4. Back to the Roots
1857 - Where it all started
● Raja Abdullah and Jumaat brought
contingent of 87 Chinese tin miners.
● Disembarked at the confluence of
Klang and Gombak rivers evolved
into a mining settlement aka Kuala
Lumpur
1857-1880 - The Hardship
● KL marked multiple struggles. Physical
conditions were difficult: disease, war,
fire and decline in tin prices
1880-1895 - The Township
● Regulations, buildings converted to
bricks and tiles, roads metalled and
drained, piped water and multiple
amenities and religious building
were constructed
1895-1917 The Urban Settlement
● KL established as main urban
settlements in Malaya also
designated as administrative capital of
the Federated Malay States.
● Civic buildings and infrastructures
● Diversification of ethnicities,
businesses and social classes.
● From mining town matured to full
fledge capital city.
Figure 1: Kuala Lumpur Historical Evolution (Think CIty Sdn. Bhd.)
5. Back to the Roots
1930 Continued with great
depression
● Economic down fall
1946-1945 - Japanese
Occupation
● Buildings were converted for war
times use while others were damaged.
1946-1995 - The Independence
● Iconic civic structures of Merdeka
architecture were constructed towards
shaping a national identity.
1995- Present Urban Grain
Figure 2: Kuala Lumpur Historical Evolution (Think CIty Sdn. Bhd.)
6. Segregation of Core Functions
As a result of modernism,
overtime, development
rapidly grew at places
outside of downtown Kuala
Lumpur, the numbers of
residentials in Downtown KL
are decreasing. Downtown
KL no longer serves as the
centralisation of core
function as the centralisation
has scattered over the Land of
Malaya.
Figure 3: Loss of Core Function from Downtown KL (Think CIty Sdn. Bhd.)
7. Result of Function Decentralisation of Downtown KL
Threatens the meaning and
identities of the shophouses
upholds
Abandoned buildings Significance Decline of Residency
in the area
Threatens the social and economy
of Downtown KL
Shophouses Preserved Art and Culture District Historical Value Identity
Positive
Negative
9. Districts
Scale 1 : 7500
1. Heritage Quadrant Precinct
3. Petaling Street Precinct
4. Education Precinct
5. Traditional Shopping Street Precinct
2. Civic Precinct
10. Traditional and Modernist
Urban Space
Modernist Urban Space
Traditional Urban Space
● Fine grains
● Dense with blocks and
buildings where
streets and spaces are
small in scale
● " The plot pattern"
● Corse and loose grains
● 'Modernist' urban space
typically consists of
freestanding 'pavilion'
buildings in landscape settings.
● Buildings became
sculptures,'objects in space',
● Therefore the relationship to
public space - merely a
by-product of their internal
planning.
Scale 1 : 7500
11. Traditional and Modernist
Urban Space
Comparison of Public Footprint
Modernist Urban Space Traditional Urban Space
- Loose public spaces
- Less controlled movement
- Social inactivity
- Compact public spaces
- streets / spaces in-between
buildings
- Promotes social activity
Modernist Urban Space Traditional Urban Space
NTS
12. Urban Grid Form
Organic Grid Form Regular Grid Form
Weaker imageability as it
reduces visual permeability
Better imageability provided with
the end to end visual permeability
Comparison of Urban Grid
between District 1 and 3
District 1 District 3
NTS
14. Edges
Physical Edges
River of Life
A boundary that separates
two different district’ entities.
Infrastructure
Small businesses
and conserved
shophouses
River of life acts as a physical boundaries that separates the two different districts with unique
entities. The bridges are the only access to physical permeability that connects to two districts.
The supposedly developed public sidewalk
by the western side of the river is not well
maintained.
NTS
15. Edges
Physical Edges
From the site, the overhead
railway is supported by a
relatively high structural wall
therefore entire blocks up the
direct visual to the district
opposite the river.
Overhead Railway
A LRT overhead railway is developed by the side on River of Life. With the existence of yet another
physical edge, it severely disrupts the visual permeability of the district to the district opposite.
This creates an uninviting sense for users.
Though LRT railway is part of the urban planning to bring in public to the site which promotes a
ease of accessibility for public from other centralisations.
Connects people physically through LRT but disconnects visually.
NTS
16. Edges
Physical Edges
Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lok
Main Driveway
Scale 1 : 7500
Jalan Tun Perak
Jalan Tun Sambanthan
Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin
Main Driveway a form of edge that
disconnects the pedestrians walkability
between districts.
17. Edges
Soft Edges
Soft edges signal to people that a city is
welcoming. In contrast, in streets with
retail, where solid metal shutters close
off shops outside opening hours a
sense of rejection and insecurity is
produced. ( Jan Gehl, 2011 )
Kasturi Walk
Life in the street and on the street,
mixed functions along the street and
friendly edge zones are key qualities for
good cities — also in terms of safety and
surveillance.
