THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM [ARC 61303]
PROJECT PART 2: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY
NAME: ROSABELLA ZUNTIVAI MOBIJOHN STUDENT ID: 0322106 TUTOR: MR. NICHOLAS NG
CONTENTS
1.0 | Introduction 1.0 Project Introduction
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1.1 Street Case Study Introduction: Wang Fu Jing, Beijing, China
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1.2 Local Case Study Introduction: Jalan Stesen 1, Klang, Malaysia
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2.0 | Comparative Analysis
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2.1 Contact Points
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2.2 Similarities and Dissimilarities
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2.2.1 The Intersection - Entry
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2.2.2 The Overspill - Public Realm
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2.2.3 Religious Built Form
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3.0 | Conclusion
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4.0 | References
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1.0 | PROJECT INTRODUCTION Urban context and streets across the globe varies widely from one another. A city is distinguished by the lives of the people who moves in the spaces between buildings, creating a unique identity of their own. From streetscapes to the people and activities, there are diverse cultures and backgrounds from different parts of the world, asian context is no different. Similarities, however are not rare and are identified through social patterns and behaviours with contact points which forms the density of the population. 
 In this comparative analysis essay, the exploration of two asian street areas in an urban setting, being Wang Fu Jing located in Beijing, China and Jalan Stesen 1 located in Klang, Malaysia, are compared and analysed to identify the similarities and differences of its urban settings.
In relation to the analysis of the urban context, the identification of the contact points of both streets and the comparison of elements such as intensity, social interaction, typologies and activities affecting the human culture are done. Such elements plays a major importance in the formation of a unique yet defined urban character of each street.
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1.1 | STREET CASE STUDY INTRODUCTION: WANG FU JING, BEIJING, CHINA
Figure 1.1 Historical timeline of Wang Fu Jing
Figure 1.2 Beijing street scene in the 1950’s
Figure 1.3 Beijing street scene today in 2019
Located close to Dongcheng District city centre, Wangfujing Street is one of Beijing's most established shopping streets contributing to modern fashion. This 1600 meters long road has been commercially operating for more than 700 years and runs from Changan Avenue in the north to the Chinese National Art Museum in the south. The main area is mostly pedestrianised and commercial activities have taken place in the area since the middle of the Ming Dynasty. Eight aristocratic estates and princess residences were built on this historic Avenue during the Qing Dynasty and soon after a well full of water was discovered, the street was called "Wang Fu" which means "Princess Residence" and "Jing" which means “Well”. Today, there are about 280 shops in Wang Fu Jing. The Beijing Department Store, Beijing Department store and the Oriental Plaza store are part of the Wang Fu Jing mall. The visitor flow averages between 600 thousand to 1.2 million people on daily basis.
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1.2 | LOCAL CASE STUDY INTRODUCTION: JALAN STESEN 1, KLANG, MALAYSIA
Figure 1.4 The morphology of Jalan Stesen 1
Figure 1.5 Klang back in the year 1945
Figure 1.6 Klang today in 2019
The royal town of Klang has been a site of human settlement since prehistoric times, with Bronze Age artefacts found in the vicinity of the town and within the town itself. Klang, rich in history, customs and traditions is known as one of the oldest town in Malaysia. The town began at the southern bank of the Klang River, which has been known in producing tin as early as during the 15th century. Klang was also a former capital of Selangor due to its exposure to multiple historical events that consists of the expansion of land which is recognised internationally. Jalan Stesen 1 is located in North Klang and the street offers a diverse range of architecture styles that complements the mix demographic that Klang is well known for. The street was once occupied by the British during World War I as well as the Japanese during the World War II, and is a home for famed Malaysian dish, Bak Kut Teh, and the first watch repair shop, Wah Sang Brothers. With a few heritage buildings such as the Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery and the Gedung Raja Abdullah, there are multiple landmarks for tourists to explore.
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2.0 | COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Figure 2.1 Quality of physical environment. (Source: Ghel, 2011, p.11)
In Kevin Lynch's "The image of the City," he argued that through the quest and development of mental images of the city, people organise themselves and move through the city. These mental images can be categorised into five elements of legibility, which are paths, nodes, districts, landmarks, and edges (Lynch, 1977). These are the urban elements that plays an important role in the planning dimension of a city. There are three components of the environmental image: identity, structure and purpose. It is important not to hermetically plan these urban elements into precise and final detail, but to present an open-ended order (Lynch, 1977). Hence, Jan Gehl's definition of outdoor space value and outdoor activities fell within the city's planning framework (Gehl, 2011, p. 11). Urban residents should constantly be able to create their own narratives of new activities in the favourable conditions of natural outdoor environments.
