Comparative Essay

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture Theories of Architecture & Urbanism (ARC 61303)

Project 2: Comparative Essay Analysis

Name: Khoo Yung Keat Student ID: 0324688 Tutor: Mr. Nicholas Ng

Contents 1.0 Project Introduction 2.0 Streets Introduction 2.1 Local Street Site Analysis: Jalan Stesen 1, Klang 2.1.1 History & Morphology of Klang 2.2 Asian Street Case Study: Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong 2.2.1 History & Morphology of Hong Kong

3.0 Contact Points 3.1 Contact Points of Jalan Stesen 1 & Jalan Besar, Klang 3.2 Contact Points of Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong

4.0 Comparative Analysis 4.1 Quality of Open Space 4.2 Building Typology 4.3 Street Typology 4.4 Public Transportation

5.0 Conclusion 6.0 References

1.0 Project Introduction Cities, unique on its own which contains an extensive range of morphological development, culture, origin and planning that influence the built environment. Looking into a micro scale, streets are the veins of a city that allows both vehicular and pedestrian circulation which creates a potential of activities, allowing contact points with diverse human behavioural patterns. Different type of activities at the street acts as a social catalyst where people are brought together where interaction and communication takes place, creating a live along the street.

In this comparative analysis essay, two selected streets from different countries are being analysed which is the Jalan Stesen 1, South Klang, Malaysia and Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong.

Similarities and dissimilarities in terms of contact points, contact intensity and activities are being studied and analysed accordingly in reference to Jan Gehl’s, Life Between Buildings.

Figure 1: Graphic representation of the relationship between the quality of outdoor space and the rate of occurrence of outdoor space activities (Gehl, 2011, p.11)

Figure 2: Diagram of the simplified outline of various contact forms (Gehl, 2011, p.15)

2.0 Introduction 2.1 Jalan Stesen 1, South Klang, Malaysia

Figure 3: Site Plan of Jalan Stesen 1

Figure 4: View of the Site

Jalan Stesen 1 is located right at the heart of South Klang, Selangor, Malaysia and a street away from the Klang Railway Station which is the earliest railway station in the country. It was the first street that leads to the development of South Klang and it is also a commercialized street which made up of old shophouses from various architectural styles. Majority of the old shophouses are still having their businesses going on whereas some shophouses were abandoned by their owners due to the slow pace of development. The social activities on site today are mostly transient as people tend to use the street as a transitional space to another destination rather than exploring and stay longer around the street.

2.1.1 History & Morphology of Klang

Diagram 1: Morphology Development of Klang

Klang or Kelang, officially Royal Town of Klang, is a royal town and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District. It was the civil capital of Selangor in an earlier era prior to the emergence of Kuala Lumpur and the current capital, Shah Alam. Tin mining was the starting point of the development of Klang. The economy of Klang grew rapidly along the Klang River because of the necessity for transportation and tin mining activity. The establishment of railway system allows the tin mining industry to flourish as tin are able to be transported to various places. Following with the construction of Kota Bridge and Federal Highway which connects the north and south to allow easy accessibility to the site.

2.2 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong

Figure 5: Queen’s Road Central

Located in the northern coast of Hong Kong Island, spanning from Central to Sheung Wan, Queen’s Road Central was one of the first earliest emerging roads to be constructed by the British colony in Hong Kong between 1841 and 1843 spanning across Victoria Road from Shek Tong Shui to Wan Chai. It is a commercialized hotspot and a human-commercialized area acting as a transition space for locals and tourists.

2.2.1 History & Morphology of Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong

Diagram 2: Morphology Development of Queen’s Road

Before 1842, the Royal engineers built the first part of San Ying Pun with the help of around 300 coolies (labour worker). The road was initially named as Main Road, but changed to Queen’s Road after Queen Victoria of the British Empire. It was the first section to Sai Ying Pun and the Hub of the island activity, thus causing the island into a state of development. Queen’s Road is then conquered by the Japanese during World War II in 1942 and was re-identified as Meiji-Dori to show the Japanese pre-eminence over western in Hong Kong. Land was further expanded due to increasing of population. Queen’s Road is now the icon of the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong and has been developed into a famous tourist and a commercialized area for both tourists and locals.

