The document summarizes observations made while traveling through the dense city of Kuala Lumpur along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. It relates these observations to concepts from Italo Calvino's novel "Invisible Cities". Three key observations are: 1) Different building types were constructed selfishly without respect for surrounding structures, reflecting the people of the city of Zobeide who tore down buildings to construct their own. 2) High rise buildings create feelings of insecurity due to lack of privacy and need for pride, relating to reflections causing insecurity in the city of Valdrada. 3) Poverty exists in cities as people only desire improving their own lives without caring for

1. Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture
In Adaptation (ARC 1133)
Exercise 2: Observing the Everyday
Names : Ong Jia Hui 0317752
Ong Min Junn 0317767
Tang Pei Kei 0318545
Lecturer : Ms Bashira Mohd Bahar
Chapter : 3
Site : E

2. While travelling along the road of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the portrayal of each city by
Calvano Italo can be seen in multiple parts along the dense area of the city. By relating with
both the city and the story itself, it becomes a point where surrealism meets reality, where
actually each point of surrealism in the story is a problem of the reality.
According to Chapter 3 of Invisible Cities, the common social problem is the sense of
selfishness where each person craves to achieve their own desire through various ways. It is
depicted in ways where people would achieve the common goal together, yet without the
love and care for one another and also to destroy other’s desire for the sake of building
theirs.
Upon reaching the site, the city skyline that comprised of multiple typologies
became the first sense of selfishness as each building was built without the respect of the
surrounding buildings but just for the sake of each individual one. Apart from that, there
were no considerations of safety with construction and the people. Each continued their
daily agenda, ignoring the fact their lives are in danger. The people were clouded by their
desire for wealth and hence hawkers continue selling while workers continued constructing.
As such, buildings continued growing while the humanity in society diminished. This is
proven by tall skyscrapers that aim to build the desire of wealth of those working in the city
and hiding any of those that are not contributing to their desire.
With the growing city that forgets about the wellness and healthcare of the people,
the environment becomes more toxic. Rules are set but not followed and resources are
used extensively. Personal convenience overruled the health of the environment as it can be
seen through the disposal of rubbish with improper manner and even turning a blind eye to
a basic way of conserving nature: recycling. It becomes a place like that is portrayed in the
City of Armilla where there is extensive use of resources without caring about what damage
it may cause to others.
Not to forget the very essence of cities: the people itself. The society within cities
has very little care for one another. These people grow to only care for themselves and as
such, they work with others to achieve the common the goal but lack the care and love for
each other. Spaces are densely packed to maximise the profit for each person and to allow
more people to chase after their desire. These people continued their lives with their desire
wealth which clouded them from the ever growing problem of cities: poverty. People and
places that don’t make the cut are treated as eye sores and pushed aside.
After going through the city that we live nearby, it seems that the unrealistic part of a
surrealist story is actually just a daily part of how the city works in real life.

3. The densecity showsthe selfish act of people where hawkers persists to continue with their business
while nearby buildingsare underconstruction.Just within a narrow street, it portrays the selfish and
careless act for the sake of money, similarly reflected to the people of the City of Zobeide that is
willing to chase after their own desire while jeopardising others.
Tang Pei Kei

4. Different building types can be observed within the city as each was built individually without the
respect of adjacent and nearby buildings. The messy typology is the result of individualism, where
each person craves their own desire and pursues with their own perception. This is reflected in the
buildings of the City of Zobeide where the people tore down existing buildings to build theirs based
on their own imagination without the care of others.
Tang Pei Kei

5. High-rise buildings within great cities can be form of power but it can be a form of insecurity where
they lack privacy and need for pride to create a larger city. As such, reflections from other
surrounding buildings became a mimic of each person’s life, making them insecure due to the
selfishness of proving to be the best. This relates to the City of Valdrada where reflections cause
insecurity due to each own unlawful or disgrace act.
Tang Pei Kei

6. A recycling centre is meant to have its waste being sorted out by whomever that disposes of it.
However, wastes are seen being thrown away in an uncategorized manner. Just like in the City of
Chloe, the people are selfish enough to just do whatever that is convenient for their sake without
batting an eye to anything that does not concern them.
Ong JiaHui

7. Greeneries are deemed importantin many aspects.However,treesare being chopped off amidst the
city to make way for the advancement of mankind. Humans tend to tear down anything that is in
their way just to satisfy their selfish needs such as in the City of Zobeide.
Ong JiaHui

8. The building is spotted with an abundance of air conditioners despite being just seven-storey high.
Such vast usage of air conditioners highly contributes to global warming which harms our earth. As
such in the City of Armilla, our earth will be barren and devoid of life due to the selfish act of each
person to use resources extensively.
Ong JiaHui

9. The idea of shopswithin shops challenges the usual perception of having a large space empty space
within a shop and with the addition of how these spaces are rarely occupied defies the thoughts we
have about a dense city. The irony of the area is seemingly similar with the paradox of the City of
Hypatia where the things we perceive may come in an opposite outcome.
Ong Min Junn

10. Poverty exists in each city no matter how great it can be. This is due to lack of concern from the
people as each only desires to improve their life and to work with others with the common goal. As
such the act of helping becomes detrimental to their desire leading to poverty being an ignored
problem of the city. Reflected in the City of Chloe, people will work with those whom only share the
common desire without the act of care and love.
Ong Min Junn

11. The densearea of the city portraysmany lives through the eyes of each person that they chase after
the desire of wealth without the sense of care and love for each other as their eyes gleam with cold
and lonely stares. This situation is similar to the City of Chloe that depicts about a great city but
where the streets are filled strangers not caring about one another but yet strive to achieve a
common desire.
Ong Min Junn