Theories Comparative essay

1. [ARC 61303]
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
Project 2: Comparative Analysis Essay
Lee Yih
0318340
Tutor: Mr Prince

2. CONTENT
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Introduction of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
1.2 Introduction of Quiapo Street
1.3 Methods of comparison
2.0 Contact Points Analysis
2.1 Analysis on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
2.2 Analysis on Quiapo Street
3.0 Conclusion
4.0 Reference

3. INTRODUCTION
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Jalan TAR) lies north of the Kuala Lumpur city centre in
Malaysia. It was initially named as Batu Road as it began as a track leading to Batu Village,
connecting limestone caves and tin mines. Renamed as its current name, it was one of the longest
roads with retail units set up in pre-war area, consisting mainly of 3-storey Art Deco shophouses
that remain until today. To control heavy traffic, Jalan TAR was made into one-way road with
distance facades preserved and readapted to accommodate modern retailing business. As the
modern shopping complexes took over this 'grande dame' of KL shopping in the older days by
storm, it is now known as a colourful shopping district dominated by textile business.
Figure 1.1 Historical changes along Jalan TAR.
Figure 1.2 Historical changes of Jalan TAR in relation to the surrounding areas.

4. Quiapo Street is located in Manila, a financial, publishing and business centre, the capital
of Philippines. Being the central location of the nation’s battles for independence, it shows the
signs of foreign influence in the widespread Roman Catholicism. Quiapo Street has more than 300
years of imperial conquest manifested in Islamic and Spanish architecture, with a few mosques
and numerous Catholic churches dotting the district. Religious life and faith in merchandise
converge on Quaipo’s inner streets. The incessant foot traffic is also an opportunity to purchase
lower-priced goods from all types of business run by Filipino-Chinese community. However, with
the construction of the Manila Light Rail Transit System spanning over Rizal avenue, the occlusion
of light, the trapping of smog and vehicle emissions left the streets beneath dark, gloomy and with
an increase in crime and transient.
Figure 1.3 Photos showing changes at Quiapo Street from 1700 - 2010
Figure 1.4 Different types of social contact points.

5. This comparative analysis essay is comparing occurring frequency of the five different
contact points as mentioned in Jan Gehl’s ‘Life Between Buildings’ in Jalan TAR and Quiapo
Street. The three different types of outdoor activities: necessary activities, optional activities, social
activities are analysed in supporting the identification of contact points. By analysing the occurring
frequency, it determines the contact intensity of both streets whether its outdoor quality provides
contact intensity at an intimate scale or a distancing scale among visitors and the community,
which then justify which street is more suitable for living or encourage longer lingering time.
Figure 1.5 Different types of social contact points.
Figure 1.6 Different types of outdoor activities.

6. ANALYSIS
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Passive contact points oftenly take place along Jalan TAR by allowing visitors to be
among others, participating the social life in a modest way. Such contact points are stimulated
through the presence of primary and secondary seatings. As shown in picture below, a group of
visitors are sitting on benches aligned along sidewalk of Jalan TAR, facing the side walk and
shopfronts (social activity 1). While waiting for their family purchasing textiles (necessary activity
1), these visitors filled their time up watching people entering and leaving the shops, passerby
taking strolls along the sidewalk (optional activity). A direct relationship is created between visitors
sitting on benches with their surrounding social environments.
As people are attracted to other people, visitors tend to be around with others even though
they might not know each other at all. Hence explained multiple passive contacts created along
Jalan TAR especially storefronts of textile businesses and benches are placed facing each other,
flanked on both sides of the pedestrian sidewalks.
optional activity 1
necessary activity 1
Figure 2.1 Picture taken at pedestrian sidewalk next to Jalan TAR.

7. Designated to be a pedestrian-friendly shopping district, one-way traffic flow along Jalan
TAR and well-paved pedestrian sidewalks laid on both sides of the road has ensured positive
quality of outdoor spaces. Hence at a medium frequency, close friends favour spending outdoor
time here follow by the outdoor quality improvement done at Jalan TAR. As shown in following
picture, the sidewalk outside Sogo Shopping mall, both cement-paved sidewalks are well shaded
by street trees along with shrubs planted as sound barrier and as privacy screen from the main
road. Such quality of outdoor spaces function as a meeting place and public living room for its
community, encouraging a group of close friends to hang out (social activity 1). As a result, stalls
are flanked on the sideways of this activity centre, grabbing attention of these groups of friends
(optional activity 1).
Figure 2.2 Picture taken in front of Sogo Shopping Mall, next to Jalan TAR.
optional activity 1
social activity 1
Figure 2.3 Picture taken in front of Sogo Shopping Mall, next to Jalan TAR.

