Comparative essay

1. THEORIES​ ​OF​ ​URBANISM​ ​AND​ ​ARCHITECTURE​ ​(ARC​ ​61303)
PROJECT​ ​(PART​ ​2)​ ​:​ ​COMPARATIVE​ ​ANALYSIS​ ​ESSAY
PREAH​ ​ANG​ ​ENG​ ​&​ ​JALAN​ ​HANG​ ​KASTURI
NAME​ ​: ​ ​NICOLE​ ​FOO​ ​SHULI
​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​STUDENT​ ​ID: ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​0325517
​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​TUTOR: ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​MR​ ​NICHOLAS​ ​NG

2. INTRODUCTION
This comparative essay aims to examine the similarities and dissimilarities based on the
patterns of social activities, types of ‘contact points’. And the varying degrees of contact
intensity between the Jalan Hang Kasturi, Kuala Lumpur and Preah Ang Eng, Phnom
Penh.
Jan Gehl’s theories as published in his book Life Between Buildings were the base
considerations​ ​when​ ​comparing​ ​these​ ​streets.
Map​ ​of​ ​Kuala​ ​Lumpur​ ​indicating​ ​Jalan​ ​Hang​ ​Kasturi​ ​with​ ​Medan​ ​Pasar.
Jalan Hang Kasturi (JHK), with the Old Market Square at one end and Central Market at
the other, is located within a 3km radius of Kuala Lumpur City Center. Being so close by
to the central business district, this commercial area cum cultural district has a mixture
of historically significant heritage buildings - such as Royal Selangor Club, Dataran
Merdeka, Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Masjid Jamek - , eclectic shophouses and
modern skyscrapers, making it a perfect place for tourist to explore. Building types
found along the street include shophouses, open markets, office towers, eateries,
hotels,​ ​a​ ​plaza​ ​and​ ​other​ ​amenities​ ​such​ ​as​ ​money​ ​changers​ ​and​ ​banks.

3. ​ ​
Map​ ​of​ ​Phnom​ ​Penh​ ​indicating​ ​Preah​ ​Ang​ ​Eng.
Preah Ang Eng (PAE), also known as Street 13 can be found in district of Daun Penh of
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Daun Penh is said to be considered as one of the largest
commercial hubs in Phnom Penh, ​lined with art deco architecture, sprawling local
markets with various F&B options. Buildings that promote and inform local heritage such
as ​National Museum of Cambodia, Wat Ounalom Monastery, Royal Palace Garden and
Hiroshima Library House is also scattered along the street. Thus, this street naturally
becomes of interest for tourist who are curious about the local heritage. Other building
types found along the street include shophouses, residentials, hotels and other
amenities​ ​such​ ​as​ ​a​ ​post​ ​office​ ​and​ ​parks.

4. Building​ ​Typology,​ ​Its​ ​Functions​ ​and​ ​Its​ ​Users
Shophouses​ ​along​ ​JHK.
Shophouses​ ​along​ ​PAE.
Buildings of the shophouse typology is significantly present in both JHK and PAE. The
original shophouse are like the ones found on PAE in which businesses takes place on
street level, while residences can be found on top. To which the activities of living and
working are carried out within close proximities. Shophouses along JHK however has
been repurposed to function such that businesses are held on street level, while the
upper​ ​levels​ ​are​ ​made​ ​into​ ​F&B​ ​services,​ ​small​ ​offices​ ​and​ ​occasionally​ ​residences.
Another notable difference to take note is the presence of modern office towers around
JHK that results in the skyline varying drastically. These office towers houses the white
collared workforce whose main outdoor activity include walking to nearby eateries
during lunch hour. On the other hand, the average heights of buildings on PAE are 3-5
storeys​ ​high,​ ​resulting​ ​in​ ​a​ ​rather​ ​consistent​ ​skyline.
From this, we can tell that the main community make up of JHK are the white collared
workers, local and foreign small business owners and tourist. While the main community
make up of the PAE only includes local business owners and tourist. That being said it
is worth taking into consideration the behavior of the different types of people within that
community​ ​when​ ​we​ ​further​ ​look​ ​into​ ​activities​ ​and​ ​contact​ ​points.

