Comparative Analysis

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM ARC 61303

PROJECT II: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY MEDAN PASAR - TUNG CHAU STREET

NAME: THAREEN NUJJOO STUDENT ID: 0324886

TUTOR: MR NICHOLAS NG

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction to Tung Chau Street 1.2 Introduction to Medan Pasar 2.0 ANALYSIS 2.1 Contact Points of Tung Chau 2.2 Contact Points of Medan Pasar 3.0 COMPARATIVE ESSAY 3.1 Necessary Activities 3.2 Optional Activities 3.3 Social Activities 4.0 CONCLUSION 5.0 REFERENCES

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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction to Tung Chau Street

Map of Sham Shui Po locating Tung Chau Street.

Tung Chau street is located in the North Cheung Sha Wan industrial area in the district of Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong. The street runs under the West Kowloon Corridor a highway which runs on separate viaducts in each direction: north and south, before merging over Tung Chau Street. The rest of the highway carries on over Tung Chau Street to meet Lai Chi Kok Road in Cheung Sha Wan. Sham Shui Po used to be a hub of activity and the Jade Market at the Tung Chau Temporary Market used to be one of the main trades of this area. In recent years Sham Shui Po has become one of the poorest districts of Hong Kong, business has cooled and 70% of the Tung Chau Market is unoccupied and has been taken over by street sleepers.

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1.1 Introduction to Medan Pasar

Map of Kuala Lumpur showing the location of Medan Pasar.

Dataran Medan Pasar is located in the heart of the inner city of Kuala Lumpur. The square is lined by the confluence of the Klang River and the Gombak River on one side and Lebuh Pasar Besar on the other and holds a clock tower at its centre.

Medan pasar used to be a street, previously named Macao Street or Hokkien Street by the old chinese community. that held a wet market, which has later been relocated a few metres away to its current location, Pasar Seni. It was a hub for traders and a highly frequented place, headed by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy. Although nowadays the road no longer plays host to the city’s busiest market, Medan Pasar is now a city square still buzzing with activities as it is now one of the main hubs for public transports.

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2.0 ANALYSIS

In reference to ‘Life Between Buildings’ by Jan Gehl, “Life between buildings is not merely pedestrian traffic or recreational or social activities. Life between buildings comprises the entire spectrum of activities, which combine to make communal spaces in cities and residential areas meaningful and attractive.”. These outdoor activities are heavily influenced by the quality of the physical environment hosting those activities and are divided into three categories: necessary activities, optional activities and resultant (social) activities.

Necessary activities happen throughout the year irrespective of the physical environment, and are considered as compulsory activities like going to work/ school/ shopping.

Optional activities are ones that people wish to pursue, and happen when the time and exterior conditions are favorable. They are very dependent on the physical environment and happen mostly when the latter is in good condition.

Lastly Resultant or Social activities are all activities that happen in public spaces and in the presence of other people. In most cases, social activities are linked to the aforementioned categories and occur spontaneously, as a direct consequence of people moving about and being in the same spaces creating connections may it be visual, verbal or physical.

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Graphic representation of the relationship between the quality of outdoor spaces and the rate of occurrence of outdoor activities.

Jan Gehl states in his book, “When the quality of outdoor areas is good, optional activities occur with increasing frequency. Furthermore, as levels of optional activity rise, the number of social activities usually increases substantially. “, as a conclusion to the relationship between activities and physical environment conditions.

He also says in the same book that “These modest “see and hear contacts” must be considered in relation to other forms of contact and as part of the whole range of social activities, from very simple and noncommittal

contacts

to

complex

and

emotionally

involved

connections.”

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2.1 Contact Points at Tung Chau

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Contact Point I : Wellcome Superstore.

Wellcome Superstore along Tung Chau Street.

The superstore houses a bus station as well as an MTR station pathway thus creating points of moderate and high contact intensity due to passive contact as well as close relationship. A pavilion along with sculptures form a concentric typology and become a focal point of the store attracting people to explore the structures and the store. The Superstore provides a very wide pedestrian pathway lined with trees and plants which allows people to comfortably walk while some people wait for the bus.

Contact Point II: Sham Shui Po Park Swimming Pool

Sham Shui Po Park.

Point of moderate to high contact intensity as it involves both passive relationship from strangers performing different activities in the same compound, and also close relationship as families come to the park together to the playgrounds as well as the sport facilities. The park becomes a point form typology and is a break from the tall buildings that line Tung Chau Street.

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Contact Point III: Trinity Towers

Memorial Garden at New Asia College.

Point of moderate contact intensity due to forms of passive contact as well as close contact amongst the users and visitors. The garden becomes a focal point and contrasts with the surrounding architecture and is a point of attraction.