8. Conversely, opportunity for the occurrence of acquaintance contact points are at its
lowest frequency level along Jalan TAR as a result of being a textile shopping district. Dominated
by textile businesses, the area turn crowded each year during Muslims’ Hari Raya Aidilfitri and
Deepavali celebrated by Hindus. Due to this seasonal necessary activity, frequent meetings are
less maintained causing it hard to stay in touch among visitors and the shophouse owners
(necessary activity 1). Contact intensity is remained at its minimum as a result of lacking
opportunity in maintaining the already established contacts, as visitors in Jalan TAR are mainly
transient community who live outside of Jalan TAR. Insufficiency of permanent necessary activities
is the cause of low possibility in meeting people with daily comings and goings.
Figure 2.4 Picture taken at a street of market stalls along Jalan TAR.
optional activity 1
necessary activity 2

9. ANALYSIS
Quiapo Street, Manila, Philipines
Along the chaos and congested Quiapo street, people from all walks of life concentrating at
the markets add to its hustle and bustle lifestyle. The occurring frequency of a chance contact is
the highest in Quiapo Street especially at Plaza Miranda. As a centre for fortune-telling, with
markets and street vendors as its main attraction, bargains between stall vendors and customers
are a possible starting point for contact at its modest level (necessary activity 1). Wandering
around the closely packed stalls that were randomly positioned at the Plaza, conversations are
easier to be started at this intimate scale (social activity 1). As mentioned by Gehl, experiencing
people who speak and move about offers a wealth of sensual variation, hence turning Quiapo
Street into a living city rich in experiences, or in another words, stimulation for social activities.
necessary activity 1
social activity 1
Figure 2.5 Google street view taken at Plaza Miranda showing the local market.
Figure 2.6 Diagram showing chance contact between stall vendor and customer.

10. At a medium frequency, chances of meeting neighbours and parishioners from the same
community offers opportunity in establishing acquaintanceship in a comfortable and
undemanding gesture. As shown in picture below, congregants greet each other as they meet
regularly on a Sunday while attending church services at Quiapo Church (social activity 1). With
such frequent meeting in connection with their religious activities, chances of recognising and
acknowledging between congregants and stall vendors that are located right in front of church are
created.
optional activity 1
social activity 1
Figure 2.7 Google street view taken in front of Quiapo Church.
Figure 2.8 Diagram showing acquaintance contact among parishioners of Quiapo Church.

11. Relatively, contact points for friends are occurring at its lowest frequency along Quiapo
Street hence resulting in less opportunity for maintaining already established friendship contacts,
as shown in the following example taken at Plaza Lacson, a historical public square built during
pre-World War II. Designed to be a gathering space for the community, this outdoor space is large
and impersonal, surrounded by tall buildings and busy traffic resulting in an unpleasant and
pedestrian-unfriendly approach to the plaza. Predominantly, a public square is not suitable for
gathering in a tropical country like Philippines due to hot and humid weather, but rather commonly
found in temperate countries. Being directly exposed under sunlight by not receiving any shades,
incremental steps (secondary seatings) are built in the middle, centralised with a statue, most
pedestrian are found walking pass this public square without stopping by as this outdoor space is
uninviting to use (optional activity 1). As a result, friends tend to avoid considering this outdoor
space as hang out spot as its uncomfortable to spend expensive amount of time there. Only during
exception such as a cloudy day, pedestrian that walked past this square unintentionally would
spend some time to sit at the steps to enjoy this outdoor environment.
optional activity 1
Figure 2.9 Google street view taken at Plaza Lacson.
Figure 2.10 Diagram showing contact point for friends.

12. CONCLUSION
Evidently, passive contacts are commonly found along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Jalan
TAR) in Kuala Lumpur, with minimum presence of contact points for acquaintanceship hence
resulting in a lower contact intensity among the transient community generally. The street is
renovated, completed with facilities in easing pedestrian yet outdoor activities involving the local
community is found in between the buildings is at its modest level. Being commercially-oriented,
profit earns for the textile business is given highest priority. Scarce in stimulation for higher contact
intensity, a great distance is drew between the owners of textile shop and their customers, or
among this transient community. Hence, people tend not to linger around this street as outdoor
space along this street is unenjoyable except for the purpose of purchasing textile. Also, a vast
difference without the presence of transitional form between being alone and being accompanied is
found. The grey zone between both is blurred hence individual visitor tends to only be a passive
observer rather than actually being involved in social activities. The functions provided in the
shophouses became attractions for crowds during seasonal festival instead of its outdoor
environment.
Oppositely, Quiapo Street in Manila provides a sense of intimacy and friendliness that
encourage people to linger longer around the street. Market stalls placed unorganisedly along the
street encourages high occurrence of chance contacts among the local community by prompting
conversations between stall vendors and the customers, in creating opportunities to establish new
relationships with people. However, Quiapo Street has less contact points to develop friendships or
for friends to meet up, which then demonstrate quality of the street offering more contacts points
for the establishment of low-intensity contact which is the prerequisite in developing and growing to
relationships at deeper level. Being a community-oriented street comparatively, Quaipo Street
offers favourable living lifestyle as its design and dimensions collect people and events in streets
and squares, encouraging aged pedestrian traffic and outdoor stays, according to Gehl’s ‘Life
Between Buildings’.
In my opinion, Quiapo Street is a better choice of liveable street compared to Jalan TAR.
Social activities are stimulated at an intimate scale, providing an opportunity of developing
connection with people. As contrary from Jalan TAR, absence in function-based planning remained
possible advantages of closer contact while remaining close distance between people, events, and
functions.

13. REFERENCE
Gehl, Jan and Jo Koch. Life Between Buildings. 1st ed. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2011. Print.
Michael P. “Urban Design and People” Jon Wiley & Sons, Inc. N.p, 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2017,
from http://s1.downloadmienphi.net/file/downloadfile7/150/1379758.pdf
Lynch, K. (1960). The image of the city (1st ed.). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
Lockton, D. (2011, September 12). Architecture, urbanism, design and behaviour: a brief review.
Retrieved July 4, 2017, from http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2011/09/12/architecture-
urbanism-design-and-behaviour-a-brief-review/