Comparative Analysis Essay

School of Architecture, Building and Design Theories of Architecture and Urbanism (ARC61303) PROJECT 2: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY 19th Street, Yangon & Jalan Sulaiman, Kajang

Name: Khoo Chee Keat Student ID: 0327433 Tutor: Mr. Nicholas

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Content List 1.0 Introduction 1.1Introduction to Project 1.2Introduction to 19th street, Yangon 1.3Introduction to Jalan Sulaiman, Kajang 2.0 Comparison Between Contact Points of 19th street & Jalan Sulaiman 2.1 Pattern of Social Activities 2.2 Types of Contact Point 2.3 Varying Intensity of Contact Point 2.4 Built Environment of Contact Point 3.0 Conclusion 4.0 References

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1.0

Introduction 1.1

Introduction to Project

After competed the first project “Case Study on Asian Street that our group are given 19th Street, Yangon in Myanmar”.

We are given an assignment which is the extension from project 1, the task of this project is we are required to compare the contact points that we found along the street of the Kajang site we chosen in Studio IV with the contact points that we study in the previous projects.

In the book “Life Between Buildings Using Public Spaces” written by a Jan Gehl mentioned that – Life Between buildings is discussed here because the extent and character of outdoor activities are greatly influenced by physical planning. Just as it is possible through choice of material and colors to create a certain palette in a city, it is equally possible through planning decision to influence patterns of activities, to create better or worse condition for outdoor events, and to create lively or lifeless cities. (Jan Gehl, 2011, pg31) The meaning the quote is trying to tell us that a good urban planning can affects the quality of outdoor activities which influences the patterns of activities and affects the condition and lifestyle of the cities indirectly. In the book “Life Between Buildings Using Public Spaces”, Jan Gehl have mentioned about three type of outdoor activities which are necessary activity, optional activity and social activity. There are many factors that affect the experience and quality of these activities. In this analysis essay, by comparing the similarities and dissimilarity of social patterns, contact intensity and built environment of every contact point of Bandar Kajang and 19th Street to understand how does the social pattern and built environment affects the contact intensity in the condition of two sites have a similar building grid and climate.

In the conclusion of the analysis essay, there will be carried out how does these factors helps in improving the quality of the outdoor activities by considering the user experience of the spaces.

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1.2

19th Street Yangon

19th Street is a well-known street as barbecue street, a home to restaurants that serve Myanmar Chinese style skewers. Located between Mahabandoola Road and Anwreatha Street. 19th street is a normal street market during daytime but it comes alive and busy during night time.

19th Street of Yangon are design based around the waterfront characterized nineteenth Figure 1.1 Daytime Activity in century cityscapes and the important municipal buildings dominated the waterfront. This 19th Street urban design was framed by the memorandum about urban planning submitted by Dr. Montgomerie that came to Yangon in 1852 as part of the second Anglo-Burmese war effort.

Historical Timeline of 19th Street Figure 1.2 Nighttime Activity in 19th Street

1850 It was formally established by the British colonials after Anglo-Burmese wars bringing in Chinese immigrant.

1855 Completion of the new gridded design for the city forming a trading industry.

1980 Yunnanese Chinese moved to downtown Yangon forming a Yunnanese, Hokkien, Cantonese community.

Present 19th Street became a famous tourist spot that tourist and locals like to go.

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No. 1.

2.

4.

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Contact Pattern of Social Activities Point Kosan Necessary: Eating, Drinking th 19 St. Snack & Optional: Attracted by local food stalls Bars Social: Tourists having conservation with locals.

Aeon Orange

Guanyin Temple

Kheng hock Keong

Bus Stop

Types of Human intensity Contact Point Food Nodes Moderate - High Passive contact to Friend contact

Quality of Built Environment

Necessary: Shopping, Working

Junction of the Moderate - High Road Passive contact Optional: Food attract passers-by to linger and have to Close Friend snacks or meals Contact Social: Interaction amongst the vendors and the customers.

Necessary: devotees participate in religious events Cultural Contact Point Optional: Tourists taking photos, buying religious paraphernalia.

Moderate - High Passive contact to Close Friend Contact

Social: Customers and vendors haggling over prices Necessary: Worshippers do their necessities prayer.

Cultural & Moderate - High Heritage Passive contact Optional: Locals and tourists celebrate major festivals Contact Point to Close Friend and events.

Contact Social: Senior citizens chitchatting and playing chess Necessary: Waiting bus, passing Food Market Street at Public Moderate - High Strand Road.

