The Image Of The City - KL CBD

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC2224) (ARC61303) PROJECT PART B

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1.0 Site Introduction

Kuala Lumpur is founded by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy, which is now the capital city of Malaysia, gloriously established from tin mining activity in the 1820s since the chinese immigration from China. This is because Kuala Lumpur strategically located at the intersection between Klang River and Gombak River, where the fertile land and growing economy introduced population boost in the area.

Location of the chosen site in Brickfields, KL Sentral CBD Source: http://www.klno1.com.my/MRCB-Land-Newsletter-r10.pdf

The chosen site for the analysis to be conduct is the area covering Kuala Lumpur Sentral Central Business Districts, which is located in Brickfields. The area was once the centre for brick-making because in the old days, the area is a clay pit where good quality of clay brick can be produced. In culture wise, Brickfields is known as a “Divine Location� as it housed many religious structures which some

are aged over 100 years old, it is also well known as the Little India of Kuala Lumpur because of the major settlement of indian community. Brickfields is also where the main depot of Semenanjung Tanah Melayu, Keretaapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) placed during the administration of the British, where the same location is now developed into KL Sentral.

The transit port project began with the blueprint of “City-Within-A –City” by renowed arcitect, Dr. Kisho Kurokawa in 1995 in collaboration the developer, MRCB. Construction completed since 2001, KL Sentral CBD (Central Business Districts) is now a world class transit hub, stations central comprising luxury residences and hotels, shopping malls and international offies, demonstrated its excellent global connectivity and access within an integrated and self sustain live, work and play environment, benefit both locals and tourist in terms of public transports and allows Malaysia to step up to the international platform through this outrageous development (MRCB, 2016).

2.0 Mental Mapping Journey

People’s perception of a city is made up of five elements as concluded in “the Image Of The City” by Kevin Lynch, including the edge, districts, path, landmarks and nodes (Lynch, 1959). The elements are all created from the memory of the people living in city, of what have they seen, where have they been to, and how they recognize the roads and building that lead to their destination. Therefore, a research regarding the elements which make the chosen site within Klang Valley, which in this case is the area around KL Sentral CBD as an efficient city is conducted and further analyse in the following statements.

The journey starts at NU Sentral, a concentration node as it is the intersection point of extensive connective network, which first, it is the leisure district connected with the KL’s tranport hub, KL Sentral with the combination of shopping, restaurants, offices and transporatations within the edge of the area, which is Jalan Tun Sambanthan that separate the early modern shophouses and the new developmentd of KL Sentral CBD. The main entrance of NU Sentral is also where the public transportions such as taxi and buses’ pick up and drop off points are located at, as well as a place where people will gather or as a waiting area as there are seats and cafes available at the shaded plaza.

Next, the pedestrian friendly walkways that are well paved with blinds walkways and they are shaded with the use of modern aesthetic climbing plant shading steel stands, these conditions are not only ease fluidity for the local community but also beneficial to the disabilities as the Malaysian Association For The Blind is just located nearby. Furthermore, the significant pedestrian bridge that connects both NU Sentral and the monorail station acts as the landmark of the area, introduces people to to stay a little while in NU Sentral before they continue their journey to their destination. In addition, it is also a strong edge that creates a visual transition for the road users from a side that is happening into a place where the other side is just a road junction. As described from the above conditions, there are various human activities happening simultaneously at NU Sentral, which makes it as a strong concentration node to start off the mapping journey.

The journey continues towards the direction leading to the famous Little India in Kuala Lumpur. Along the road, the traffic is as heavy as there are never ending vehicles passing by, motorcycles swooshing through and the buses honk to alert the illegal road users, but walkway users can continue their journey wihout much worries as the pedestrian pathway is around 2 meters wide with no major defects and is shaded by small trees along the way. In terms of visual and safety, the road is wide open and there are no gloomy alleys connected and obstacles on the pedestrian walkway, and the buildings and pathways ahead are all easily noticeable because of the distinct hierarchy of the building heights, from the one floor height Pos Laju Tun Sambanthan Road Main Office to the highrise Menara Shell and service apartment, Ascott Sentral located ahead.

Menara Shell and Ascott Sentral are the new landmark within the area as the construction was just completed in 2013. The distinctive cut diamond shaped,

reflective grey-blue glass façade with 33 levels in height make both of the buildings stand out among the other existing architectures. As for tourist and passerby, it is a visually attractive landmark because of the aesthetic and futuristic external features, but as for architects and design students, the multiaward wining building, including Malaysian Property Press Awards 2015 (MPPA 2015), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum standard certification from the US Green Building Council and a Malaysian Green Building Index (GBI) certification, is no doubt an new architecture icon and landmark in the city (KLno1, 2015).

