Comparative Analysis Essay, Jalan Besar, Klang & Lascar Row Hong Kong.

1. SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE,BUILDING AND DESIGN
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HONOURS ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
“COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY”
JALAN BESAR,KLANG
&
LASCAR ROW HONG KONG
NAME:NEVILLE GEOFFREY SOMI
ID:0317780
TUTOR:MR PRINCE FAVIS ISIP

2. Introduction.
Hong kong's upper lascar row is a busy antiques, curious and junk market which is a
narrow alley about 200 meters long in Sheung Wan that runs parallel to hollywood
road on the north side.Originally the street had been a rather run down residential
area.It is also known as cat street as in old times some antiques stores in upper lascar
row sold the stolen items of thieves also known as rats while the people that bought
them were referred to as cat, that was how cat street go its nickname.After the world
war II,cat street developed into a street selling second hand articles and became one
of the Hong kong's hub for antiques with more than 30 antiques stores this narrow
street.​Upper Lascar Row is centrally placed in a very historic part of Hong Kong island.
It was in this area, now considered the Western part of the island, that some of the first
settlements on the island occurred, during Hong Kong’s colonial days Upper Lascar
Row was populated by Indians, who came to work in the police force.By the 1920’s the
neighbourhood had transformed into a marketplace for second hand goods and
antiques. However it also became known as a place where stolen goods would land​.
This historic precedent has continued until just recently when the business district of
Hong Kong moved to what is now called Central.

3. The royal town of Klang has been a site of human settlement since prehistoric times.
Bronze Age drums, axes and other artefacts have been found in the vicinity of the
town and within the town itself. Klang has always been of key strategic importance. It
was mentioned as a dependency of other states as early as the 11th century.In the
19th century the importance of Klang greatly increased by the rapid expansion of tin
mining as a result of the increased demand for tin from the West.
The town of Klang possesses an undervalued beauty that is somehow only felt and
understood by the ones who know it by heart,from its rich history to its distinct heritage
potential streams through the streets of klang yet it seems that up until now it has been
unmoved or untouched as though it has not been awaken.Activities of modest
intensities around the town induce the slightest pulse that is barely heard amongst the
striking noises produced by our eras future hungry cities that surround it, qualities of
the town do not intrigue todays socialites and technologically advanced individuals and
attention is diverged to placed that fulfill modernistic needs.The towns peaceful spirit
has kept its inhabitants which are mainly the elderly and its occasional foodies but
there is a sense of hopefulness that Klang could be known for.

4. Contact Points + Degree of Contact Intensities.
Contact point are define widely as a focal point where opportunities of meeting to
communicating with another being could be found at.According to Jan Gehi the
concept of carrying degrees of contact intensity is the basis of the following simplified
outline of various contact form.
Contact Points in Hong Kong.
Contact Point 1 ​Main Entrance
The entrance exhibits high intensity as is an intersection of ladder street and upper
Lascar row.Ladder street is used as a shortcut by pedestrians to travel from hollywood
road to Lok Ku road,There is an in and out flow of tourists and locals through the main
entrance.
Thestreet has engaged in different activities which can be done shortcut for the people
to pass by,Stairs as street furniture for people to rest and initiating conversation
between people and pedestrians.Ladder street and upper lascar row provides an
easier access route making it an open space that is high in movement.

5. Contact Point 2, ​Man modim sum
A famous restaurant serving European and local fusion dishes.Nested amongst the
antique street stalls on the upper lascar row (cat street).A well known meeting point for
good food a place for people to have their meal, modern architecture that is different
from the others provides a different ambience bringing/meeting new customer and
business owners on a common ground.

6. Contact point 3, ​Junction of Cat street and tung st
During the colonial period the street was a market for stolen items.Tung st is a small
side street off hollywood road with its abundance of antique shops and boutique with
old style low rise apartment.A junction that offers chance contact among people that
are passing by.
Interaction between businessman and customers while selling, people passing by the
shoplots having a meal at the food stall walking along the street.
Contact Point 4, ​Crossing of Hollywood road and square st.
Hollywood road is a place to discover new street art works.The artworks on the
crossing of hollywood road and square street has became one of the most iconic
street art along Hollywood road,pedestrian travel from Hollywood road to square
st,exploring the street arts along the road and corners of the street sitting along the
steps and interaction between artist,tourist and pedestrian.
The path shows a strong passion in art created by various artists,the striking artworks
along the path is bound to catch people's attention giving the space a unique identity.

7. Contact point 5,​Cat Street
A famous street with antique shops stretching from one end to the other end of the
street.Businessmen set up goods outside their shop along the walkway.This makes
the street more vibrant and encourage more activities along street.People pass
through the street while viewing goods or going to other destinations,visiting stores to
buy Antiques, bargaining, sightseeing and initiating conversation between vendors and
customers.

8. Contact Point 6,​Junction of Hollywood road and Lok ku road
Hollywood road is one of the first roads built in Hong kong.Laid by royal marine
engineers.The city's most important centers of commerce.Lok ku road was formerly
known as lower Lascar road and was redesigned for vehicular traffic,cars parking by
people strolling around shop lots,eating or having a drink walking around shops.