5. ACTIVITIES
In​ ​Life​ ​Between​ ​Buildings,​ ​Gehl​ ​suggests​ ​that​ ​there​ ​are​ ​three​ ​types​ ​of​ ​activities:
1. Necessary activities - which include activities that are “ more or less compulsory
”​ ​in​ ​daily​ ​living
2. Optional activities - defined as “ those pursuits that are participated in if there is a
wish​ ​to​ ​do​ ​so​ ​and​ ​if​ ​time​ ​and​ ​place​ ​make​ ​it​ ​possible​ ​”
3. Social activities - “ are all activities that depend on the presence of others in
public​ ​spaces​ ​“
Jalan​ ​Hang​ ​Kasturi
Being a commercial district, the buildings and spaces around JHK are usually filled
during the day but mostly vacated during the night. This is because people do not live
around the area and only commute to work via LRT, public busses or private vehicles.
Thus necessary activities include commuting to work and having meals at places close
by. Aside from that, there is also a community of foreign workers present whose
necessary activities include sending money back to their families in their home country.
Business owners setting up their shops daily are also considered as a necessary
activity.
Optional activities found around JHK are mainly tourist activities such as sight seeing,
shopping,​ ​and​ ​visiting​ ​libraries​ ​and​ ​museums​ ​nearby.
Social activities include friendly gatherings and also community building events being
held​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Old​ ​Market​ ​Square.
Preah​ ​Ang​ ​Eng
This commercial cum cultural cum residential area has majority of its street lined with
shophouses and markets. Thus, examples of necessary activities would include local
residences needing to buy day to day products and groceries from the market, children
going​ ​to​ ​school​ ​and​ ​also​ ​street​ ​vendors​ ​and​ ​business​ ​owners​ ​setting​ ​up​ ​their​ ​stalls.
Similar to JHK, the optional activities found here also revolves around tourist activities,
and visits to significant buildings and local museums. The night market can be
considered​ ​as​ ​an​ ​optional​ ​activity.
Significant social activities along the street would take place at night markets and
restaurants​ ​being​ ​a​ ​places​ ​for​ ​locals​ ​to​ ​gather​ ​with​ ​friends.

6. CONTACT​ ​POINTS
The following contact points are chosen to be mentioned so that proper comparisons
can be made between the two streets. It by no means cover all contact points that are
present on the streets itself. These are the few types of contact points found on JHK
and​ ​PAE:
1.​ ​Tourist​ ​Markets
Central​ ​Market​ ​and​ ​Kasturi​ ​Walk.
Phnom​ ​Penh​ ​Night​ ​Market.
Since tourist make up a significant number of users on both streets, places such as
Central Market and Kasturi Walk at JHK and Phnom Penh Night Market at PAE are
there to cater to them. Local handicrafts and souvenirs are the main goods sold at these
places.
Similarly for both streets, the tourist market acts as a major contact point that is derived
solely by its function. This contact point is not a result of social activities, therefore
interactions here can only be considered as low intensity contact even though it is a
highly​ ​dense​ ​area.

7. 2.​ ​Open​ ​Spaces
Foreign​ ​workers​ ​meeting​ ​up​ ​with​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Green​ ​Market​ ​event​ ​at​ ​the
Old​ ​Market​ ​Square.
Locals​ ​sitting​ ​on​ ​mats​ ​in​ ​the​ ​center​ ​of​ ​Phnom​ ​Penh​ ​Night​ ​Market.
These open spaces found along both streets seem to provide opportunities for social
gatherings to happen. As stated by Gehl, there are two ways to encourage human influx
into a space: 1. the presence of people attract more people and 2. engaging activities
will encourage people to join in. In these open spaces community events and
performances that are occasionally held results in social activities taking place. These
spaces are considered to be high intensity contact points as it is where friends gather
and​ ​interaction​ ​among​ ​the​ ​community​ ​happen.
However, when there no special activities present, plaza like public spaces such as the
Old Market Square usually have its contact points towards the sides rather than in the
center. There are two main reasons for this, firstly, according documentary titled “The
Social Life of Small Urban Spaces” by ​William H. Whyte​, humans find it extremely
uncomfortable to be in the center of a wide open space and would favour less

8. “exposed” corners such as the building side. Secondly, in a tropical climate as such
which is found in both Malaysia and Cambodia, it is extremely uncomfortable to be
under direct sunlight without proper shading during the day. Hence, the sides of the
square in which is shaded slightly by the vegetation and surrounding building block
becomes​ ​a​ ​much​ ​more​ ​preferable​ ​place​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​by.
Contact​ ​point​ ​formed​ ​in​ ​the​ ​center​ ​when​ ​there​ ​are​ ​engaging​ ​activities​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​over
there.
Contact​ ​points​ ​formed​ ​closer​ ​to​ ​the​ ​corners​ ​of​ ​the​ ​square​ ​near​ ​buildings​ ​when​ ​there’s
no​ ​specific​ ​activity​ ​present​ ​in​ ​the​ ​center.