Contact Point IV: Tung Chau Temporary Market.

Tung Chau Jade Market at Tung Chau Temporary Market.

The Jade Market was one of the biggest trades of Sham Shui Po and is found under the West Kowloon Corridor flyover and has a moderate to high contact intensity. The narrow aisle induces more physical contact amongst the visitors. The arrangement of the stalls form a linear typology with linear circulation.

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Contact Point V: Tung Chau Street Park.

Fountain at Tung Chau Street Park.

Contact point intensity is moderate to high as it involves passive contact as well as close relationship. The park provides different types of activities with mostly linear circulation and a few points of concentric typology.

Contact Point VI: St Francis Xavier College

Sycamore Playground at St Francis Xavier College.

Contact point of high intensity due to close relationship. The playground is of point form typology, allowing family interaction as well as interaction with other users of the space.

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2.2 Contact Points at Medan Pasar

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Contact Point I: River Of Life

Confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers.

Points of moderate social contact, the river acts as a focal point to the surrounding, making it an attraction point. Passive contact formed by continuous circulation of passer-bys is formed while possible chance and friends relationships are made as a meeting point or attraction point.

Contact Point II: Masjid Jamek

Masjid Jamek.

Point of contact of moderate intensity, since the mosque is considered as a point of necessary activity for muslims or optional activity for people that wish to visit the place. Seating areas with shading devices line the entrance of the mosque inducing interaction. The contact point is of concentric typology where it becomes a focal point and attracts attention.

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Contact Point III: Medan Pasar

Medan Pasar.

Medan Pasar is a low intensity contact point. Both ends of medan pasar are bus stops while the typology is of point form, the focus is pulled towards the clocktower placed in the middle of the square. The plaza breaks the verticality by bringing a horizontal space.

Contact Point IV: Kasturi Walk

Kasturi Walk at Jalan Hang Kasturi.

Kasturi Walk is a point of moderate to high intensity, the entrance point acts as a point form typology while the actual walk itself, is linear caused by the arrangement of the stalls. The paths are narrow inducing physical contact by disruption of user boundaries.

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Contact V: Pasar Seni

Pasar Seni also known as Central Market.

Point of moderate to high intensity contact point due to passive contact and close relationship with a linear typology and linear circulation. The central market is large and covered and provides reasonably sized alleys allowing minimal physical contact with other users and also houses a bus station and an LRT station.

Contact VI: LRT Station at Jalan Tun Perak

LRT station at Jalan Tun Perak.

Contact point of low intensity as this involves mainly passive contact amongst the users of the LRT. The paths and spaces are big enough to allow for minimal physical and visual contact making it a very function space with a linear circulation and typology.

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3.0 Comparative Essay When put side by side, the two sites already have common qualities, both sites share a similar past where they were a hub for activities and were important streets. Nowadays, Medan Pasar is no longer a street but has become a plaza while Tung Chau street has lost most of its former success.

3.1 Necessary Activities As mentioned above, both sites used to hold many activities and were considered as a major trading area. Medan Pasar is located in the city centre’s commercial district, the plaza itself is lined by shophouses and two other contact points that are shopping destinations such as Pasar Seni and Kasturi Walk. Similarly, Tung Chau street main attraction is the Tung Chau Temporary Market which holds the Jade Market as the main trade.

Comparing Pasar Seni to the Tung Chau Jade Market, both places sell local products in a modest setting. Pasar Seni is a local craft market placed in an enclosed structure that allows you to walk comfortably through stalls that sell local craft away from the heat and humidity of the local weather.

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The Jade Market is located under the West Kowloon Corridor flyover and is a covered market with a circulation and typology that resembles those of Pasar Seni, while selling Jade as a local craft and with multiple other stalls.

Another point to consider is the circulation. Kuala Lumpur has always been praised for its walkability and it’s public transport lines and Medan Pasar is a plaza which also acts as a public transport station. Both entrances of the site are bus stop areas, similar to the entrances of Kasturi Walk, while Masjid Jamek and Pasar Seni hold LRT stations. The streets of Kuala Lumpur are also sheltered by the 5 foot walkways, an extension of the entrance to shophouses that allow pedestrians to walk safely and also as a protection against the harsh weather. Medan Pasar also has a few back alleys that enable pedestrians to walk away from cars and reach their destinations sometimes more easily and rapidly.

At Tung Chau Street walkability is still present although in a less successful manner than Medan Pasar, wide pathways allow for pedestrian circulation, while the street itself is along a bus line and an THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM | ARC 61303 : COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY

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MTR pathway connects the street to the station located on the opposite avenue. Walkability is less when compared to Medan Pasar as concluded from the number of contact points that hold public transport services on both sites as well as the fact that Medan Pasar itself is a plaza, catering for pedestrian movement.

