comparison essay

1. SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS) IN ARRCHITECTURE
ARC 61303 Theories of Architecture and Urbanism
PROJECT II: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY
University Belt, Manila, Philipines
&
Medan Pasar, Kuala Lumpur
NAME: ANITH SYAZLIN BINTI RAMLI (0325737)
TUTOR: MR PRINCE FAVIS ISIP

2. CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction to project/Site Study
1.1 Brief Introduction of the project
1.2 Asian City (Case Study)
1.3 Local City (Analysis)
2.0 Comparative Analysis
Similarities & Dissimilarities in
 Urban Culture
 Public/Private Area
 Street typology
 Streetscape
3.0 Conclusion
4.0 References

3. 1.0 Introduction to project
In this comparative analysis essay, we were to analyse our findings in case study Project 1, one
of Asian Streets in parallel comparison to Design Studio V which has been done in the local
context in order to make critical analysis of architecture and urban forms within its social,
cultural and intellectual context. Apart from that, the placement of both cities in the urban
settings leads them to inherit certain characteristics but at the same time, portrays certain
differentiation at different degrees to which make them unique and known as they are today.
As quoted from Jan Gehl’s ‘Life Between Buildings’ (1996), a street scene plays scene of
ordinary day on an ordinary street, to which the physical environment itself is one of the main
factors affecting the type of activities being done in that particular place. In this context, the
essay focuses on the type of outdoor activities being carried out in each setting and how does
the physical conditions play roles to contribute in that manner. The outdoor activities comprise
of necessary, optional and social activities.
Figure 1 shows the representation of relationship between type of activities and its physical
environment quality. Jan Gehl, Life Between Buildings (1996)
The comparative analysis which took place around both cities are analysed from the aspect of
similarities and dissimilarities they have based on the outdoor activities they carry out, varying
degree of contact points and its intensity and the factors which affect them.

4. 1.1 Background
University Belt, Manila
University Belt refers to one of sub-district areas located in Manila, Philippines and is well-
known due to high concentration or a cluster of colleges and universities in that city. Across
the Pasig River, the belt comprises of 36 educational institutions and each of the colleges and
universities are at a walking distance of each other to the extent it directly forms irregular
crescent shape, giving more sense to its nickname as time passed by. In fact the oldest library
in the country known as Santo Tomas started here as well, signifying long due history of
urbanisation in Manila up until today. As overall, Manila city is known as the city of two
halves, where the informal city Binondo and Tondo whereas the formal city refers to areas
across the Pasig River.
Figure 2 shows a part of hustle
and bustle University Belt
Figure 3 showsthe map of University Belt, highlighting on numerous educational institutions within
the area (Source: Wikipedia)

5. Medan Pasar, Kuala Lumpur
Historically Medan Pasar, used to be called Old Market Square is one of the earliest hub as per
to its existence in the 19th century being the focal point of old Kuala Lumpur due to its strategic
location and long history of tin mining business. Back then, it is used to be a place for the
traders, hence communal facilities to locate for the needs are abundant such as bank, textile
shops, grocers and traditional medicinal halls. The kapitan China Yap Ah Loy watched over
the mining settlement from his house at the junction of Jalan Hang Katsuri (Rodger Street) and
Lebuh Pasar Besar (Old Market) where it used to be a pedestrian walkway before being
demolished due to unfortunate scenes of gambling and such. Ironically, he then rebuilt the
market of larger scale with new materials at that time, bricks. Today the Medan Pasar has
become one of the transportation interchange in Kuala Lumpur as it located at the center of
the city, comprises private and public buses where passengers can hop on the next bus to their
locations.
Figure 4 shows the iconic clock Tower located right in the middle of Medan Pasar square being a
pausing point
Figure 5 showsthe map location of street along Medan Pasar

6. 2.0 Comparative Analysis
 URBAN CULTURE
The location of public transportation affects the intensity of various contact points.
When the local people describe the University Belt, they always mention the hustle and bustle
of the city with vehicular road winding around as to cater for the needs of the people, leading
it to evolve as the tourist attraction and university suburb.
The public utilise the public transportation such as the LRTs, buses and such to go to work
and study and perform their daily tasks as well as to carry out leisure activities in shopping
malls. Abundant of transportation means helps in providing choices for the people to travel to
their destination, creating more chances for the people to gather and interact.
Necessary activities include those that are more or less compulsory, all activities in which
involved are to a greater or lesser degree required to participate (Jan Gehl, 1986).
Figure 6
highlights on the
location of the
public
transportation
stops along
University Belt

7. Figure 7 shows the
representation of daily scene
in University Belt
Similar to Medan Pasar, as it is known as one the main transportation hub, the public uses the
place as the transition platform to carry out their daily activities. Vibrant communities made
up of white collar workers, local & foreign workers as well as tourists can be seen around
Medan Pasar as they use the public transportation to go to their respective locations. In other
words, the Medan Pasar becomes the habitual place which captures their routines in daily lives.
Figure 8 shows the people (both foreign and workers) commute daily by buses around Medan
Pasar.

8. STREET TYPOLOGY
 PUBLIC/ PRIVATE SPACES form contact points
The diversity of typologies has meant a diversity of such spaces where it combines a plaza and
covered pedestrian walkways for the users.
A public open space is a place for experiencing and celebrating the shared sense of a society
(Hayter, 2002). Public space therefore has the potential to influence a wide range of benefits:
as a stage to encourage social cohesion and interaction and build social capital...( Matthew
Carmona, 2008).
Around University Belt, the Plaza Miranda is a public square bounded by main streets of
Manila, where it also located at the center of Quiapo. It serves as a freedom park to hold various
events such as street performances and events while also being the space to carry out social
and optional activities which occur spontaneously between the local communities.
Figure 9 shows the Plaza
Miranda, the old Quiapo church
becomes the backdrop of the
square where people could gather
around and form passive contact;
seeing and hearing other people
Figure 10 shows the scene of how the
square plaza being utilised in
Quiapo.