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Figure 2.2 Intensity Level of Contact (Source: Ghel, 2011, p.15)
Jan Gehl identified three types of outdoor activities which are: necessary, optional, and social activities that are carried out in a finely interwoven manner, and the activities are intertwined in countless subtle ways if outdoor environment permits (Gehl 2011, p.14). Life between buildings refers to the need for contact, to connect and gather people in public spaces. It should be treated as the departure point for a social activity that a reasonable level of contact will be able to see, hear and touch with one another.
By analysing both Wang Fu Jing in Beijing and Jalan Stesen 1 in Klang with these key points, both streets have similar urban features to pinpoint, both being linear streetscape typologies with sidewalks for pedestrians and a main vehicular route in between buildings. The differences are the patterns of activities influenced by the different cultural backgrounds of both cities, resulting in varying degrees of intensity. The comparative analysis will be looking into how the social activities pattern, urban built form as well as the spatial quality of the public spaces shape the image of both streets.
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2.1 | CONTACT POINTS
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Contact Points of Wang Fu Jing, Beijing, China 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Children’s Store Snack Street In Front of ERKE Store Wang Fu Jing Catholic Church Beijing Department Store Beijing Danyao building
Figure 2.3 Contact Points of Wang Fu Jing, Beijing, China
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1 1 2
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Contact Points of Jalan Stesen 1, Klang, Malaysia 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Klang KTM Station Food Street Intersection Masjid Muslim India Tengku Kelana Klang Seraph Awaken
Figure 2.4 Contact Points of Jalan Stesen 1,Klang, Malaysia
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2.2 | SIMILARITIES AND DISSIMILARITIES 2.2.1 THE INTERSECTION - ENTRY
Figure 2.5 The Entry to Wang Fu Jing Street
Figure 2.6 Contact Points at the Entry Gateway of Wang Fu Jing Snack Street
The entrance to the snack street of Wang Fu Jing is marked with a big gateway leading to the necessary activity to pass through the street. Occasionally, Wang Fu Jing snack street blocks the vehicles out and leaves the street available only to the pedestrian. Locals go through or run their errands while walking quickly to avoid pedestrian traffic in front of the stores, while tourists take their time walking in a slow pace to explore the surrounding street by taking pictures which congests the street making it an attraction for others. The highly populated density at the entrance creates a greater pattern of interaction as people walk down the street while shopping and chatting together, providing businesses to take place with the chance of contact between and buyers and owners. The gateway marks the starting point and edge of the shopping street causing users to stop and be conscious of their surroundings. With the change in width after the intersection, diverse human interactions are created as they are attracted to the surroundings, which vary in the degree of contact.
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Figure 2.7 The Intersection of Jalan Besar and Jalan Stesen 1
Figure 2.8 The contact points at the intersection of Jalan Besar and Jalan Stesen 1
The intersection with Jalan Besar marks the entry point of Jalan Stesen 1. The pedestrians that stops or pauses creates a high contact of intensity which redirect and diverts the pedestrians to their destination, resulting in the pathway being part of necessary activities for the people to move around the area in their everyday routine. Due to the lack of signage, tourists tend to stop at the intersection to ask for direction therefore intensifying the level of contact. The existing community has a high contact intensity as they run businesses that establish a connection in maintaining acquaintance relationship with their neighbouring environment. Similar to Wang Fu Jing street, visitors tend to walk and observe their surrounding in a slower pace movement compared to the locals that runs their errands while walking in a faster pace to their destination.
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Figure 2.9 Contact Points at Jalan Stesen 1 Intersection. Slow movement of pedestrian intensifies contact along the narrow sidewalk.
Figure 2.10 Contact Points at the Entry Gateway of Wang Fu Jing Snack Street. The gateway presents the edge effect due to high contact intensity.
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2.2.2 THE OVERSPILL - PUBLIC REALM
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Figure 2.11 The Food Street at Jalan Stesen 1
Figure 2.12 Contact points along five foot walkway
Both streets have quite similar elements of overspill activities. However, the spaces are different in terms of the quality of space and the activity frequency and intensity. Jalan Stesen 1 is lined with rows of traditional shophouses on both side with a five feet walkway that links them together forming the frontage of shop houses that function as a circulation space for people. The ownership of the five feet walkway can be determined where the owners of the shops expand and occupy the path. The moving pattern weaves across the room, thereby omitting the linear motion on the walkway which creates a variety of contacts. The over-spill activities offers the opportunity for visual and auditory contacts to be experienced. When people are all crowded in these open spaces, it invites others to come and join in as well (Gehl, 2011, p.23). Additional seats invites people to sit while the interaction between customers and the shop owners attracts people. Food stores are created, creating casual, open areas that attract people and promote human interaction within the small alley which functions as an open area. People prefer to go through with the vibrant and lively environment of the alley. Activities on the walkway facilitate different contacts, creating a transition from walking through to getting in touch or even establishing a close relationship.
