Theories Final

1. School of Architecture, Building and Design
Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Architecture
Theories of Architecture and Urbanism (ARC 61303)
Project Part 2: Comparative Analysis Essay (Individual)
Case studies: South Klang, Malaysia and Nanjing Road
Pedestrian Street, Shanghai, China
Name: Teoh Jun Xiang
Student ID: 0322099
Word count: 2521 words
Tutor: Mr. Nicholas Ng

2. Content
No. Title Page no.
1. Introduction and thesis 1
2. Background of case studies 2
a. South Klang 2-4
b. Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street 5-7
3. Analysis 8
a. Unplanned use of space 8-11
b. Types of attraction 12-15
c. Usable and unusable outdoor open areas 16-19
4. Conclusion 20
5. References 21

3. 1
1. Introduction and thesis
Based on the local site research for Architecture Design Studio 5, South Klang, Selangor,
Malaysia, as well the case study for our Theories of Urbanism and Architecture Project Part 1,
Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, Shanghai, China, a comparative analysis essay is formulated
to examine and analyse the similarities and dissimilarities of both sites based on the patterns
of social activities, types of ‘contact points’ and the varying degrees of contact intensity.
Both the sites were chosen as case studies as they both possess similarities and differences.
South Klang and Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street are both situated within urban contexts, and,
as such, both these sites are suitable to be used as case studies to study fundamental theories
and principles of urban study. In addition to that, both sites are situated within Asian urban
contexts, which allows some distinctive patterns of Asian social life and activities to be
identified. Lastly, both these case studies are commercial areas, which consists of commercial
buildings erected to allow commercial activities to take place.
Conversely, although both sites bear similarities which makes them suitable case studies to
be compared, the differences outweigh the similarities. Differences can be seen in terms of
the type of outdoor activities, which is influenced by a variety of conditions, notably physical
environments. According to Gehl (2011), “Physical environment is one of the factors: a factor
that influences the activities to a varying degree and in many different ways” (p. 9). As both
these sites are formed to cater for different types of commercial activities, the types of outdoor
activities and the subsequent degrees of contact intensity are definitely different. South Klang
is a mixed-use commercial area in which varying types of commercial activities, such as food
and beverages, financial banking and offices, take place. Likewise, Nanjing Road Pedestrian
Street is a designated leisure and entertainment commercial hub where retail outlets and
businesses cater for leisurely shopping and entertainment activities.
All in all, the main focus of this essay is the effect of the types of commercial areas on the
outdoor activities present in an urban context. As such, the differences between the two case
studies will be examined to justify the main point of argument.

4. 2
2. Background of case studies
a. South Klang
Situated at the south of the Klang River, the local site research for Architecture Design Studio
5 is categorised by irregular yet linearly arranged urban grids. The interesting streets and
lanes are interweaved to form uniform grid patterns, and the shophouses and other
commercial buildings are designed into rows that line the roads.
The rows of commercial buildings are arranged in blocks, contained within a grid of main roads,
back lanes and side roads. Among the variety of roads, Jalan Besar is considered the main
road as vehicles from Jalan Tengku Kelana, Jalan Tengku Diaudin and Jalan Dato Hamzah
will travel into it, resulting in heavy vehicular flow and traffic congestion during peak hours. In
addition to that, the road leads vehicles and the pedestrians towards the Klang Railway Station.
Such a bustling urban scene is not much evident along Jalan Stesen 1 and Jalan Tengku
Diaudin as vehicular flow is comparably lower.
Informal
outdoor car
park
Bolly Fashion
Unusable
outdoor open
area
Sultan Abdul Aziz
Royal Gallery
Klang Railway
Station
Diagram 1: Site plan (Scale 1: 5000)
Klang River

