PROJECT PART 2: COGNITIVE MAPPING THE LITTLE INDIA KLANG STREET

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224) PROJECT PART 2: COGNITIVE MAPPING THE LITTLE INDIA KLANG STREET

LIM CHOON WAH 0311265 TUTOR: MISS IDA

Theories of Architecture and Urbanism [ARC61303/ARC2224]

TABLE CONTENT 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Introduction of the Little India Klang Street 1.2 Introduction of Cognitive Mapping

2.0 Cognitive Mapping - Analysis 2.1 The Little India Klang Street 2.2 The Vertical and Horizontal Street 2.3 The Hidden Path 2.4 The Divider of River and Railway 2.5 The Linear Nodes 2.6 The Dissimilar Landmarks for Locals and Tourists 2.7 The Three Various Districts

3.0 Relation to Kevin Lynch; Imageability 4.0 Conclusion 5.0 References

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1.

Introduction

1.1

Introduction of the Little India Klang Street

Figure 1.1.1: The perspective of Little India, Jalan Tengku Kelana

Klang also spelled Kelang, is the royal town of Selangor, on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia before Shah Alam. Klang is divided into North Klang and South Klang, which are separated by Klang River. North Klang used to be the main commercial center of Klang but in recent year, more commercial and residential areas as well as government offices are being developed in South Klang where is the research site located know as Little India Klang. This area tends to be busier and becomes the center of social and recreational activities after office hours and during the weekends for local residential and tourists from other state or country. This area has long been Klang’s most prominent commercial, cultural and cuisine area to allow locals to pray and shop. There were lot of local landmarks and attractions since the early of 18 th century.

Figure 1.1.2: Boundary of my cognitive area

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The Little India Street enclave along Jalan Tengku Kelana, Klang is the biggest Indian street in Malaysia. The percentage of India in this area was 70% and the Chinese, Malay and other were 30%. People had choice for amidst the rows of shops on the left and right sides of the road, with stalls spilling onto the sidewalks and back lanes. Myriads of items such as saris, colorful accessories such as bangles and necklaces, textiles, stainless steel posts, Indian delicacies, gold and flowers are sold here. During Deepavali, the street is transformed into a colorful spectacle of light and sound befitting the “festival of light”. Most shop owners pool their resources together to decorate the street and the walkways of their shops. The street will be decorated weeks before the actual festival.

1.2

Introduction of cognitive mapping

Figure 1.2.1: Example of cognitive mapping by Kevin Lynch of the Boston

Cognitive map is how individuals view a particular domain which providing graphical descriptions of unique ways. It is a mental representation of physical locations and also being used in order to find ways and also help to recall important features of the particular environment such as human facets (memory, identity etc.), spatial and temporal dynamics (traffic, people’s paths, barriers, etc.), architecture (stairs, benches, trees, etc.), microstructures (texture, material). Furthermore, a cognitive map can be show that what is more or less important. Lynch’s most famous work, the image of the city (1960) is a research of five year study on how observers take in information of the city. He uses tree disparate American cities as examples (Boston, Jersey City and Los Angeles). Lynch reported that users understand their surrounding in consistent and predictable way, forming mental maps with five elements which are the path, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks.

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2.0 Cognitive mapping - Analysis 2.1

The Little India Klang Street

Figure 2.1.1: The blue color indicate where the shop and stall occur

In city planning, Kevin Lynch used to sketch maps to reveal human knowledge of large-scale complex environments because a cognitive map able to show what is important, and by exclusion, reveal what is more or less important. Based on the personal generated cognitive mapping, the Little India Street is being different from the other street we saw in Malaysia.

Figure 2.1.2: Maruda accessories and silk saree sell at the street (source: Farah, 2013)

The Little India street not only sell Punjabi suits, accessories such as bangles, forehead stickers, silver wares spices, perfumes and etc. Bangles and accessories for women and children, Bangles are also traditional, flexible bracelits in shiny colours to worn with numbers for each wrist. There also have many specialized 4|Page

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store that selling colorful silk saree for men, women and kids for every occasion such as wedding and festival season. They also have those distinctive scrumptious delicious Indian foods and direction paths in Little India Klang Street.

Figure 2.1.3: The delicious of Indian food along the street (source: Farah, 2013)

The significant food had attracted the attention of all of the locals and tourist such as nasi kandar, roti canai, teh tarik etc. Furthermore, the placement & location of the places are also very obvious to be seen because the Little India Street was just along the primary road known as Jalan Tengku Kelana. For instance the buildings of the whole street are in colorful with the Indian pattern. This is also one of the reasons that catch the attention of the locals & tourist to walk along the street.

