsistent, ranging from 4 metres to 6 metres while the height of buildings varies throughout the street, ranging from 4 storeys to 10 storeys high. These buildings are situated close to each other, forming a sense of enclosure within, giving people a sense of ‘room-like’-ness while walking along the streets. The ratio of enclosure is determined by the ratio of building height to street width, which is 5:1 for Yi Zhong Street.

The sense of enclosure that exists in Yi Zhong street defines space for the people, creating a sense of closeness which is defined and safe.

In this context, the human scale proportion with the street could be achieved through the narrow streets. Although the height of buildings do not promote a human scale relationship, the frontage and scale of ground floors gives the human scale definition with the appropriate height of the stalls and the close distance that exists between the shop owners and the people. Small signs along the streets and the complexity of activities going on allows the people to obtain information with a maximum speed of 5km/hour. Such a slow speed and close distance allows people to recognize people faces and thus establish contact.

Figure 3.1 (g) Contact point at Yi Zhong Street Necessary activity: Business activities, Students who come for food, tourists come for night market Optional activity: The crowd and the smell of food attracts tourists to approach the stalls, the noise of shop vendors attract the people, tourists strolling along the streets taking photographs Social activity: Interaction between the shop owners and the customers, gathering of families, friends outing

The possibilities to establish a contact with people is higher as the enclosure is narrow, where people can easily start a conversation, pause at a nearby stall to watch people bargain for cheaper items or even watch vendors preparing food.

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Enclosure and human scale proportion of Jalan Besar, Klang Having a deep building setback, the shoplots at both sides of the street were separated with a wide vehicular road, which is around 11 metres wide, consisting of two vehicular lanes and two rows of car park lanes. Apart from that, the use of automobiles dominate the street, causing human activities to be restricted to the sides of the street which is only within the five feet walkway. Therefore, there is a lack of sense of enclosure along Jalan Besar as the ratio of building height to street width is 1:3.

Figure 3.1 (h) Contact points at Jalan Besar Road Necessary activity: Business activities, workers running errands at the bank Optional activity: People walking on the road before walking on the five feet walkway, the sound of vehicles warn the people to pause, tourist sightseeing at the area.

The lack of sense of enclosure in Jalan Besar forms a barrier in between, inhibiting the flow of activities and the contact of people across the street. Dominance of automobiles and the speed of movement patterns obstruct walkability and thus, low intensity of contact is evident on the street itself. Despite the wide street proportion, the human scale proportion of the street is achieved through the height of the building and the presence of the five feet walkway. Both these elements captivate humans to approach the shoplots as human-scaled objects naturally draw human attention better.

Consequently, a low degree of contact intensity could be found on Jalan Besar’s vehicular road.

Although a high intensity of movement is present, they tend to disperse to their destination points without establishing contacts. Instead of starting a conversation, most of the people will ‘walk and walk’ and ‘walk and see’.

Figure 3.1 (i) Contact point at Jalan Besar Road Necessary activity: Business activities Optional activity: People walking to the KTM station, The loud noise of vehicles startle the people, the noise from the kopitiam draws attention.

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Figure 3.1 (j) Contact points at Yi Zhong Street, Tai Chung Smaller enclosure street with high buildings and narrow streets. Human scale proportion achieved through the narrow width of the street. Frequent contact happens horizontally.

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Figure 3.1 (k) Contact points at Jalan Besar, Klang Large enclosure street with short buildings and wide street. Human scale proportion achieved through the building height. Contact between people across the street is hard to achieve.

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3.2 Nodes and Landmarks Node points at Yi Zhong street, Tai Chung The node points at Yi Zhong is located at the intersection of roads where high intensity of activities and events happen. The landmarks and square of Taichung such as King’s Palace and Chung Yo’s Fashion Department stores were located at the intersection of these node points.

The location of landmarks at the node points were strategic to attract the crowds, including the locals, students as well as tourists. The loyal customers will go there for the goods and services and tourists will visit the notable stores due to their popularity. People who pass by will then be attracted by the crowd and the events that are happening within that area and thus creating a ‘activity attract people‘ and ‘people attract people’ social pattern. Apart from that, the activities usually take place at the ground floor, allowing the flow of activities in and out on the street level. While approaching the node points, people tends to slow down due to the congestion of movement. Thus, all these factors contribute to both visual and auditory contact, establish a higher intensity of contact level.

People who arrive at the node points will experience contact points on a higher level.

Chance contacts occur when the shop owners start to persuade the customers to visit their stores. While passing by the node points, a stimulating experience exists when they get to witness the cultures and interaction between people. At the node points, contact intensity changes instantly where there are more variety of contact forms.