9. 3.​ ​Transportation​ ​hub
Informal​ ​bus​ ​stops​ ​found​ ​at​ ​both​ ​ends​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Old​ ​Market​ ​Square.
Across JHK, the Old Market Square sits bounded by two main roads which acts as
informal “formal” bus stop. Because of this, passengers who linger around the edges of
the Old Market Square waiting for their busses to arrive forms contact points. These
contact points, though significantly present are considered to only have a moderate to
low​ ​intensity​ ​of​ ​contact​ ​between​ ​the​ ​passengers.
In comparison to PAE, there is no such similar public transportation hub found along the
street. Private vehicles such as trishaws, motorcycles, cars, vans and lorries can be
seen stopping along the whole entire street, up the pedestrian walkways, even when
there​ ​are​ ​no​ ​designated​ ​parking​ ​spaces​ ​present.
There for, this type of contact point is again derived solely by function, without the need
of​ ​such​ ​public​ ​transportation​ ​hub,​ ​there​ ​will​ ​be​ ​no​ ​such​ ​contact​ ​point.

10. 4.​ ​Food
Inside​ ​the​ ​Old​ ​Market​ ​Square​ ​Cafe​ ​and​ ​temporary​ ​food​ ​vendors​ ​serving​ ​the​ ​lunch​ ​crowd
at​ ​the​ ​Old​ ​Market​ ​Square.
​ ​
Temporary​ ​food​ ​vendors​ ​at​ ​a​ ​back​ ​lane​ ​along​ ​PAE​ ​and​ ​the​ ​inside​ ​of​ ​Kandal​ ​Market.
At JHK, the Old Market Square Cafe becomes a significant contact point when white
collared workers from nearby office towers arrive for lunch. It is considered to be a high
intensity contact point because often those who eat together are colleagues and friends.
Temporary food vendors located at the end of the Old Market Square, similar to those
found at the back lane along PAE results in a formation of a moderate intensity contact
point. Taking in the factor that there are quite a number of residentials along PAE,
Kandal Market should be considered as a high intensity contact point. The interaction
between familiar stall owners themselves and also regular buyers justifies it as being
high​ ​in​ ​intensity.
These type of contact points are formed due to the function of space and how it
becomes​ ​a​ ​destination​ ​for​ ​necessary​ ​activities​ ​in​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​those​ ​living​ ​around​ ​it.

11. CONCLUSION
Each space in an urban setting has its own unique function, and it is these very
functions that determine the human activity within it. And where there is human activity,
there​ ​is​ ​a​ ​contact​ ​point.
Spaces with similar functions and opportunities will result in similar human behavior.
This is found to be true in comparing Jalan Hang Kasturi and Preah Ang Eng as they
had similar district functions, building typologies and spatial functions. As a result, both
has​ ​highly​ ​similar​ ​contact​ ​intensities​ ​for​ ​specific​ ​types​ ​of​ ​spaces.
Vice versa, with the absence of a specific function of space, similar activity outcomes
and​ ​human​ ​behavior​ ​will​ ​not​ ​be​ ​achievable.
REEFERENCES
1. Whyte,​ ​W.​ ​H.​ ​(Director).​ ​(n.d.).​ ​​The​ ​Social​ ​Life​ ​of​ ​Small​ ​Urban​ ​Spaces​​ ​[Video​ ​file].
Retrieved​ ​November​ ​29,​ ​2017,​ ​from​ ​​https://archive.org/details/SmallUrbanSpaces
2. Gehl,​ ​J.​ ​(1990).​ ​​Life​ ​between​ ​buildings​.​ ​Tokyo:​ ​Kajima​ ​Institute​ ​Publishing.
3. Daun​ ​Penh​ ​Profile:​ ​Why​ ​live​ ​in​ ​Phnom​ ​Penh​ ​'s​ ​founding​ ​district?​ ​(n.d.).​ ​Retrieved
November​ ​28,​ ​2017,​ ​from
https://www.realestate.com.kh/news/daun-penh-district-phnom-penh/
4. Doun​ ​Penh​ ​District.​ ​(2017,​ ​November​ ​19).​ ​Retrieved​ ​November​ ​28,​ ​2017,​ ​from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doun_Penh_District