9. Contact Points at Jalan besar,Klang:
KTM Station.
As a result, the station becomes a high intensity contact point especially during the
rush hours where by the commuters living outside the city (Klang) arrive from or leave
for home daily.The interaction is mostly passive as most commuters are strangers to
each other,However the LRT station is also a frequent meeting point or landmark for
acquaintances planning to commute to other parts of the city.As a result,there is
occasionally some close relationship interaction at the contact point.
Chong kok Kopitiam.
Chong kok kopitiam is an extremely popular breakfast spot in klang,especially during
the morning hours where all malaysians of all races and also tourists would gather
here for a plate of nasi lemak or toast before going on with their day,the place is truly a
muhibbah scene fill with positive energy.The interaction is mostly passive as the place
is mostly crowded with people unless you come in a big group the chances you will be
sharing a table with other people, which results to close relationship at the contact
point.

10. Chong kok kopitiam in the morning
Masjid India Klang
One of the landmarks of Klang's Little India, it is bordered by Jalan Tengku Kelana and
Jalan Dato Hamzah.It incorporates some aspects of the original mosque that bears
elements of South Indian mosque architecture.​This mosque is the oldest in Klang and
became one of the main landmarks! Interestingly, its location adjacent to the Church
and the Temple so that it accentuates the characteristics of Klang and
multicultural.This contact point experiences high intensity contacts especially on friday
during prayer services from 1pm - 2pm,the interaction is a mix of passive and close
relationship.Masjid India is also a tourist attraction this creates interaction between the
tourists and the mosque tour guides and locals.

11. Masjid India
T-Junction of Jalan Besar
The interesting part in this contact point we can notice the junction of the road became
a recessed drop off area and pick up point for the visitors and local community as
there are no proper parking space provided.People hail taxi or get picked up by
acquaintance and these create various contact intensities beside promoting contact
between pedestrian and the vehicular community.Hence this form a relatively high
intensity contact point as most of the visitors here are mostly family or friends walking
around Klang doing shopping as its a commercial area the condition engages
conversation and interaction as people using communication to indicate their needs.

12. In Jalan Besar the building form is much more different from what is observed in
Lascar row.As the street evolves through the years the colonial shophouse on site
gradually replaced by some high rise modern modern style building which affects the
street level interaction between the pedestrian and the architecture itself where the
visual communication is blocked away from the eyes and viewers have nor the desire
to go in into the building at all more or less taking interest into the stalls.
As refer to Jan Gehi the trend from living to lifeless cities and residential areas that has
accompanied industrialisation,segregation of various city functions and reliance on the
automobile also has caused cities to become duller and more monotonous namely the
need for stimulation.The diminishing multicultural essence of the local community is
being replaced by isolation through the increasing high rise modern style building yet
people forget to attain the sense of belonging of the people is the key to imagining
public space.
Hence the engagement of activity is low in the street as people walk past the store
without even glancing towards the merchandise inside the store decreasing social
interactions unlike the market stalls on Lascar row where the seller display their
merchandise across the table or even on the ground,thus reduce the distance between
the buyer and the seller this put a light upon the importance of visual permeability
between the buyers and products.
In Jalan besar is a commercial landmark among the local communities which consists
of mainly the Malays,Chinese and Indians.This area the building typology are mostly
linear as it is where most of the remain shophouses were left from the colonial period
and preserved. The implementation of five foot walkway which locates on the street
level floor every shophouse becomes a crucial aspects for the walkability of shoppers
as it provides the basic sun shading purpose as well as increasing contact points
between the buyer and seller.

13. Conclusion.
From my observation, market stalls and street vendors as the primary activity that
would attract people to visit and stay in place. For example, Lascar row Street, it has
many market stall and street vendors in the area, it creates a higher density in every
market. The public market stalls are great places making tool as it offers an
opportunity to re-integrate locally produced food and goods into community life. Market
stalls create strong local networks by establishing connections between consumers,
vendors and encouraging people to immerse themselves in the social and cultural life
of their community.
Upper lascar row in Hong Kong has a higher intensity than Jalan Besar, Even though
the comfortable seating,open spaces and the five foot walkway do not have higher
intensity of contact point in Jalan Besar, but it is very important that public spaces
should be established around Jalan Besar for creating a possible access to contact.
An important medium for integrating the communities by leisure activity. In concluding,
Architects are using public space to create the life between buildings. Every outdoor
activity is interwoven pattern, when its interesting to the people it attracts more
people. It creates a meaningful and attractive Architecture between live.

14. Reference.
Gehl, J. (2011). 1. In ​Life between buildings: Using public space (p. 51). Washington, DC: Island Press.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klang_(city)#History
By EILEEN PAAT. (2010, May 10). The treasures and pleasures of Phnom Penh. Retrieved from
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https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2014/09/25/a-stroll-through-time-heritage-walk-in-klang-fe
atures-significant-colonial-buildings/
http://www.vkeong.com/location/malaysia/selangor/klang/chong-kok-kopitiam-klang/