Figure 3.2 (a) Contact point at Yi Zhong Street (Chung Yo’s Fashion Department) Necessary activity: Business activities, Students who come for fashion and goods Optional activity: The crowd and the display goods attracts the tourists to approach the stalls, the noise of shop ventors attract the people, tourists strolling along the streets taking photographs, people who pause and have a glance at the situation in the store.

Social activity: Interaction between the shop owners and the customers, gathering of families and friends

Figure 3.2 (b) Contact point at Yi Zhong Street (King Palace) Necessary activity: Business activities, Trading activities, workers ready to open stores for the night.

Optional activity: Tourist sightseeing and taking photographs, the vibrancy of shops attract people Social activity: Interaction between the shop owners and the customers, gathering of families and friends

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Node point at Jalan Besar, Klang At Jalan besar, there are two types of node points, which is at the intersections of roads and at the landmark itself. The intersection at Jalan Besar acts as a point of assembly and to disperse the people at an instantaneous rate who come and leave Jalan Besar through the KTM station. Meanwhile, the node point at Chong Kok Kopitiam disperse at a slower rate where people leave only after having their meal.

The location of node points are close to each other as both of them interact to gather the crowd. People who walk along Jalan Besar have opportunities to establish contact with the people who are already there. More people would wait and stay at the node points as they are attracted and prefer to stay at a livelier place compared to an abandoned or vacant lot.

Besides that, the strategic location of node points turn into a landmark of Jalan Besar and act as a common meeting place for the people in the area. The node points then appear to be a public space that acts as a meeting place for connecting people from other areas.

Consequently, the intensity of contact points is more complex. People who meet at the area would have chance contacts with the people who already there, witnessing the interaction between people and obtaining information from the interaction between people. Acquaintances who plan to meet together and friends who have a meal together at the node points intensify the contact point to a higher level.

Thus, the existence of node points offer a chance to establish or improve the contact between people.

Figure 3.2 (c) Contact point at Jalan Besar Necessary activity: Business activities, People running errands at the post office and bank Optional activity: The noise of shop vendors attract the people, tourists strolling along the streets taking photographs, Tourists stop at the intersection to decide where to go

Figure 3.2 (d) Contact point at Jalan Besar Necessary activity: Business activities, People who come for breakfast Optional activity: The crowd and the smell of food attracts the tourists to approach the shops, the noise of shop attract people, People who meet at the node points before going to their destination Social activity: Interaction between the shop owners and the customers, gathering of families and colleagues

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Figure 3.2 (e) Contact points at Yi Zhong Street, Tai Chung Axial connection to the nodes. Landmarks are in linear arrangement.Most of the landmarks are famous fashion stalls.

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Figure 3.2 (f) Contact points at Jalan Besar, Klang Linear connections to the nodes. Landmarks are in linear arrangement. Most of the landmarks are historical buildings or famous food stores.

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3.3 Legibility Open space of Yi Zhong Street, Tai Chung Other than the landmarks and node points of the place, the open public square and row of urban landscapes contribute to the image of Yi Zhong street. The public square that is located at the end of Yi Zhong Street acts as a visual termination point, providing a strong sense of place for both the locals and the tourists.

Meanwhile, the row of urban landscapes (figure 3.4b) creates a more favourable outdoor settings along the street.

The repetitive characteristics of shops and stalls along the street do not contribute to the legibility of the street as it looks just like another typical market street. However, the significant landmarks, intersection node points, urban landscape and open public squares are the urban elements that contribute to the legibility of Yi Zhong Street itself.

Figure 3.4 (a) Contact point at Yi Zhong Street (Yi Zhong Square) Necessary activity: Business activities Optional activity: The crowd and the seatings attracts the tourists to approach the square, the noise of shop ventors attract the people, tourists strolling along the streets taking photographs, people who pause and have a glance at their surroundings.

Social activity: Sharing of street furnitures with strangers, interaction between the shop owners and the customers, gathering of families

The legibility of streets creates a sense of place for the people and people are able to detect and remember the street patterns. The strong image of human social activities creates a more favourable setting for various contact points.

Therefore, the contact intensity and experience between two people is more significant and people would remember the time, place and the people they have met and interacted with.