Transportation Passive contact & Public to Friends contact Optional: Attracted by food stalls.

Realm Social: Interaction between bus users while waiting for bus

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Figure 1.3 Location of Contact Point in 19th Street, Yangon

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1.2

Bandar Kajang, Kajang

Bandar Kajang is the earliest town in Kajang, which it still remains a lot of old building since 1960s. Prior to the 21st century presence of open spaces gave the locals a platform for social gatherings and interaction, one such public space was the plot where now stands the Metro Kajang. The coexistence of pedestrian and nonmotorized vehicles allowed social interaction between the individuals travelling across the narrow streets There was higher permeability between the activities that took place inside and outside the shophouses due to the slow pace of travelling fostering the sense of community.

Figure 1.4 Bandar Kajang in the past

For present, the wide spread usage of the motor vehicles replaced the domain of the pedestrians, further reducing the chances for optional activities in Kajang. With the settlements denser and more organized, the rift in the community due to the zoning has intensified.

Figure 1.5 Bandar Kajang in present

1820s 'Kajang' means shelter in the Temuan term for palm leaves, which was used to construct shelter.

1870s-1890s Mendalings from Sumatra practiced cultivating plantations and founded the urban settlement of Kajang. First tin mine in Kajang was opened.

1960s Chinese migrants moved into Kajang as labourers and traders. Rubber plantation was successful and the shift in economy brought profound implications for Chinese households and community.

Present KL and PJ began overpopulating and housing spillover occurred hence new contemporary businesses surfaced which caused traditional businesses to fade.

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– No.

Contact Point

Pattern of Social Activities

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KFC Kajang

Necessary: Eating, Drinking Optional: Hide from hot climate

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Metro Kajang

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Shen Sze She Yar Temple

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Junction road of Jalan Tun Abdul Aziz & Jalan Reko

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Bus Stop

Types of Human Quality of Contact Point intensity Environment Food Nodes Low - High Passive contact to Friend contact

Built

Social: Tourist asking direction or the senior citizen chitchatting Necessary: Shopping, Working City scale Low - High landmark Passive Optional: Air-conditioned indoor space attracts people contact to to cool down inside Close Friend Contact Social: Interaction between vendors and the pedestrian pass by.

Necessary: devotees participate in religious events Cultural Low - High Contact Point Passive Optional: Tourists taking photos. contact to Friend Contact Social: Tourist asking the uncle inside the temple about the history of the temple.

Necessary: To get in or leave the oldtown area Junction of the Low - Moderate road Passive Optional: Tourists taking photo of the oldtown of Kajang contact to Close Friend Social: Tourist asking direction or the senior citizen Contact chitchatting Necessary: Waiting bus, passing Food Market Street at Public Moderate Strand Road.

Transportation High Passive & Public Realm contact to Optional: Attracted by food stalls.

Friends contact Social: Interaction between bus users while waiting for bus

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Figure 1.6 Location of Contact Point in Bandar Kajang, Kajang

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2.0 Comparison Between Contact Points of 19th street & Jalan Sulaiman In the book “Life Between Buildings Using Public Spaces”, Jan Gehl studied about the relationship of public life and space with the outdoor activities that he categorized into three kinds of activities which are necessary, optional and social activities. Jan Gehl mentioned that “When outdoor areas are of poor quality, only strictly necessary activities occur. 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. In addition, a wide range of optional activities will also occur.” In the analysis of comparing the similarities and dissimilarities of social patterns, types of contact point, varying intensity of contact point and built environment of 19th Street and Bandar Kajang, I am trying to study how the theories of “Life Between Buildings Using Public Spaces” are applied and how does it affects the quality and amount of outdoor activity through these four aspects.

Quality of the physical Environment Poor Good Necessary Activities

Optional Activities

Social Activities

Figure 2.1 Table representing of the relationship between the quality of outdoor spaces and the rate of occurrence of outdoor activities When the quality of outdoor areas is good, optional activities will be increasing, as increasing of optional activities, social activities will usually increase substantially.

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2.1 Patterns of Social Activities In Jan Gehl’s “Life Between Buildings Using Public Spaces”, he identified the interaction patterns through different level of contact intensity, to represent different forms of interaction. In Jan Gehl’s perspective, social activities can be a modest way- see and hear contacts.