The covered pedestrian walkway leads the journey to arrives another road junction, where Little India is opposite the street, the street itself acts as a barrier for a user to continue the journey because the heavy traffic and broad road restrict the continuation of the journey, where a junction node is formed. In advance, the covered walkway is heading to the right, as if it guides the users to follow its direction towards Jalan Travers. As it is heading to Jalan Travers, together with the overhead LRT railway and the Klang River beside the road, they form another strong boundary to cease the continuity of the route, directing the passerby to enter the heart of KL Sentral CBD.

Once it enters into the center of KL sentral CBD, a whole new feeling of being in a totally different futuristic city as the traffic becomes lesser as there are just secondary roads connecting buildings to the exterior primary roads, the environment is surrounded by diversion of skyscrapers, from high rise residential suites to office towers. Although the LRT Railway run through the area, but it is less noticeable because the railway becomes lower in height, makes the LRT appear to be like a passing by bus transit, thus, without formation of distinctive edge within the area.

A row of Malay flee market is located underneath the covered walkway of a office tower, forms a concetration node within the area. But as the journey continues, the pedestrian walkway become less in design consideration, while the pathway is mainly for vehicle and as service lane usages, the passerby have to pass through the covered walkway and other roadside alternately to reach their desired destination within KL Sentral CBD. But there are still greeneries along the road so it added a sense of natural enviroment aestheticness to the office and residential district.

When it arrives to a Y junction, heading to the direction towards KL Sentral, the unique form of Sooka Sentral, located at the centre of the junction, forms a eyecatching landmark to the place. The altered dome shape roof structure is the next dedicated health, beauty and dining hub in the future, as it is still under construction (KLno1, 2015). Together with the cafĂŠ and international hotels nearby, including Hilton, St. Regis and Le Meridien, a future eatery and leisure district will be formed.

The journey comes to an end as it is heading back to the international transit hub and the well known landmarks, KL Sentral where it can be reached by crossing a pedestrian bridge to the destination, as KL Sentral is interconnected with NU

Sentral. While the road Jalan Stesen Sentral, seperating KL sentral and NU Sentral is connected back to Jalan Tun Sambanthan.

3.0 Discussion And Summary

3.1 Edges

Edges are the elements which forms boundary to an area, or as a barrier between areas with distinctive physical and psychological differences. Within KL Sentral CBD, the main edges that can be determine are located around the side as the architectural and cultural aspects within CBD are at most similar as the integration of building usage and culture impact are strongly bonded together.

As of the edges formed around the site, seperated distinctively different areas in terms of development and visual and feeling variations, they can be summarized as follow:

Figure 3.1 Jalan Tun Sambanthan And Jalan Travers Source: https://www.google.com/maps/@3.1313451,101.682869,3a,75y,28.77h,66.41t/da ta=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suD88T_nha7xtXXOR_CCqlg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Jalan Tun Sambanthan seperates the advance and newly developed KL Sentral CBD and the existing early modern shoplots across the road. While Jalan Travers together with the overhead LRT Railway and Klang River underneath form a strong barier which tends to cease the continuation of the movement of the passerby.

3.2 Districts

Districts are which the area usage are distinctive, which could ease the occupants to identify which districts they are located and to stay at. There are multiple districts located within and around the KL Sentral CBD, which are identified as below:

Figure 3.3 Shopping & Leisure District Nu Sentral and Sooka Sentral form the shopping and leisure district in KL Sentral CBD, providing entertainment and leisure lifestyle activity to the area.

Figure 3.4 Corporate Office Towers, Business and Office Districts Placement of internationational and local business corporate office towers within the area, showing the ability and enhancing the economy of Malaysia.

Figure 3.5 KL Sentral, Transit Hub Of Kuala Lumpur, Public Transportation District Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/KL_Sentral_at_Night.jpg

KL Sentral has become a global transportation connection hub with the integration of Monorails, LRTs, KTMs, KLIA Express and other public transports, a significant transportation district within the area.

3.3 Path

Paths are urban pattern which act as the guildline for people to their desired destination. There are a few numbers of pathway existing within the area:

Figure 3.6 Climbing plant steel stands for sun shading purpose located outside of NU Sentral

This innovative lanscape design integrates the modern steel structure which was implemented to the material used for the finishing of NU Sentral and the growing greens and flowers, combining nature and artificial which is well interpreted along the pedestrian path.

Figure 3.7 Covered pedestrian walkway along and across Jalan Tun Sambanthan Source: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8550/8754342902_c0745f6686_b.jpg Covered walkways are provided along Tun Sambanthan for intermediate sun and rain shading purposes.

Figure 3.8 Less proper or well shaded pedestrian walway provided within the KL Sentral CBD As ariving the centre of KL Sentral CBD, the pathways are more concentrated to the secondary roads for vehicles instead of for pedestrians as the pedestrian pathways area less continuous and less shaded, leaving the passerby have to suffer form sunlight exposion when travelling from building to building.

