This document is a student's comparative analysis essay between contact points in Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur and Western Avenue in Seattle. The essay compares four contact points between the two areas: Petaling Street Market and Pike Place Market; food stalls in Jalan Sultan and Western Avenue; Guan Di Temple and Victor Steinbrueck Park; and an egg tart shop in Petaling Street and Starbucks near Pike Place Market. The essay analyzes the activities, social interactions and qualities of the public spaces at each contact point and relates them to Jan Gehl's theories on outdoor activities and human attraction. Overall, the essay concludes that while both areas have many contact points, Western Avenue has contact points with better quality spaces

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SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN
BACHELOR OR SCIENCE (HONS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM (ARC 61303/ARC 2224)
PROJECT 2 : COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY
NAME : MUATASIMAH BILLAH BT. SALEH MOHAMED GARBAA
STUDENT ID : 0316071
TUTOR : MR. LAM SHEN FEI
DATE OF SUBMISSION : 28th
NOVEMBER 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Site Introduction / Case study 1
1.1 Introduction to project 1
1.2 Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur 1
1.3Seattle Washington, Western Ave 1
2. Comparative Analysis Essay 4 - 13
2.1 Petaling Street Market with Pike Place Market 4 - 6
2.2 Food stalls at Jalan Sultan with Western Ave Street 7 - 9
2.3 Guan Di Temple with Victor Steinbrueck Park 10 - 11
2.4 Egg tart shop at Jalan Petaling with Waterfront Pike Place 12 - 13
3. Conclusion 14
4. Reference 15

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1.0 INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT / CASE STUDY
1.1 Introduction to Project
In this project, an in-depth and analytical research study on the topic is required to conduct the project.
The project is to write a comparative analysis essay based on our findings in case study Project 1 and
local site research in Studio work. We are required to examine the similarities and dissimilarities based
on the patterns of social activities, types of contact points and the degree on contact intensity between
the two cities.
1.2 Introduction to Studio Site
Petaling Street is the centre of Kuala Lumpur's original Chinatown and is known as one of Kuala
Lumpur’s best attraction place and has been a shopping area since the late 19th century. Over the
decades, the street has transformed into a huge market selling many types of merchandise particularly
at night when vendors fan out their merchandise along the street. This has made Petaling Street as a
popular tourist spot and creates some notable high intensity contact point around the area and street.
Figure 1 shows the selected area of contact point in Petaling Street, KL.
1.3 Introduction to Seattle Washington, Western Ave (case study in project 1)
Seattle (Figure 2) is a West Coast seaport city in Washington. Seattle is the largest city in both the state
of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Western Ave borders the coastline of
Downtown Seattle, and is an increasingly popular tourist spot with landmarks such as Pike Place
Market. Hence, the vicinity of Western Ave is home to few notable contact points of varying intensity
and contact level. The proximity of contact points to Western Ave is quite an influential factor. Figure 2
shows the selected are of contact point in Western Ave Seattle.
Figure 1: Selected area of Petaling Street
Source: Google maps
Figure 2: Selected area of Seattle WA
Source: Google maps

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In this project, I will identify a few contact points from Petaling street area that will be analyse and make
a comparison in terms of the similarities and dissimilarities to the contact points in Western Ave Seattle
that have been analysed in the first project and now chosen as the case study for this project. The
comparison will also include some of Jan Gehl’s points on the theory such as:
- the relationship between outdoor activities and quality of outdoor space
- activity as attraction
- a uniquely stimulating experience
- a possible access to contact at other levels.
Below are the contact points in Petaling Street Area :
Below are the contact points in Western Ave, Seattle Washington:
Guan Di Temple
Petaling Street
Food Stalls
Egg Tart Shop

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Western Ave Street
Victor Steinbrueck Park
Starbucks near
Pike Place
Pike Place Market

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2.0 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY
2.1 Petaling Street Market with Pike Place Market
Necessary Activities: Running errands, buying food and drinks
Optional Activities: Buying merchandise.
Social Activities: Negotiating, interaction with vendors.
Petaling Street has high intensity of contact point as it is the most popular tourist destination in Kuala
Lumpur. It is a market is full of stalls selling goods and food that opens until late night. It has filled with
opportunities to sample a delightful array of local cuisine. The stalls are stretched along the street,
resulting more people to come especially tourist as they sell varieties of things such as handbags,
glasses, watches, clothes, food and many more. It also offers not just variety of food but also value for
money as the prices can be further whittled down through bargaining. By having four different
entrances at each junction of the street, it also creates permeability and accessibility for user to easily
enter Petaling Street. It also has a strong cultural sense of community where most of the stalls were
over 3 generations. The colourful umbrellas and noise coming from the people makes Petaling Street
more vibrant and lively. Therefore, many people and tourist like to visit this place.
Petaling Street Market