High Intensity

Close Friendship Friends

Acquaintances Chance Contact Low Intensity

Passive Contact

Figure 2.2 Different types of Interaction Patterns in order of interaction intensity

(“see” and “hear” contact)

Looking at the social patterns of Bandar Kajang and 19th Street, both streets have a similar kind of urban planning that both sites have an organized and geometric town arrangement. However, the differences between the culture of the two cities lead to different activity patterns that creating different interaction and form their contact points. The culture and the social life of 19th Street encourage people to walk out and look around by creating some car-restricted period in which the street become pedestrian friendly. Conversely, Bandar Kajang has an issue of traffic congestion that the vehicle is the main user of the road, this will cause discouragement of the pedestrian to walk. By studying the contact points of both sites, we can find that there are some similarity and difference in social patterns.

Figure 2.3 The pedestrian friendly road culture in 19th Street

Figure 2.4 The vehicle friendly road culture in Bandar Kajang

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Similarly, both sites have its own cultural or heritage spot such as the Guanyin temple and Kheng Hock Keong temple in 19th Street and the Shen Sze She Yar temple in Bandar Kajang which these cultural nodes can attract tourist to visit and take a photo which this achieve the first prerequisites of contact- meeting that mention by Jan Gehl. In addition, the busy of pedestrian traffic in 19th Street is similar to the busy of vehicle traffic of Bandar Kajang which cause a pedestrian to walk slowly and create a chance of seeing and hearing to the surrounding. The same contact point- bus stop of two sites also have the same condition that users of the bus will have modest interaction- seeing and hearing the surrounding when they are waiting for the bus.

Figure 2.5 Cultural nodes, Shen Sze She Yar temple, Bandar Kajang that attract locals and tourist to visit.

On the contrary, the high-intensity interaction pattern of the two sites are different. In 19th Street, the main interaction is based on the greeting of the vendors to the customers which this kind of culture helps the vendors become more active participation of social activities, therefore, it is a kind of healthy development for social activities. Conversely, the culture of Bandar Kajang created close friend interaction that they have own social distance within their social groups that they will not try to interact or communicate with other people. In this case, the boundaries between isolation and contact become sharper – people are either alone or else with others on a relatively demanding and exacting level. This will weaken the passive contact of the social activities of Bandar Kajang in future.

Figure 2.6 The social activities at Guanyin Gu Miao temple, 19th Street. Social distance between pedestrian are small which encourage more interaction.

Figure 2.7 The social activities at KFC Kajang that shown the outdoor space is big enough that allow user are keeping social distance from strangers that discourage chance contact.

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By comparing the social patterns of Bandar Kajang and 19th street, although the condition of Bandar Kajang and 19th Street are similar, the culture of two sites create a difference of interaction pattern that 19th street has more healthy growth that the intensity of all patterns of social activities is improving. On the other hand, the culture of Bandar Kajang does not provide a healthy environment for the development of various patterns of social activities. The reason that Jan Gehl studying and exploring the patterns of social activities is because he thinks that – people and human activity are the greatest objects of attention and interest. Even the modest form of contact of merely seeing and hearing or being near to others is apparently more rewarding and more in demand than the majority of other attraction offered in the public spaces of cities and residential areas. Therefore, development and consideration of all types of social contact are important for the growth of cities.

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2.2 Types of Contact Point Types of Contact can define as the main function of the contact spaces which encourage social activities. Types of Contact Point is also one of the important factors that affect the quality of social activities, different types of contact point will aid others contact point to attract more outsiders to visit to enjoy the difference between contact point. Conversely, a similar type of contact point will become a hindrance or threat of development of every contact point that it creates a lifeless and monotonous town image. Formulation of contact point can be different types such as an open space is a type of contact point because it functions as a gathering space that attracts people come and have some recreational activities as Jan Gehl stated that social activities are related to both necessary, functional activities and optional, recreational activities. In addition, cultural nodes or food nodes are types of contact point because they can attract tourist and locals to visit and creates the chance and possibility for the interaction between them.

By studying the contact point of Bandar Kajang and 19th Street, we can find that both sites have some similar contact point such as the cultural nodes such as Guanyin temple and Kheng Hock Keong temple in 19th Street and the Shen Sze She Yar temple in Bandar Kajang which the cultural attraction creates the possibility for outsiders to visit. In addition, these cultural attractions have some aid that enhancing the people coming to the contact points, they have some food stalls or vendors nearby. As in result, visitors will be walking around and increasing the human flows of the contact point which will increase social activities subsequently. Besides that, both of the sites have the same type of contact point which is the bus stop which people are necessary to go and waiting for the bus. The necessary activity is an aid for creating modest contact – see and hear between people.