Figure 3.4 (b) Contact point at Yi Zhong Street Necessary activity: Business activities Optional activity: People strolling along the street, people who stand under the trees for shade Social activity: Interaction between the shop owners and the customers, gathering of families and friends

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Open space of Jalan Besar, Klang Imageability of Jalan Besar is formed by historical buildings such as The Royal Gallery, KTM Station and Post Office Malaysia and the famous kopitiam and restaurants such as Chong Kok kopitiam and Restoran Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh. The traditional architecture and the food culture itself contributes to the imageability of Jalan Besar. The economical development along the street has not been significant and the street itself is slowly being forgotten.The main purpose of most people at Jalan Besar is merely for necessary activity such as working at the bank and running errands at the post office.

Therefore, open spaces such as small alleys are used to emphasize the food culture. Open spaces are used to set up food stalls.

Consequently, these informal open spaces attract people and stimulate human interaction.

Existence of human activities in the small alleys causes the small alleys to be a preference for passing through. The usage of small alleys as an informal open space becomes an architectural language in that area to enhance the sense of place of Jalan Besar.

Figure 3.4 (a) Contact point at Jalan besar, Klang Necessary activity: Business activities, People who come for a meal Optional activity: The smell and people attract people to pause, the interaction between people attract people to pause and listen Social activity: Interaction between the shop owners and the customers, gathering of families and acquaintances

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Figure 3.3 (d) Contact points at Yi Zhong public open space square Open square offers various possibilities and flexibility in human outdoor activities. Fixed seatings were provided with a central event space which is a favourable environment to encourage contact between people.

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Figure 3.3 (e) Contact points at small alley branching out from Jalan Besar Small alley are protected by adjacent buildings from the direct sun, forming a favourable informal open space.

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4.0 Conclusion The comparison between Yi Zhong Street, Tai Chung and Jalan Besar is summarized into a table (Table 4.0).

Yi Zhong, Tai Chung, Taiwan

Jalan Besar, Klang, Malaysia

Development of street

Development of Taichung Park becomes the turning point for Taichung.

Existence of Port Klang becomes the turning point for Jalan Besar, Klang.

Street Typology

LInear

LInear

Buildings are clustered together with inconsistent heights and facades

Buildings a clustered together with consistent heights and facades

Land use

Majority of them are commercial and residential

Majority of them are commercial

Privatization of public realm

Expansion of stalls at the frontage of shop to the vehicular road.

Expansion of stall to the five foot walkway at the frontage of shop.

Contact points happen on the street, between the buildings from both sides.

Contact points happen within the five-foot-walkway corridor

Enclosure

Small

Large

Human Scale

High buildings (3 to 10 storeys) Narrow Street

Low buildings (3-5 storeys) Wide street

Proportion (Building heights to street width)

5:1

1:3

Node points

Axial connection to node points

Linear connection to node points

Landmarks

Famous food stalls & Fashion department stores

Historical buildings, Restaurant & Administration buildings

Public Open Space

Formal (Public Square)

Informal (Small Alley)

Table 4.0

Comparison Table of the urban physical qualities of Yi Zhong, Tai Chung Street and Jalan Besar, Klang 26

Yi Zhong Street, Tai Chung and Jalan Besar, Klang both adopted different urban qualities in forging quality physical environments that affect the walkability and livability of the street. The qualities of the physical environment such as enclosure, human scale proportion and walkability could be identified and interpreted through Kevin Lynch’s five elements of legibility which is district, edge, path, node and landmark.The theories from the urban planners and journalists support each other, forming a framework for us to analyze the interaction between the urban environment and people. Apart from the physical qualities of urban environment, factors such as urban economy, geography, climate and cultures should be considered for both these streets as they are different in these aspects.

As a conclusion, Jan Gehl has quoted, ‘Cultures and climates differ all over the world, but people are the same.

They’ll gather in public if you give them a good place to do it.’ Despite their dissimilarities, the urban qualities that exist in both Yi Zhong and Jalan Besar respectively form a public realm that has different characters to establish human and social interactions and improve the imageability as well as the livability of the city.

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5.0 Reference Book Gehl, J., & Rogers, L. R. (2013). Cities for People. Washington DC: Island Press.

Gehl, J. (2011). Life between buildings: Using public space. Washington, DC: Island Press.

Lynch, K. (1960). The image of the city. Cambridge: The MIT Press.

Journal Hanafi, I., Araby, M. E., Hagla, K. A., & Sayary, S. E. (2013). Human Social Behavior in Public Urban Spaces: Towards Higher Quality Cities. Spaces and Flows: An International Journal of Urban and ExtraUrban Studies, 3(2), 23-35. doi:10.18848/2154-8676/cgp/v03i02/53690 Ewing, R., & Handy, S. (2009). Measuring the Unmeasurable: Urban Design Qualities Related to Walkability. Journal of Urban Design, 14(1), 65-84. doi:10.1080/13574800802451155

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