Figure 2.1.4: One of the flower stalls at the street (source: Farah, 2013)

Based on the personal cognitive mapping, It show that there were many mini food and flower stalls selling bouquets and different kind of colorful flowers placed at the each junction of back alley of the street.

Although they are just mini stalls but yet they had caught most of our attention also because most of the time they are crowded with people therefore the are more likely to attract people to figure out what is happening during the peak hour.

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2.2

The vertical and horizontal street

Figure 2.2.1: The red line was vertical street and the blue line was horinzontal street

Figure 2.2.2: The vertical street known as Jalan Tengku Kelana

From the cognitive map, there were 2 main paths which are the main vertical street known as Jalan Tengku Kelana and crossing with a horizontal lane known as Jalan Dato Hamzah. First, along the main vertical street, they are a lot of shops selling varieties of items such as saris, colorful accessories such as bangles and necklaces, textiles, stainless steel posts, Indian delicacies, gold and flowers are sold here. The main street is mostly crowded with people where you can hear a lot of noises that are created from the shop yelling the price of their products, people bargaining and the preparing of food from the mini food stalls compare to the vertical Street. All of these factors had captured the attention from the locals and tourists which had made them to remember the significant of Little India street compare to the horizontal lane.

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Figure 2.2.3: The left side of horizontal street known as Jalan Dato Hamzah

The horizontal street is much lesser people compare to vertical street, this street mostly coverage with oldest mosque, church and temple on the left side. The existence of old religious building also show different group of races that symbolize all the culture and heritage of our multi-racial country

Figure 2.2.4: The right side of horizontal street that full with clinic, office and commercial shops

On the right side of street, they have many office and clinic compare to horizontal street that have many food and cultural shops. During the festival season or praying time, there will many people come along this street to worship their own believer gods.

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2.3

The hidden path

Figure 2.3.1: Hidden path (Red) connect to the restaurant (Blue) use by the locals

Figure 2.3.2: Hidden path

Figure 2.3.3: Indian restaurant that mostly locals having their lunch and breakfast

Based on the cognitive mapping, There is a few hidden path that connected from the Little India Street to other street that have cheapest and nice Indian food that can be found on the nearby street. Mostly during peak hours, the worker nearby will walk to the streets through the hidden path to have their lunch or dinner. The location of the place is only known for the locals who already know that place and knew every details of the street. On the other hand, the tourist might not know the places as they only have been there for not just more than a day thus they have no clue of the location of the food shops. Secondly, for tourist, they are not familiar around town, they will be cautious on where to walk so they primarily use the main roads or streets due to safety reason.

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2.4

The divider of river and railway

Figure 2.4.1: The edge of the street which is Klang river (blue) and KTM railway (red)

Figure 2.4.2: The left is Klang River and the right is KTM railway

The Klang River has formed the strong edges between the north and south Klang. Edges as well as paths call for a certain continuity of form thought out their length. Klang River is a best example of those edges are seems strongest which are not only visually prominent, but also continuous in form and impenetrable to cross movement. It is inaccessible to pedestrians same to railway. The railway just beside the Klang River that disallow pedestrians crossover from one side to another side.

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2.5

The linear nodes

Figure 2.5.1: The corridor (blue) of the Little India Klang Street (source: Farah, 2013)

Figure 2.5.2: The corridor of the Little India Klang Street (source: Farah, 2013)

The both row of shops at the Little India Street may considered as a linear nodes. Kevin Lynch also stated that although nodes might conceptually small points in the city image, they might in reality be large squares, or extended linear shapes or even entire central districts. Little India Street is a place where arrangement of shops are placed linear along the road which form from little small nodes at the corridor of each shop and end up a linear nodes as path. The linear nodes were attracted many locals and tourist because of a lot of fruits, cultural accessories, equipment and etc.

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2.6

The dissimilar landmark for local & tourist

Figure 2.6.1: The Local’s landmarks (Blue) and Tourist landmark (Yellow)

Figure 2.6.2: Sri Nagara Thandayuthapani Temple on the left and the right was Saint Barnabas Church on the right

Figure 2.6.3: Masjid India Klang

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There were many landmark happening in the surrounding of Little India Street but doesn’t mean that each landmark is significant for the local or tourist. Kevin Lynch stated that landmarks become more easily identifiable, more likely to be chosen as significant, if they have a clear form; if they contrast with their background; and if there is some prominence of spatial location. Little India Street itself is a great example of this theory state by Kevin Lynch. There are number of local elements that become landmarks such as those religious building. Mostly religious building is the landmark for tourists to remember as historical places because it is more unique building that only can see in this area. Those historical building had establish since 18th century ago example Sri Nagara Thandayuthapani Temple is over 150years building, the Masjid India Klang is the most well-known landmark since 1910 and the Saint Barnabas church.