Figure 2.8 The vendors setting stalls at cultural contact point, Guanyin Gu Miao temple, 19th Street

Figure 2.9 The cendol stalls near to Shen Sze She Yar temple, Bandar Kajang

Figure 2.10 The user for bus-stop, Bandar Kajang having passive contact between each other’s

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However, food nodes such as Kosan 19 St. Snacks & Bars in Kosan are not found in Bandar Kajang which the representative foods for Kajang are not located at the studied street. Food nodes is a good type of contact point because it usually creates the sense of place for the city or town which it will attract tourist and locals to have a meal and experience the atmosphere of the town.

Through the studying types of contact point for Bandar Kajang and 19th Street, we can find out that places with more variety of types of contact point have a better growth for the social activities while Bandar Kajang have lesser variety of contact which will create a monotonous town image that people will boring and social activities will decrease.

Figure 2.11 Kosan 19 St. Snacks & Bar is one of the famous shops in 19th street.

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2.3 Varying Intensity of Contact Point In Jan Gehl’s “Life Between Buildings Using Public Spaces� he discussed the concept of varying degrees of contact intensity. In figure 2.2, we can see that the low intensity located at the bottom of the scale. Compared with the other contact forms, these contacts appear insignificant, yet they are valuable both as independent contact forms and as prerequisites for others, more complex interactions. In Jan Gehl perspective, he thinks that the modest level contact- being able to meet, see and hear others create the possibility to start for contact at other level and it is the source of information about the social world outside and inspiration of stimulating experience. Jan Gehl thinks that the lowest intensity contact- Passive contact is the basis of all others more complex interaction which people have to meet, see and hear before entering to next level of contact.

By comparing the contact point of Bandar Kajang and 19th Street, the contact intensity of the cultural contact point covered from low-intensity contact which is the passive contact the pedestrian walking and observing the atmosphere of the town to the close friends contact such as families pray during events. The bus stop has the passive contact of seeing and hear the contact, acquaintances and friends contact that meeting with friends or local vendors. In the same way, the cultural contact point-Shen Sze She Yar Temple and the bus stop of Bandar Kajang have the various degree of contact intensity.

Figure 2.12 The complex contact happens in bus stop, Bandar Kajang.

Figure 2.13 The different intensity of contact in 19th Street .

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However, in the similar case of that both sites have a junction as its potential contact point, but the contact point of 19th Street is more successful compared to the junction road of Jalan Tun Abdul Aziz & Jalan Reko that junction of 19th Street is car-restricted period during the night time which encourages pedestrian to walk around and the junction of the road operated wisely that the vendors set up the stalls to attract pedestrian to visit and the social activities are done in various intensity degree. On the other hand, the traffic congestion of Bandar Kajang creates the difficulty of the pedestrian to passes the road thus the junction of the road in Bandar Kajang will not be as strong and effective as the junction of 19th Street. The pedestrian using the junction of the road in Kajang are usually doing the lowest intensity and passive contact of social activity which is the see and hear contact.

Figure 2.14 The difficulty of crossing the road discourage higher intensity of contact at junction of the road of Kajang.

Figure 2.15 The complex contact happen between vendors and pedestrian at 19th Street.

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2.4 Built Environment of Contact Point In the book “Life Between Building Using Public Space”, Jan Gehl also concerned about the relationship between built environment of outdoor spaces and the social activities. The built environment can be defined as the human-made surroundings that provide the setting for the activity.

Through the study of contacts point of Bandar Kajang and 19th Street, we can find that the public realm- bus stop of two sites and the cultural nodes - Guanyin temple and Kheng Hock Keong temple in 19th Street and the Shen Sze She Yar temple in Bandar Kajang and even the food nodes – Kosan 19th St. Snacks & Bars in 19th Street have an open storefront that will give a welcoming feeling. As Jan Gehl said, “Being to see what is going on is an element of invitation.” (Gehl, 2011, pg113) An opening storefront will attract pedestrian to feel interested to visit.

Figure 2.16 The opening storefront of Kosan 19 St. Snacks & Bar that gives welcoming impression for pedestrian.

Figure 2.17 The open courtyard of Kheng Hock Keong temple that attracts pedestrian to rest and create chance to interact.