9. While in Medan Pasar, the public square is rather a transition area for the users to walk past
to go to their intended locations. During daytime, the shophouses around the square which are
dominated by the foreign workers rather than locals carry out their business, mainly to cater
for the needs of the locals and foreigners. Apart from that, the two sides of the square is
indirectly catered for the buses lanes, hence the square serves as the platform to ease the users
circulation rather than a pausing point.
Figure 11 show the market
square bounded by high rise
buildings and old
shophouses around it.
In University Belt, the Gonzalo Puyat Street is known to be the commercial street with many
open shops and vendor which caters the need of the population around. Due to high frequency
of local trading, it enhances degree of interactions between the vendors and customers as the
market is opened daily. Informally, they just fanning out of the street and interact with each
other, and the same time promotes intimacy during interaction between the people while doing
their businesses.

10. Figure 12 shows the daily scene of the
Gonzalo Puyat Street, an open air
street
While around Medan Pasar, the Kasturi Walk is a covered, open-air flea market set right
beside the Central Market which sells variety of cheap goods, art crafts, local foods and such.
The intensity of interaction is high here as the social and optional activities took place mainly
here as the people walk by.
The activities around Kasturi Walk is highly affected by the weather and the climate in Kuala
Lumpur. Since it is always humid and hot, the covered walkway helps to increase the intensity
of interaction between the people as it help in shading the people if it rains or too hot.
Figure 13 shows the covered
pedestrian walkway of Kasturi Walk
which hold covers numerous stalls
alongside.
In comparison between both streets, the interplay between the informality and formality of
intended spaces can be highlighted. The covered, designated well-built walkway of Kasturi
Walk is proposed by the government hence the area is being commercialised for some
intentions which is as a tourist hub while on the other hand, the Gonzalo Puyat Street being a
more laid-back setting where the locals informally formed the function of the street as they
were doing their daily business at the street market.

11.  STREETSCAPE
Compared to the main roads and highways of Manila, the pedestrian sidewalks are much
more comfortable thus promoting the university belt. The granite-paved sideways are well put
and it is complemented with greenery to enhance the context of sustainable urban design of
Manila.
Historically, the regular grid cities composed of rectangular blocks facing two sets of
orthogonal streets is the main typology introduced by the Spanish during their colonization. As
the educational institutions are dense in University Belt, the blocks along the street are catered
for the residents’ house which are mainly the locals.
Figure 14 shows the walkway provided for the pedestrian in University Belt
In contrast to street, Medan Pasar on the other hand locates the old 3-storey shophouses
sculpting the streetscape where at the ground floor is where the all the retail shops being located
while the upper floors are usually being rent for the foreign people who live and work around
the city.

12. Figure 15 shows the streetscape leading to Medan Pasar
In this aspect, these two streets shows dissimilarities where the context in Medan Pasar is
prone to economy and tourism factor as the retail shops are abundant to attract the tourists
while the shophouses in University Belt is highly dominated for residence purposes especially
when population is growing bigger each year as number of educational institutes increases.

13. In terms of walking experience, both gives the same linearity and sense of travelling to other
places, subconsciously directs to the other contact points within the context. The sense of
smaller scale pavements in both cities leads to high intimacy level as the people could interact
while travelling and walking at sideways apart from taking shade from the sun or rain, provided
that the walkway is also covered. Indirectly, it stimulates outdoor stays for the people.
Figure 16 shows the linearity of shophouses skyline around Medan Pasar
Figure 17 show the common five footway connecting the row of shophouses
Figure 18 shows the scene of people interacting under the shaded walkways in at one of
streets in University Belt

14. 3.0 CONCLUSION
Figure 19 shows the representation of how the 3 typesof outdoor activities correlatesto each other
As the conclusion, the interplay of necessary, optional and social activities as suggested by Jan
Gehl plays vital role in determining the quality of the people and human activities which take
place in the city. As what Gehl suggested that life between the buildings, is one of the most
important city attractions. Looking at closer perspective, both streets inherit more similarities
in terms of their division of spaces as well as the scale of streets. Besides, University Belt is
provided for its local to enhance the potential of their educational institutes purposes while
Medan Pasar on the other hand, has mixed cultural interplay within the context itself.
The analysis revealed that both cities University Belt and Medan Pasar have their strengths and
weaknesses in terms of it, however some management can be more pro-active in tackling
certain issues. For instance, the outdoor stays of the people can be enhanced through facilitation
of the public realm such as more shaded sitting area in order to increase the level and intensit y
of interaction within the community. Furthermore, with this, have come benefits, for tourists,
performers, businesses, and the other everyday users of those public spaces. Hence, public
space is in fact the site of massive economic and social potential; potentials that can be released.

15. 4.0 REFERENCES
Gehl, J. (1987), Life Between Buildings : Using Public Space (transl. by Koch.J.). New York:
Van Nostrand Reinhold
Whyte, W. (1980). The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, Washington: The Conservation
Foundation
Gehl, J.et.al (2006), New City Life,Copenhagen: The Danish Architectural Press.
Zucker, P. (1959), Town And Square, New York: Columbia University Press
Hayter, (2002). Public Space, Norway: N.Press
Carmona, M. (2008). Public Space, The Management Dimension, US: Routledge
Hammond, L. (2007). Public Space, The Management Dimension, UK: Routledge
Lynch, K. (1971), Site Planning, Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press
Hillier, B. (1996), Space is the Machine, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
De Jonge, D. (1967), “Applied Hodology” In: Landscape, Vol. 17 (2) p.10 - 11