3.4 Landmarks

Landmars are what make the route significant, it can either be as small as a distinctive tree or to large scale architecture, it can create a memorable object for the passerby to recall the route. As the KL Sentral CBD is the newly developed area, the buildings within are much futuristic and eye-catching, and so, mainly of the landmarks within the area are with outstanstanding architecture designs:

Figure 3.9 Menara Shell Distinctive faรงade form, visual contrast in terms of height

Figure 3.10 Pedestrian Bridge Connecting KL Sentral Monorail Station and NU Sentral Aesthetic and eyecatching faรงade design

Figure 3.11 Sooka Sentral Unique alternated dome roof design, outstands with the other existing structures.

Figure 3.12 KL Sentral Important and most recognisable landmark by tourist and locals because of its tranport hub function.

3.5 Nodes

Nodes are focal point within the city, where people are usually hang around and stay by. Nodes are normally center of the their respective districts. But as stated

by Kevin Lynch, nodes can also be divided into concentration nodes and junction nodes, which can be seen below:

Figure 3.13 Concentration node located at the entrance of NU Sentral Source: https://www.google.com/maps/@3.1330065,101.6877395,3a,75y,287.76h,82t/dat a=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBT7-qX0RulnMxG0QjWARiQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There are many human concentration area at the entrance of NU Sentral, including the seats at the taxis and bus drop off area, cafes located along the exterior of NU Sentral, because of the areas are well shaded, welcoming people to stay in and hang out abit.

Figure 3.14 Junction node located at the turning angle beside Menara Shell Before the people cross the road to the opposite Little India, people tend to stay at this junction for a while as the large junction area has a fountain allows people to sit awhile and to think about the destination which they are going, either to Little India or turn back to the KL Sentral CBD.

4.0 Conclusion

An urban sustainable city should achieve three main condition, which first is ecological sustainability, where the architecture should be working with the natural environment, which in this case, there are no greenery blindspot within KL Sentral CBD, where trees and bushes are planted at the road junctions, as well as along the pedestrain pathways. Secondly, a sustainable city should implies economic sustainability, where the achievement of production have low impact on the environment. Significant examples are Menara Shell and Sooka Sentral within the area, they both implemented low energy material during constrcution and also operation, which creates an environmental friendly area. Furthermore, it is the cultural sustainbility which shaped a sustainable city, which is what KL Sentral CBD is lack of (Foo & Yuen, 1999). The buildings in KL Sentral CBD does not have a sense of malaysian culture, instead, implementing meaningless futuristic design, where forms overshadowed the nation identity (Agrest& Gandelsonas, 1977).

In relation to the Kevin Lynch’s theory, from the analysis conducted, it can be concluded that KL Sentral CBD has fulfill the Lynch’s five elements of a city, integrating edges, districts, path, landmarks and nodes, which provides a clear image of the city, giving people memorable and notable characteristics in the area and thus, ease the movement and identification of places for the occupants.

Furthermore, the mis use of buildings within the area ensure safety as there will not be isolated spaces during specific time, and the patterns of pathways are clear with immediate alleys or sub roads, enahnces the safety aspects within the city (Jacob, 1961). Above of all, KL Sentral CBD is no doubt a self-sustain city with the integration of tranportation hub, residences and hotels, as well as office towers, shopping and leisure buildings included within the area. As for a user within the area, they are able to live within the area without thinking of leaving the place for other purposes as KL CBD is truly a successful sustainable urban city.

References

1. Lynch, K. (1960). The image of the city (Vol. 11). MIT press.

2. Kuala Lumpur. (2013). Kuala Lumpur Little India Brickfields. Retrieved from http://www.kuala-lumpur.ws/attractions/brickfields.htm#

3. MRCB. (2015). Kula Lumpiur Sentral CBD. A CBD Shaped By Design, Not Chance. Retrieved from http://www.klno1.com.my/MRCB-LandNewsletter-r10.pdf

4. Foo, AF., Yuen. B. (1999). Sustainable Cities In The 21st Century (pp 81 – 86). Singopore: Singapore University Press.

5. Agrest, D., Gandelsonas, M. (1977). Semiotics and the Limits of Architecture. A Perfusion of Signs. Ed. Thomas A. Sebeok. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

6. Jacob, J. (1961). The Death And The Life Of Great American Cities. New York: Random House.

7. Aruna, P (2015). MRCB sells Menara Shell to MRCB-Quill REIT for RM640mil. Retrived from http://www.thestar.com.my/business/businessnews/2015/12/03/mrcb-sells-menara-shell-to-mrcb-quill-reit-forrm640mil/