Figure 2.6.4: Balai Polis Klang on the left and Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat Klang on the Right

Figure 2.6.5: KTM station

On the other hand, this historical place might not significant for the local. One of locals Indian also say that he even prefer Mydin Emporium Klang 2, Balai Polis Klang, Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat Klang or KTM station as their significant landmarks because they tend to remember some things that are frequently seen.

Such as KTM station is common landmark for locals because they traveled by public transport to other places.

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2.7

The Three Various Districts

Figure 2.7.1: The government district (blue), religious district (yellow), and commercial district (green)

There were three districts nearby the Little India Street such as it was commercial district, and the other was religious district and government district. Kevin Lynch stated that city district in its simplest sense is an area of homogenous character, recognized by clues which are continuous through the district and discontinuous elsewhere. In this context, this district can be recognized by continuous through the district instead discontinuous elsewhere. Based on the cognitive mapping, the commercial district was located along the Jalan Tengku Kelana where many local, tourist and vehicles pass by that create a prosperity district. Furthermore, the religious district was on the left side of Jalan Tengku Kelana along the Jalan Dato Hamzah. The religious buildings here were well known historical in Klang since the 18th century. On the upper part of Jalan Tengku Kelana where the government district located such as the Balai Bomba Klang, Balai Polis Klang and KTM station.

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3.0 Relation to Kevin Lynch: Imageability

Figure 3.0.1: Five elements of a city introduced by Kevin Lynch

Based on the findings of cognitive mapping which relate to Kevin Lynch’s theory of five elements. The path for the site can be identified clearly which is mostly illustrated path that is cross shape. The main path of the Little India Klang was the whole vertical road of Jalan Tengku Kelana. The linear nodes of the street are most stalls that selling the cultural accessories, clothes and other stuff along the Jalan Tengku Kelana.

People tend to gather at the food stalls to have their lunch during the day. Local’s landmarks are the Balai Polis Klang, Balai Bomba Klang, Mydin Emporium Klang 2 and KTM station. Hence, the tourist landmarks are different such as Sri Nagara Thandayuthapani Temple, Masjid India, and Saint Barnabas church. Each of them has its own significant elements which lead people to remember them. Hence, Edges of the place are clearly show in the maps which the boundary of Klang River and KTM station. Districts at the area of Little India Street were commercial district, religious district and government district.

According to Lynch’s concept of legibility, it is how the people remember and understand the place with a well-known road or any popular spots of the place. The most recognized elements of Little India Klang Street are the India Cultural located on the both side of the street with the vibrant design and color. Hence, the street also creates noise and the placement of compact stalls at the corridors selling variety goods.

That the reason where the locals or tourists to remember and recognize the particular street. Furthermore, the nodes also are the place that most people meet up and gather around. Hence, one of the most important design qualities that has applied to each elements is clarify of joint where Little India Klang has clear boundaries that people can easily recognized.

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4.0 Conclusion From the research of cognitive mapping, these five elements cannot exits individually; they must act together as a whole to reveal an integrated city image. These elements combine together as vivid and dense images. Districts can be constructed by nodes, defined by edges, penetrated by paths and dominated by landmarks. Hence, different people have different way of recognizing the identity of the place, and what stands out from the other surrounding buildings due to its unique design. The aim of the theory applied from Kevin Lynch is to understand the basic of urban design principle that relation between urban life and environmental image.

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5.0 References Farah (2013, February 08). Little India Klang - My Selangor Story. Retrieved June 04, 2016, from http://thatsofarah.com/little-india-klang/ Lynch, K. (1960). The image of the city. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Lynch, K., Banerjee, T., & Southworth, M. (1990). City sense and city design: Writings and projects of Kevin Lynch. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Wallace,T. (2010, December 15). Kevin Lynch & The Imageable Boston. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://bostonography.com/2010/kevin-lynch-the-imageable-boston/ Yue, W. (2014, January 19). Architecture + Urbanism. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://architectureandurbanism.blogspot.my/2010/09/kevin-lynch-image-of-city-1960.html Gaia, Z. (2010, September 6). Architecture Urbanism. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://architectureandurbanism.blogspot.my/2014/01/kevin-lynch-image-of-city-1960.html

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