3.0 Contact Points 3.1 Contact of Jalan Stesen 1 & Jalan Besar, South Klang, Malaysia

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Selected Contact Point

Figure 6: Site Plan of South Klang

List of Contact Point: 1. Alleyway Eateries (Open Space) 2. Extended Walkway (Public Realm) 3. 5-foot Walkway 4. Public Transportation

3.1 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong List of Contact Point:

1. Alleyway Stalls 2. Broadwalk 3. Outdoor Walkway 4. Public Transportation

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2

1

4

Selected Contact Point

Figure 4: Site Plan of Queen’s Road Central

4.0 Comparative Analysis 4.1 Contact Point : Quality of Open Space (Alleyway Stalls) When outdoor areas are of high quality, necessary activities take place with approximately the same frequency. Though they clearly tend to take a longer time, because the physical conditions are better. In addition, however, a wide range of optional activities will also occur because place and situation now invite people to stop, sit, eat, play, and so on, (Gehl, 2011, p.14). In Jalan Stesen 1, alleyway is being utilized as spaces for activities such as roadside eateries which are partially hidden from the main road, Jalan Besar. It is observed that the alleyway is being isolated in comparison to the five- foot walkway as there is a gap between the back alley and main road, resulting in minor engagement between the people at the alleyway eateries and the people walking along the road.

For people who pass by at the alleyway eateries near the open car park, this low profiled space create an intimate space for customers to interact with each other or with the vendors. Chance and friend contacts and also necessary, optional and social activity can be observed as people who come alone would like to share tables with other customers while eating at alleyway eateries.

Figure 5: Alleyway eateries in Jalan Stesen 1

Whereas in Queen’s Road Central, the alleyway stalls are located in between two high rise buildings. The similarity between both street are the alleyway stalls were hidden but the stalls in Queen’s Road Central, which are more visually exposed to the main road compared to Klang’s alleyway eateries which are completely hidden from the main road. This can be observed that the alleyway in Queen’s Road Central is more vibrant and intimate due to the presence of activities along the street such as people are buying goods at the stalls, tourists walking around the streets and etc.

Alleyway Stall

Broadwalk

Figure 6: Alleyway stalls in Queen’s Road Central

Hence, the chance contact between people at the alleyway is high because of the variety in activities and human density in the street. Necessary activity such as walking along the street and optional activity such as asking for direction can be observed also. This creates an opportunities for social interaction happens between locals and tourists.

4.2 Contact Point : Building Typology The buildings in Jalan Besar, Jalan Stesen 1 and Queen’s Road Central were built between the 1840s-1920s which stands until now. The similarity between these streets are they were filled with shophouses. Due to the development and great fire of Hong Kong in 1878 in Queen’s Road Central, the street become home to some of Hong Kong’s most expensive land and famous buildings. Many high-rise buildings were built along the street which turns it into a commercial street.

The building typology in Jalan Besar are mostly built in a shophouses concept. They are mostly consist of two floors only which the ground floor is for doing business whereas the first floor is for staying. Compared to modern Queen’s Road Central, most of the building were high-rised and mostly are luxury shopping malls, offices and hotels. This shows a big contrast between both streets where in Jalan Besar it seems like the development is in a slow pace as most shophouses were still in a traditional local businesses whereas in Queen’s Road Central already became a modern street where international branding were bring into the street.

Figure 7: Street Elevation of Jalan Besar

Figure 8: Sketches of old Queen’s Road Central

Figure 9: Modern Queen’s Road Central

The great development of Queen’s Road Central has turn the street into one of the busiest street in Hong Kong. Necessary, optional and social activities such as walking, crossing the road, asking for direction and etc. can be seen clearly same goes to the intensity of contacts. Compared to Jalan Besar and Jalan Stesen 1, the streets are slowly deteriorating due to slow pace of development.

Activities and contacts that can be observed at both streets are much lesser than in Queen’s Road Central.

Figure 10: Street View of Jalan Stesen 1

4.3 Contact Point 3: Street Typology

Five Foot Walkway

Side Parking Side Parking

Five Foot Walkway

Main Road

Figure 11: Perspective Street View of Jalan Besar

Jalan Besar is a wide road which consist of three elements which are the vehicular lane, side parking and the five foot walkway along the shophouses. Jalan Besar is the widest road which connects other street along the micro site. During peak hour, the road will faced a heavy vehicular traffic due to it is the main road where it connects to the junction to exit the micro site. Due to the wide width of Jalan Besar, people tend to walk along the narrow five foot walkway, causing a high pedestrian circulation along the walkway. A high intensity of contact can be observed as the intimacy level along the walkway is high which can be referenced to the proxemics-human spatial bubble by Edward T.Hall.