5. 3
As mentioned previously, the site is a mixed-use commercial area in which varying types of
commercial activities, such as food and beverages, financial banking, offices, textile shops,
goldsmith shops and many more are present. These businesses are mostly conducted in
traditional shophouses, which is the main architectural typology found on site. The existence
of shophouses also explains the presence of five-foot walkways, which was introduced during
the British administration to shelter pedestrians from the harsh tropical climate and to function
as a delimitating transitional space between the urban street and the commercial ground floor
shopfronts (Too, 2001, p. 83). However, modernization at a rapid and unchecked pace has
resulted in the disappearance of this vernacular building on site due to the demand for new
infrastructure and bigger spaces.
Figure 1: Jalan Besar (as viewed from Klang Railway Station).
Transitionzone
Transitionzone
Roadway zone
Pedestrian zone
Building zone
Five-foot walkway Diagram 2: Shophouse typology on site.

6. 4
Throughout the site, a purpose-oriented behaviour can be observed, in which users only travel
to site with a goal in mind and to complete the tasks at hand. The behaviour is also amplified
by the lack of designated public open spaces, such as public seating and gathering areas. As
a result, necessary activities are predominantly observed on site, which is defined as
compulsory tasks and pastimes completed under nearly all conditions (Gehl, 2011, p. 9).
Figure 2: Site plan 1949.
The town plan produced in 1949 shows the conditions of the urban fabric
before rapid modernization took place. Most of the built forms we see are
present today, except for the Post, Telegraph and Telephone Department
Building. The building typology in the past is different as the shophouses
feature air wells and wider back lanes.

7. 5
b. Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
Nanjing Road (Chinese: 南京路) is the main shopping street of Shanghai, China, and is one
of the world's busiest shopping streets. The road, which has a total length of 5.5 km, comprises
Nanjing Road East and Nanjing Road West, and attracts over 1 million visitors daily.
The Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, which runs from Henan Middle Road to Xizang Middle
Road, is a section of Nanjing Road East which is designated as a commercial pedestrian
walkway. It is 1200 meters long and 18–30 meters wide.
Nanjing Road enjoys a rich history of over a century. Its origins can be traced back to 1845,
when it was first known as “Park Lane”, stretching from the Bund to the He’nan Road. In 1854,
it was extended to Zhejiang Road and eight years later, it was extended to Xizang Road.
Around the year of 1930, it was a bustling street with some casinos.
In the 1930s to the 1940s, Nanjing Road underwent its first development climax, whereby
small-scaled business stalls and shops transformed into large-scaled commercial buildings,
laying the foundation for Nanjing Road’s future development.
In the 90’s, following China’s economic reconstruction and reformation, the street experienced
its second development climax, where new multi-disciplinary commercial buildings were
erected along the street, dramatically changing the face of the street.
Diagram 3: Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street site plan (Scale: NTS)
Shen Da Cheng
Century Square Tai chi practice area

8. 6
In 2000, as a part of the development plan held by the local government, Nanjing Road was
renovated to be a characteristic pedestrian street. A designated area which runs through the
whole pedestrianized area, called the ‘Golden Belt’ was initiated. Urban public facilities such
as seats, shopping booths, enquiry booths, signboards, small sculptures, street lights, trash
boxes, parterres, telephone booths and many more are provided within this area. As it allows
users to rest amidst their active shopping routines, it reflects the street’s state of rest. The
spaces on both sides of the ‘Golden Belt’ are wide and spacious, allowing users to directly
access the surrounding commercial premises, thus reflecting the street’s state of motion.
Figure 3: Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street by day.
Figure 3: Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street by night.

9. 7
Throughout history, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street functions as a commercial area which
primarily caters for leisure and entertainment needs of its users. Pedestrians use the street
throughout the day to conduct various activities, both outdoors and indoors. Shopping-related
activities are conducted indoors within century-old buildings with a mixture of European and
modern architectural styles, whereas an abundance of outdoor activities can be observed in
the external environment.
Figure 4: Shanghai Fashion Store in the
past.
Figure 5: Shanghai Fashion Store in the
present.
Figure 5: Morphology of Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street.
The map shows the urban fabric of Nanjing Road beginning from its intersection with Henan Middle
Road. Before the road was designated to be a pedestrian street, it is accessible by vehicles. The
commercial buildings are arranged in close proximity, thus forming rows that line the street. Such a
characteristic is still evident today.