3.2 Optional Activities According to Jan Gehl and his book ‘Life Between Buildings’, “These

activities

take

place

only

when

exterior

conditions

are

favourable, when weather and place invite them. This relationship is particularly important in connection with physical planning because most of the recreational activities that are especially pleasant to pursue outdoors are found precisely in this category of activities. These activities are especially dependent on exterior physical conditions.”

Both Medan Pasar and Tung Chau Street share points of optional activities although the latter provides for more. This section compares the Sham Shui Po and Tung Chau parks located along Tung Chau Street with the River of Life at Medan Pasar, a local and tourist attraction.

Tung Chau street holds multiple contact points for optional activities such as the Sham Shui Po Park and the Tung Chau Street Park, the Sham Shui Po Park offers sports facilities such as a swimming pool and running tracks while the Tung Chau Street Park offers a more

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relaxed landscape with trees, water features and paths. Although located under a highway or off of a busy road, the parks still manage to frame its activities in such a way as to provide large open public spaces that provide many recreational activities and different usage to attract different user groups. The weather and climate also enables the users to use the parks around most times of the year and maintain their activities.

On the other hand, we have the River of Life at Medan Pasar, the confluence of the Gombak and Klang Rivers. The attraction is less successful as it doesn’t provide much shelter against the local heat, humidity and rain over its walkways except for a small pavilion at the entrance of the boardwalk discouraging people to experience the place. Furthermore although it attracts more people at night due to the light show and the weather being more comfortable for being in an open space, not many people visit this part of Kuala Lumpur during the night.

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3.3 Resultant Activities Another quote from Jan Gehl’s book, “Social activities are all activities that depend on the presence of others in public spaces.” This type of activity is a resultant of either one of the two previous categories of activities occurs spontaneously, and indirectly supported by the physical environment.

The last case studies for the comparison are Medan Pasar, the plaza in itself with clocktower, lined by shophouses and the Sycamore Playground at St Francis Xavier College.

When Medan Pasar was converted into a plaza, benches and seating areas were placed in the middle and alongside of the square in order to create a public space where people could rest and interact.

Unfortunately the bad planning and the disconsideration of the local weather results in the place being empty for most of the time and being taken over by street sleepers at night. Nevertheless sometimes activities take place at the square such as food trucks and promoting of local crafts and products, which attract people to the plaza.

Comparatively, the Sycamore playground is more successful. The fact that it is located nearby a school means that it crosses paths with necessary activities that are related to its function. Children that go to school, or living nearby, parents that drop off or pick up their children, get attracted to the playground. The playground becomes a meeting

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place, a place for activities and interaction, by families and friends that use it.

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4.0 Conclusion From the above analysis, we can conclude that Jan Gehl’s theory for outdoor activities and its relation to the physical environment is undeniable, and this comparative essay further solidifies this theory.

Although both Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur have different climatic conditions, it is the planning and construction with regards to these differences that make a public space successful. This combined to analysis of user groups and patterns would be a strong solid base in order for us to build better cities adapted to the people that live in them.

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5.0 References Gehl, J., & Koch, J. (2011). Life between buildings. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Hard knock life for Sham Shui Po street sleeper. (2017). South China Morning

Post.

Retrieved

28

November

2017,

from

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1228394/hard-knocklife-sham-shui-po-street-sleeper

Hong Kong Fun in 18 Districts - Welcome to 18 Districts. (2017). Gohk.gov.hk.

Retrieved

29

November

2017,

from

http://www.gohk.gov.hk/eng/welcome/ssp_spots.html?spots=17

Lawmakers visit homeless people in Sham Shui Po amid claims of latenight evictions and property seizures | Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. (2017). Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/02/08/lawmakers-visit-homelesspeople-in-sham-shui-po-amid-claims-of-late-night-evictions-andproperty-seizures/

Sham Shui Po Park. (2017). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 29 November 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sham_Shui_Po_Park

Tung Chau St. (2017). Tung Chau St. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tung+Chau+St,+Hong+Kong/@22 .3291845,114.157185,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipP4o3H8Wb1FC D8xfM1VvFqXHblUDiJe3CnI_23F!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleus ercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipP4o3H8Wb1FCD8xfM1VvFqXHblUDiJe3C nI_23F%3Dw203-h152-kno!7i4160!8i3120!4m5!3m4!1s0x340400b26ae927cd:0x3e608354295ac17b!8 m2!3d22.3290174!4d114.1569345

Tung Chau Street Park. (2017). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_Chau_Street_Park

West Kowloon Corridor. (2017). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Kowloon_Corridor

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