Diagram 3: Proxemics-human spatial bubble by Edward T.Hall

A linear circulation pattern of pedestrian along the walkway is formed where there is a high chances of contact. With an intimate distance to the shops while walking along the walkway, it creates an opportunity for positive outdoor activities. Thus, increasing in optional activities as pedestrian will be more visually engaged to the shops activities.

Broadwalk

Broadwalk Main Road

Figure 12: Perspective Street View of Queen’s Road Central

Similar to Jalan Besar, the pedestrian circulation of Queen’s Road Central also in a linear manner.

The only differences are the broadwalk and the road is much more wider than in Jalan Besar yet there are no proper side parking along the Queen’s Road Central. As human population is more than in Jalan Besar, the street is much more cramped compared to Jalan Besar. Thus, the intimacy level, optional and activities and chances of contact are much more similar to Jalan Besar as most human activities are similar such as walking, meeting friends on the street and buying goods.

4.4 Contact Point 4: Public Transportation Public transportation is one of the key accessibility of the street which brings in people and eventually, brings life to the street. The importance of an integrated transportation system to city life can be observed in those cities in which transportation has always been on foot. (Gehl, 2011, p.109). Both of the streets has public transportation which is the KTM station and bus stop at Jalan Besar and the bus stop at Queen’s Road Central.

Bus Stop

KTM Station

Figure 13: View to the KTM Station and Improper Bus Stop in Jalan Besar

Bus Stop

Figure 6: View to the Bus Stop in Queen’s Road Central

Both street has a bus stop, however in Jalan Besar, there is no proper bus stand due to the existence of KTM station where majority of the people uses it as a main public transportation to travel to the site. As the bus stand is exposed to hot sun, people usually wait for the bus at the KTM station or opposite shops and hop on the bus when it arrives. In contrast, bus stop at Queen’s Road Central is more complete where a bus shelter is installed to provide protection from the hot sun and safety from the heavy traffic road, the chance of contact is higher at the Queen’s Road Central as people are in a more intimate distant while waiting for the bus to arrive. Passive contacts are most likely to be observed at the public transportation at Jalan Besar as people non-stop travel to other destination.

5.0 Conclusion Throughout the comparative analysis of these contact points, although Queen’s Road Central is more develop such as high-rise commercial buildings than Jalan Besar and Jalan Stesen 1 which only has the old shophouses, both street still served the similar activity patterns. People interact and engage with each other through conducting of activities which can enhance potential contacts among each other.

However, Queen’s Road Central has a higher activity rate compared to Jalan Besar and Jalan Stesen 1 although both has the road and sidewalks. The linear activity links the commercial buildings to the exterior outdoor space which provides a larger radius for passive contact, emotional engagement and interaction between people. The continuity of activity causes human movement, people tend to linger longer and observe carefully while passing by an area, enhancing the opportunities in engagement. Furthermore, the continuity in activity does not forcefully limit the people to interact in a certain proximate space which causes higher intensity contact.

In contrast, as the streets in Klang are mostly consists of vehicles, they are frequently empty with human activities. But there are still a few interesting public realm spaces for people to linger around which creates a cold and distinct environment, unconducive for interaction and engagement with others. In such cities one sees buildings and cars, but few people, if any, because pedestrian traffic is more or less impossible. (Gehl, 2011, p.31). South Klang has become a city where human contact is concentrated in a few popular nodes whereas most streets have become empty which reduces contact between people along the street.

Last but not least, the streets in South Klang and Hong Kong still served in the way that suits its people although there are pros and cons about these streets.

6.0 References 1. Gehl, J., & Koch, J. (2011). Life between buildings: Using public space. London: Island Press.

2. Wiltshire, T. (2003). Old Hong Kong. Hong Kong: FormAsia Books.

3. Klang (city). (2018, November 14). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klang_(city) 4. Lim, Patricia Pui Huen (2002). Discovering Hong Kong's Cultural Heritage: Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Oxford University Press. p. 10.

5. Yanne, Andrew; Heller, Gillis (2009). Signs of a Colonial Era. Hong Kong University Press. p. 9.

6. Citylife HK Street Map. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20090105214028/http://www.citylifehk.com/citylife/eng/history_0607.js p