10. 8
3. Analysis
a. Unplanned use of space
As discussed before, both South Klang and Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street can be
categorised as different types of commercial areas. The differing characteristics of these sites
ultimately influence the unplanned use of open spaces by the users to fulfil their specific needs.
Firstly, such a phenomenon is evident along Jalan Stesen 1, South Klang, in the form of
informal outdoor car parks. These open spaces were converted into informal outdoor car parks
to accommodate the high demand of parking spaces for the commercial businesses around
it. Although the open spaces did not belong to the parking operators, they deliberately seized
the opportunity to convert them into parking spaces, realizing that the site lacked sufficient
parking spaces. By doing so, the parking operators were also able to generate an adequate
amount of income for themselves.
It is interesting to note that although there were opportunities to convert the space for other
functions, it was still utilised as an amenity to cater solely for commercial uses, indicating the
strong influence of the context on the unplanned use of the space.
Diagram 4: Location of contact points (Informal outdoor parking space).

11. 9
Figure 6: Informal outdoor parking area.
Necessary activity: Parking vehicles, walking towards desired commercial location
Optional activity: Taking photos of surroundings
Social activities: Communicating with parking operators and other drivers.
Passive contact: Liaising with parking coordinator whom you just met.
Chance contact: Meeting new friends after parking vehicle.
Acquaintances: Conversing with colleagues while walking to find vehicle parked.
Friends ad close friends.: Conversing with family members while walking to find vehicle parked.
Diagram 5: Built and unbuilt form of informal
outdoor parking space.
Diagram 6: Built and unbuilt form of informal
outdoor parking space.

12. 10
On the contrary, the unplanned use of space in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street caters for a
completely different type of activity- tai chi. Although the street was not designated for such
an activity to take place, the broad and spacious spatial qualities of the street allows
considerable amount of people to gather in rows and practice the traditional Chinese martial
art in an orderly manner. The exception of bustling shopping activities in the morning, aided
by the cool and moderate weather, provides a comfortable environment and atmosphere for
this recreational activity to take place.
Diagram 7: Location of contact point (Tai chi practice area).
Figure 7: Practice of tai chi on the pedestrian street.

13. 11
The practice of tai chi on a street designated for pedestrian use further implies the
characteristic of the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street as a leisure commercial area. The activity
allows tai chi practitioners, with varying backgrounds, to gather and practice a common form
of art, thus making it an optional activity. Social activities also take place as the practitioners
are able to converse with their friends or newcomers before and after the practices, thus,
giving them the chance to make new friends as well as to enhance the relationship with
existing friends.
All in all, by comparing the two contact points, we are able to comprehend the influence of the
varying types of commercial areas on the unplanned use of space.
Diagram 8: Practice of tai chi.
Necessary activity: Pedestrians, joggers or cyclists who use the street to travel to other locations
Optional activity: Practicing tai chi
Social activities: Conversing with friends before and after tai chi practice
Passive contact: Pedestrians, joggers or cyclists who pass by the tai chi practitioners
Chance contact: Making new friends while practicing tai chi
Friends and close friends.: Practicing tai chi every morning