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Hence, this creates a high level of contact point where there is a lot of people going to Petaling Street
and the high level of social interaction between the vendors and customers that always communicate
during the buying process.
Based on Jan Gehl’s theory, this is a uniquely stimulating experience where one experiences the
presence of people and attractive opportunity for stimulation. This is in which where people can see
and interact with one another, stimulating the experience of the site, people and surrounding.
Similarly, the pike place market in Western Ave street also shares the same theory in attracting people
to the contact point. Just like Petaling Street, Pike Place market has high level of contact point as it is a
hub to a variety of activities. It sells merchandise, food, crafts, clothes, fresh vegetables and etc. It is a
public space with high quality that satisfies all conditions to accommodate the three levels of activities.
With more than 10 million visitors annually, Pike Place Market is Seattle's most popular tourist
destination and is the 33rd most visited tourist attraction in the world. But unlike Petaling Street,
entertainment activities were also happening at pike place market where musicians and street
performer would come and entertain the people there.
Necessary Activities: Commercial activities, business, running errands.
Optional Activities: Window shopping and leisure entertainment, admiring crafts.
Social Activities: Watching street performance, interaction with vendors, negotiating.
Pike Place Market

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In conclusion, Petaling Street and Pike Place Market both have high level of contact point where both of
them are a popular tourist spot that sells varieties of merchandise along the street. Not only that, both
of them also shared the same theory in attracting people to this contact point where interaction is the
key to bargain and buying things with the vendors and the varieties of activities and merchandise along
the two streets give stimulating experience for the people and visitors. Below is a diagram that shows
how pedestrian weave through cars naturally to cross to the other side of the street
In the Pike Place Market, vicinity, pedestrian exude more dominance on the roads and vehicle.
Therefore, allowing higher accessibility for people to go to the place.
Stretched of Stalls along Pike Place Market
Diagram 1 Shows fluidness in walkability

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2.2 Food stalls at Jalan Sultan with Western Ave Street
Necessary Activities: Buying food and drinks.
Optional Activities: Eating.
Social Activities: People having conversation.
This place is located along Jalan Sultan street where there is a lot food stalls opening at this area. It is
essentially located in front of the street where you can see car and people passing by. This place has a
high intensity of contact point especially during lunch hour and night where there are a lot of people
especially workers and students coming to these stalls to have lunch and dinner. Because of the limited
open space in Petaling Street area and the narrow width of the street, these hawkers extend the
boundary of the street into this empty parking space and use it as their space to sell food. The area
also does not have trees so there is no proper shade as customers only depends on the umbrella from
the stalls for shading from the sun. Therefore, when the weather is hot, they are less people eating
there. Despite the poor outdoor quality of the space, a lot of people still come to this place to eat and
drink. According to Jan Gehl, when outdoor areas are of poor quality, only strictly necessary activities
occur. It can be concluded that only necessary activities take place at the area because of the poor
quality of outdoor space.
Respectively, I would like to compare the sidewalks in the street of Western Ave Seattle Washington as
there have some dissimilarity despite the resemblance in terms of the function.
Food stalls

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Unlike the street in Jalan Sultan, the sidewalks in the street of Western Ave Seattle Washington are
designed to be wide enough to allow enough room for walking traffic and at the same time to allow local
business such as food stalls and hawkers to be operated along the street. Similarly, the hawkers in
Jalan Sultan also have the same local business such as selling food within the street. Entertainment
activities such as frisbee, games for children and cycling were also happening along the street of
Western Ave. At night, musicians will come and showcase their talents on the street near the park.
Therefore this street has a high intensity of contact point where they are a lot of activities going on at
the street allowing more people to stop and come to the place.
Necessary Activities: Buying food and drinks.
Optional Activities: Enjoying food from the stalls, taking a short rest under the shade.
Social Activities: People having conversation, sharing food, watching street performance.
This relates to Jan Gehl’s theory on outdoor activities and quality of outdoor space. He mentioned when
outdoor areas are of high quality, necessary activities take place with a wide range of optional activities
because the place and situation invites people to stop, sit, eat, play and so on. The space on the
Western Ave Street was also designed for people to sit, relax, enjoy the view, and possibly become
customers for the stalls that are operated along the street. Not only that, the street is also used for
recreation for the public.
Western Ave Street
Western Ave Street

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Benches, tables, and chairs were also included in the design of the landscape at the street to provide
comfortability and pleasure for the people. The open space provides ventilation for people and allows
better circulation for people to come and sit at the place.
In comparison to the activity happening on the street in Jalan Sultan, Western Ave provides better
quality of space and environment for more activity happening in that street. Similar to Jan Gelh’s theory,
as levels of optional activity rise, the number of social activities usually increases substantially, just like
Western Ave street. Activities take place when exterior conditions are optimal, when weather and place
invite them. Thus, in a good environment, a completely different broad spectrum of human activities is
possible.