However, the landmark of Bandar Kajang and 19th Street are on a different scale. Although the gigantic scale or automobile city scale of Metro Kajang provides easy-finding characters to the landmark that attract people to meet but in Jan Gehl’s “Life Between Building Using Public Space”, he mention that - Building projects with large spaces wide streets, and tall buildings often to be cold and impersonal (Gehl, 2011, pg69). And conversely the pedestrian city scale landmark of 19th Street – Guanyin Gu Miao are comparably perceived as intimate, warm and personal. In 19th Street. In addition, Kosan 19th St. Snacks & Bar provides primary seating whereas the street lack seating. Thus, more people are attracted to stay at the place. The longer the outdoor stays in an area last, the greater are the chance that friends and

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neighbors meet and talk. (Gehl, 2011, pg168). When people gather to the place, the higher frequency of social activities is carried out. “People attract to other people.� (Jan Gehl,2011, p23). Therefore, more people will be gathered to the space that has many people. In the other hand,

Figure 2.18 The automobile city scale of Metro Kajang, Bandar Kajang compared to building nearby that creating and cold and impersonal feeling to pedestrian.

Figure 2.19 The friendly pedestrian city scale of Guanyin Gu Miao temple that allows people to experience the space and building.

most of the contact point in Kajang does not extend or developed their outdoor space except there are some vendors setting up stalls along the pedestrian path of Metro Kajang that encourage interaction between pedestrian and vendors. In addition, because of the main user of the road in Kajang are the automobiles, therefore the width of the road is bigger that can fit 3 to 4 cars in a row, this provides a convenient to the automobile user but it creates a hindrance between the shop lots to the opposite side that the road is not pedestrian friendly to encourage pedestrian to walk across it. The broadness of the road also creates a difficulty for the shadow cast by buildings to covered the road. Conversely, the road in 19th Street are smaller that does not encourage vehicles to pass by, therefore pedestrians have a better walking atmosphere and more social activities will happen. The narrow of the road also gives ease for the surrounding buildings to cast a shading for the road, therefore the extension of the store might not need shading for it.

In conclusion, the setting of the town is one of the important factors that affect the frequency of outdoor social activity. The openness of the storefront and the pedestrian-friendly of the road in 19th Street provides an ample shaded road that can prevent the pedestrian from exposure from sunlight, resulting in a higher quality of space compared to the streets in Kajang that expose to climatic elements and the vehicular friendly road. Hence the frequency of optional and social activities in 19th Street is higher that will form a higher intensity of chance contact.

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3.0 Conclusion In conclusion, both sites- Bandar Kajang and 19th Street, have applied the ideas of encouraging human outdoor activities through aspects of patterns of social activities, types of the contact point, varying degrees of contact points and the built environment. Through the analysis of the contact points of two sites, both sites have similar types of contact point that have a similar function for the spaces and the intensity degree of the contact points are similar for both sites.

However, the differences in the social pattern and culture cause a difference in the quality of the contact points.19th Street is a street marking during daytime and it is famous as it is also known as barbeque street that it has many food stalls during the nighttime, which the richness of the food stalls encourage the outdoor activities thus the tendency of pedestrians to have outdoor activities are higher. In the other hand, they emphasize the vehicular traffic flows for Bandar Kajang forms a hindrance for the social activities that people can not enjoy the outdoor atmosphere of the contact point. The enclosure of the contact points in 19th Street casting shadow for the pedestrian walking on the road while the broadness of the road in Bandar Kajang does not allow the shadow cast by the building to covered the road. In addition, the scale of the contact point also plays an important role in the influencing that Jan Gehl suggested the sympathy to human scale and scope of sense. The scale of the contact point will affect the relationship between the built form and pedestrian that friendly scale can encourage passive contact among one to another through seeing and hearing to other people.

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4.0 References 1.

Gehl. J.(2011).Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space. Washington, DC: Island Press

2.

How to Write a Comparative Analysis. (2019). Retrieved from https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/how-writecomparative-analysis?fbclid=IwAR1cga3yrAqjI03lpvKhQPu007r_e4tNEvtv7Z8-30cW8jw7bWTzvRcIDc0

3.

Suryadinata, L. (1997). Ethnic Chinese as Southeast Asians. New York: St. Martins Press.

4.

Yi-Sein, C. (1966). The Chinese in Rangoon during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Artibus Asiae. Supplementum,23, 107. doi:10.2307/1522640

5.

The Exciting 19th Street, Chinatown, Yangon. (2018, January 26). Retrieved from https://yangondaytours.com/exciting-19th-street-chinatown-yangon/

6.

Grafilo, J. (2018, August 29). The rhythm of the night in the 19th Street. Retrieved from https://www.mmtimes.com/news/rhythm-night-19th-street.html

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