14. 12
b. Types of attraction
The different types of commercial areas present in both sites also allow differing attractions to
be presented in front of the business premises.
In the case of South Klang, a common transitional space in the form of the five-foot walkways
forms a continuous realm that extends past the rows of shophouses, allowing pedestrians and
users to visually and physically ‘permeate’ into and out of the businesses. As the five-foot
walkways poses such benefits, they were strategic locations for shopkeepers to display their
products as a means of attracting potential users to visit their businesses.
Such a phenomenon can be observed in Bolly Fashion located along Jalan Tengku Diaudin,
where the shop owners display traditional Indian clothing and textiles along the five-foot
walkways as a means of attraction. Similar patterns of commercial behaviour is also evident
in other traditional Indian textile shops in the site, as they prove to an effective business
technique to gain people’s attention.
In addition to that, the act of displaying clothing in front of the shop is beneficial to the business
as the items displayed have a direct relationship to users. According to Gehl (2011),
“Conversely, a great number of stops were noted in front of shops and exhibits that had a
direct relationship to other people and to the surrounding social environment, such as
Diagram 9: Location of contact point (Bolly Fashion).

15. 13
newspaper kiosks, photography exhibits, film stills outside movie theaters, clothing stores, and
toy stores” (p. 28).
Figure 8: Bolly Fashion.
Necessary activity: Pedestrians walking past the shop using five-foot walkway or the street
Optional activity: Pedestrians stopping to observe the displayed attractions
Social activities: Conversing with shop owner regarding the price of the clothing sold
Passive contact: Pedestrians passing by customers and shop owner of the business
Chance contact: Meeting other customers who are purchasing the same item
Acquaintance: Conversing with colleagues while purchasing items in the premise
Friends and close friends.: Chatting with close friends while choosing for items in the premise

16. 14
In contrast, the attractions present in Sheng Da Cheng along Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
are not physical objects, but human and activities. The famous Shanghai Chinese restaurant
located at the cross junction of Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street and Zhe Jiang Middle Road
serves dim sum breakfast through the three take away counters facing the pedestrian street
every morning, and customers will queue along the street to order and purchase food.
The presence of a group of customers in front of the shop functions as a form of attraction as
curious tourists or passers-by may momentarily stop their necessary activities, such as
walking towards a particular destination, to ask the customers on the food sold, thereby
allowing social activities to take place as well. “Wherever there are people, it is generally true
that people and human activities attract other people. People are attracted to other people,
and new activities begin in the vicinity of events that are already in progress” (Gehl, 2011, p.
23).
Diagram 10: Location of contact point (Shen Da Cheng).

17. 15
All in all, both these contact points enhance the main idea of this essay as they clearly define
how the differing types of commercial areas influence the types of attractions displayed in
outdoor areas, one which is directly related to the business itself, and the other, which uses a
leisurely display of human activity to do so.
Figure 9: People queuing in front of Shen Da Cheng in the morning.
Diagram 11: Shen Da Cheng.
Necessary activity: Queuing to purchase food in front of the shop
Optional activity: Pedestrians, joggers and cyclists stopping to observe the crowd
Social activities: Customers conversing with one another, tourists asking queuing customers on the food sold
Passive contact: Pedestrians, joggers and cyclists passing by the customers
Chance contact: Meeting other customers who are purchasing the same food
Friends and close friends.: Chatting with close friends while queuing for food

18. 16
c. Usable and unusable outdoor open areas
Usable and unusable outdoor open areas within both case studies also influence the type of
outdoor activities being carried out.
As South Klang is a designated mixed-use commercial area, emphasis was not given by local
authorities to provide basic usable outdoor areas for the public. As such, there is lack of usable
outdoor areas within the site to function as public gathering spaces. One such outdoor open
area within South Klang is bounded by Jalan Besar, Jalan Tengku Diaudin and Jalan Dato
Hamzah. The considerable piece of land directly opposite of the Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal
Gallery is surrounded by softscape, such as shrubs and trees. These softscape elements
forms a boundary around the open area, indicating that the space is inaccessible.
As the space is unusable, people simply use the small road located beside it to travel from
Jalan Tengku Diaudin to Jalan Dato Hamzah and vice versa for commercial related activities,
thereby ignoring it completely. The outdoor open area, which could potentially function as a
quality gathering space, is essential to increase outdoor activities among the users on site. A
close relationship between outdoor quality and outdoor activities can be noted (Gehl, 2011, p.
37).
Diagram 12: Location of contact point (Unusable outdoor open area).
Sultan Abdul Aziz
Royal Gallery