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2.3 Guan Di Temple with Victor Steinbrueck Park
Necessary Activities: Gathering.
Optional Activities: Visiting the temple.
Social Activities: Communicating between one another.
The Guan Di Temple is a 121 year-old Taoist temple located along Jalan Tun HS Lee situated at the
edge of Petaling Street (Chinatown). It is an easily recognisable building with a bright orange façade
that becomes a landmark for tourist and the community there. The temple is particularly packed in the
mornings where devotees come to do their prayer. At certain days at night, more people would come to
gather and celebrate at the temple where they have a certain event going on. Most of the time, a lot of
people would gather in front of the temple while waiting for Petaling Street to open or to use the place
as a meeting spot to meet friends or people. The reason is because there are no open spaces in
Petaling Street area, therefore people would use these small space at the sidewalks as a gathering
space or for a meet up. Therefore, the intensity level of contact point is low as people gather at
uncertain hours during the day.
Thus, their activity of gathering in these space calls for attraction where people are attracted to other
people. There is a proverb in Scandinavia that says “people come where people are”.
Guan Di Temple, Petaling Street

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This highlighted the example from the picture where the activity of “gathering” can attract people to
come and do the same thing or just simply see the things that are going on at the place. Based on Jan
Gehl’s theory, this is an activity as attraction where human activities attract other people.
Similar to Victor Steinbrueck Park in Western Ave street, this space also shared the same theory that
uses activity as attraction.
Necessary Activities: Gathering and sitting.
Optional Activities: Enjoying the view.
Social Activities: Communicating between one another.
Victor Steinbrueck is park overlooking Elliott Bay from Downtown Seattle, Washington, USA located just
northwest of Pike Place Market. Basically, people just come to sit at the benches provided and just look
at the waterfront enjoying the view. Similar to the temple, the waterfront becomes a landmark in the
area thus making the place as a gathering spot for the people in Seattle.
Applying Jan Gehl’s theory in, both places apply the theory of activity as attraction where human
gatherings and activity attract other people. Wherever there are people in buildings, canters,
recreational areas etc, it is generally true that people and human activities attract other people.
Victor Steinbrueck, Seattle

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2.4 Egg tart shop at Jalan Petaling with Waterfront Pike Place
This famous egg tart shop is located in Jalan Petaling and is known as local landmark in the area.
There is a lot of people including tourist were lining up to buy the egg tart. The shop is known by
everyone including the tourist because they always have many people lining up to buy the egg tart. The
line would also extend the street. This shows that this shop has a high intensity of contact point where
many people come to the shop and it becomes one of the famous tourist spot in the area.
The Starbucks is a coffeehouse located near the waterfront in Seattle's Pike Place Market. It is place
where people come to have drink and to chit-chat. The Starbucks also becomes a well-known landmark
in the area because it is well known.
Egg tart shop at Petaling Street
Starbucks near Pike Place Market

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Similarly, the egg tart shop also becomes a landmark for the local at Petaling Street. Therefore, both
places are well known in each of the area and can grow as contact point to where tourist and the locals
would use to direct someone from the place.
This relates to Jan Gehl’s theory on a possible access to contact at other levels where from a simple
level, contacts can grow to other levels as the participant wish.

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3.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, both Petaling Street and Western Ave Seattle Washington have a lot of contact points.
But the quality and activities of each contact points vary depending on the relationship to the site,
people, surrounding and environment. It can be concluded that Western Ave Seattle has better quality
of space and environment compared to Petaling Street as they have proper open space for human
activities and social interactions. The intensity level of contact point can be determine based on the
activities that is happening at the place relating to the three conditions of activity which are necessary,
optional and social activity. To achieve a high intensity level of a contact point, a space must have a
proper open space where people can easily access and circulate, interesting programs or activities that
can attract people to stop and come to the place and a space with sitting area so that people can sit
and enjoy the space. According to Jan Gehl, when an outdoor area is in a high quality then optional
activity will also occur. Thus, leads to social activity where people will interact with one another. Below
are the diagrams showing the necessity of things that is needed in a space in order to achieve high
intensity of contact point.
FACILITIES
Benches, curbs, bicycle stands - facilities
that invite people to linger and enjoy the
spaces.
SHADE
Spaces well shaded from the sun
by vegetation or by design
provides a favourable
environment for street users.
STOREFRONT/FACADE VISUALS
Attractive storefront/facade encourages frequent
visits and longer time spent at the place.
SPATIAL TRANSPARENCY
Maintaining transparency between public
and private spaces as a form of passive
contact.

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4.0 REFERENCE
1) Pike Place Market. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2016, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_Place_Market
2) Attractions in Malaysia. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2016, from http://kuala-
lumpur.attractionsinmalaysia.com/Petaling-Street.php
3) Petaling Street in Chinatown - Bargain Hunter's Paradise. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27,
2016, from http://www.kuala-lumpur.ws/klareas/chinatown_petaling.htm
4) http://joss.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/journal/index.php/joss/article/viewFile/104/pdf (Jan Gehl’s, Using
Public Space)
5) Victor Steinbrueck Park. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2016, from
http://tclf.org/landscapes/victor-steinbrueck-park