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Figure 2.13 Outside Beijing Department Store
Figure 2.14 Contact Points Outside Beijing Department Store
Unlike Jalan Stesen 1, the area outside the Beijing Department Store is not a traditional shophouse. The frontage of the shop is inconsistent with different types of overhangs and different approaches of shop entrances, where people do not tend to crowd at large overhang that shelter them from the weather unless it rains. The presence of stalls leads to privatisation at the front of the shop where owners extend their business to the centre of the walkway displaying their products or setting up secondary seats for their store. By so, this creates a narrower street where people interact, creating opportunities for meeting and starting new conversations. Therefore, the frequency of contact rises gradually to close friendships.
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Figure 2.15 Contact Point at Jalan Stesen 1. Privatisation of walkway can be identified and it invites and attracts people to come and join in the over-spill activities.
Figure 2.16 Contact Point Outside Beijing Department Store. Activities happening at the Shop frontage attracts people and overhangs helps intensify contacts amongst the crowd.
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2.2.3 RELIGIOUS BUILT FORM
Figure 2.17 Wang Fu Jing Catholic Church
Figure 2.18 Masjid Muslim India Klang
The historical landmarks of both streets posses a significant local character and a religious landmark that made up the initial morphology of the street. Wang Fu Jing catholic church, located at the Dongcheng District, is an early 20th-century Romanesque church with hints of Chinese architectural features such as detailed ornamentation and double height volume ceilings in its interiors which allows the user to feel more grounded. The church’s historical attractions attracts tourists to visit through the means of religious activities. Local church goers are able to attract tourists to visit the temple as their religious activities can act as attractions too. When locals and tourists have a similar interest about the cultural and historical context of the temple, they could engage with a brief conversations. The optional activities in Wang Fu Jing street have inspired to develop connections by merely a short exchange of words, or a brief discussions with the locals about the historical background of the church.
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Figure 2.19 Section and Intensity Analysis of Wang Fu Jing Catholic Church
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Figure 2.20 Ornaments of Masjid Muslim India Klang
Similarly, the Masjid Muslim India Tengku Kelana mosque exudes extravagance with its prominent minarets pointing towards the skies and the detailed plaster motifs that cover the walls of the mosque. In the inside, a giant staircase leads to the prayer halls that allow the user of the mosque to feel as if they are ascending to what we call “heaven”. Jan Gehl points to the fact that scale and proportion are the key to good contact, therefore the two prominent religious landmarks are making their stand and showing their importance through larger volume spaces.
Figure 2.21 Skyline of Masjid Muslim India Klang Showing Scale and Proportion to Klang
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3.0 | CONCLUSION
To conclude, both streets, Wang Fu Jing and Jalan Stesen 1 are evolutions of history that have brought to present times. Wang Fu Jing was once home to eight aristocratic estates and princess residences, now a well known place for food and shopping whilst Jalan Stesen 1 was once an administration for the British, now a town centre dominated by the mix of religions and cultures. Both streets, in many ways complements each other, as they have similar as well as dissimilarities of urban elements. The areas analysed shows that the functions and activities can be found in both streets with subjective implementation. The streets were designed to cater for the tourism industry while at the same time allowing the locals and foreigners to communicate with each other. I have learned that people constitute the dynamic and ruling factor of a site where an architecture and its purpose reflects the needs and desires of people. We must, as future architects, be mindful of the community and of what is needed and make full use of its potential. As Jan Gehl quotes,“A good city is like a good party, people stay longer than really necessary, because they are enjoying themselves”.
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4.0 | REFERENCES
BOOKS Gehl, J. (2011). Life between buildings: using public space. Washington, DC: Island Press. Lynch, K. (1960). The Image of the City. London: MIT Press. Rattenbury, K., & Hardingham, S. (2007). Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown: Learning from Las Vegas. Abingdon: Routledge. WEBSITES Rodney. (2018, May 15). The Essential Guide to Wangfujing Street Beijing. Retrieved from https://welcometochina.com.au/wangfujing-st-beijing-287.html. Making Cities for People. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://gehlpeople.com/
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