19. 17
Figure 10: Unusable outdoor open space as seen from
Jalan Besar.
Figure 11: Small road beside unusable outdoor open area.
Necessary activity: Walking past to travel from Jalan Dato Hamzah to Jalan Tengku Diaudin and vice versa
Optional activity: Pedestrians, joggers and cyclists stopping to observe the softscape
Social activities: Pedestrians initiating conversations with vehicle owners
Passive contact: Pedestrians passing by each other
Acquaintance: Walking down the road with office colleagues

20. 18
Likewise, public outdoor gathering areas such as the Century Square in Nanjing Road
Pedestrian Street as dedicated by the local authorities. The square allowed various events to
take place, such as free concerts, promotional activities and occasionally tai chi practices,
thereby providing a suitable venue to promote healthy outdoor activities, especially in the form
of optional and social activities. As the space is directly accessible to everyone, it allows
strangers, acquaintances or even close friends to utilise it as a meeting area as it is easy and
inviting to use.
Diagram 13: Location of contact point (Century Square).
Figure 12: Century Square.

21. 19
All in all, in the case of the case studies, the degree to which an outdoor open area is utilised
as public gathering spaces heavily depends on the commercial area it is located in.
Diagram 14: Century Square.
Necessary activity: Pedestrians walking past the area to travel to Century Park located next to it
Optional activity: Watching concerts, participating in events held there, practicing tai chi
Social activities: Meeting friends or close friends at the location
Passive contact: Observing screens and other people in the area
Chance contact: Participating in events with strangers, kids playing together
Friends and close friends: Meeting each other at a specified location in the area

22. 20
4. Conclusion
In a nutshell, through the analysis provided, it is justifiable that different types of commercial
areas affect outdoor activities in a particular site. The differing characteristics of these sites
ultimately influence the unplanned use of open spaces, allows differing attractions to be
presented in front of the premises. Lastly, the degree to which an outdoor open area is utilised
as public gathering spaces heavily depends on the commercial area it is located in.
Through the analysis provided, it is apparent that the dissimilarities of both case studies far
outweigh their similarities, which justifies the main idea of the entire comparative analysis
essay.

23. 21
5. References
a. Books
Gehl, J. (2011). Life Between Buildings. Washington: ISLAND PRESS.
b. Internet sources
i. Blog
食砚无田的博客. (2015, May 25). #老上海影集#之南京路. Retrieved from
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_548212d30101gvoo.html
ii. Online articles
Author unknown. (2015, October 10). 南京路步行街. Retrieved from
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/shanghai2/2624285.html
Author unknown. (2016, June 5). Tips for Visiting Nanjing Road in Shanghai. Retrieved from
https://www.tour-beijing.com/blog/tag/how-to-get-to-nanjing-east-road.
Author unknown. (2018). Nanjing Road Walkway. Retrieved from
https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%8D%97%E4%BA%AC%E8%B7%AF%E6%AD%A5%E8
%A1%8C%E8%A1%97/4871018?fr=aladdin
Kee, J. (2013, December 18). History 2 essay pre war shoplots. Retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net/JerrieKee/history-2-essay-pre-war-shoplots
Shanghai Highlights. (2017). Nanjing Road. Retrieved from
https://www.shanghaihighlights.com/shanghai-sightseeing/nanjing-road.html
SmartIntern Internship in China Program. (2014). SHANGHAI: THEN AND NOW. Retrieved
from http://www.smartinternchina.com/resources/internship-resources/98-historical-shanghai
Wong, A. (2014, January 8). Project: Architecture Heritage Building Analysis. Retrieved from
http://alexportfolio4arc.blogspot.com/2014/01/architecture-culture-history-2-project.html