Scale 1 : 7500
Petaling Street
Example of closed metal shutters
shops that creates a sense of
rejection.
19. Land use
Scale 1 : 7500
This land use plan shows how the spaces are being
utilised in these 5 districts. From the diagram,
most of the spaces are dominated by commercial
use, but is diverse within a compact space of our
site.
20. Third Space
Third spaces are specific to cultures and
to historical eras. Third spaces are highly
inclusive and accessible spaces, is serve
as a neutral ground where individuals
can come and go as they please. It is
being characterised by a ‘playful mood’
and providing psychological comfort and
support (Oldenburg, 1989)
Most of the shophouses in district 1 & 3
are considered as “third space” such as
kopitiam, jewellery shops, salons and
florists.
These spaces are important promote
social interaction and community
forming within an area.
Scale 1 : 7500
Chain restaurants for necessary activities.
Kopitiams for people to gather and
socialize.
REXKL as a cultural and art market to
promote local art scene and gather people.
21. Traditional businesses and craft issues
3. Insufficient funds: Low margins means
that businesses are unable to withstand
harsh times for instance the current COVID-19
situation as sales drop.
5. Lack of exposure: as compared to higher end businesses, less
advertising and marketing within the traditional businesses.
1. Lack of production resources: In the current
situation there is difficulty in attaining and
preserving the resources needed for
production, due to transport issues, etc.
2. Lack of R&D: Competition with new
upcoming businesses that are introducing
new forms of technology through research
and development.
4. Fading traditional culture: the inability to push culture in the
upcoming trends within the area and changing times.
23. Landmarks
Scale 1 : 7500
Central Market (shopping)
To Site A : 60m
To Site B : 425m
Madras Lane Hawkers (food)
(Jo, 2014)
To Site A : 300m
To Site B : 210m
MRT Pasar Seni (transport)
To Site A : 245m
To Site B : 35m
Necessary activity driven
Dayabumi Complex
(wayfinding) (Wikipedia,
n.d.)
To Site A : 180m
To Site B : 495m
24. Landmarks
Scale 1 : 7500
Kasturi Walk (shopping)
To Site A : 35m
To Site B : 400m
Kwai Chai Hong (photo
taking) (Sit, 2019)
To Site A : 530m
To Site B : 85m
Petaling Street (shopping)
(James, 2018)
To Site A : 215m
To Site B : 135m
Guan Di Temple (religious)
To Site A : 170m
To Site B : 215m
Culturally driven
25. Scale 1 : 7500
Serial Vision
Pasar Seni Bus Station on the left
can be easily recognised due to its
organic roof structure and it can be
a temporal node for people that are
waiting for the bus.
Hotel and the TNB station on the left
is shaded and easily recognisable.
The Wau canopy forms a grandeur
statement, greeting visitors into the
site.
The trees along the Central Market
and shophouses provide nice
shading, drawing pedestrians to
site especially during afternoon
hours.
The mural art and the Wau Bulan
canopy can be seen at the junction,
acting as a landmark forming an
identity of the site.
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Landmarks from site B to site A
26. Scale 1 : 7500
Serial Vision
The Entrance of Petaling Street act
as a significant node and drop off
point for people to recognize and
engage.
As a popular tourist spot, the
shophouses and stalls within the
street are occupied and diversified to
form a culturally rich and bustling
experience.
The MRT pasar Seni visually blocks
site B from view but acts as a
landmark for pedestrians to find the
site.
There are public realms opposite 2
sides of Site B ,they gives openness
to the site.
The Guan Di temple’s architecture
gives the area a sense of solemness
while the wide walkway and public
seating encourage people to walk it,
sit and interact.
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Landmarks from site A to site B
27. Serial Vision
Identified River of Life Walk as a good
example of public realm creation
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Wide Sidewalk promotes walkability
of the urban scape and planters to
soften the edges of walkway.
Art sculpture set up at the
welcoming statement of the river
side cultural walk as well as to
promote the local art culture.
Cultural walk accompanied by large
strip of green belt to soften the
physical edge between districts
which also promotes accessibility
from Leboh Pasar Besar to site.
Scale 1 : 7500
Public seatings at the green belt for
rest and chance contacts, and
scenery enjoyment.
The journey ends with canopies that
go towards Central Market.
29. NODES
Nodes
1. Pik Wah Bar & Cafe (Night node)
2. Pasar Seni Bus Hub (Transitional node)
3. Corner plant area
( Rest node)
4. Medan Pasar (Event node)
5. Lorong Panggong (Tourist node)
“Kwai Chai Hong”
6. Petaling street (Shopping node)
Scale 1 : 7500
3
2
1
4
5
6
30. Passive Contact Chance Contact Friends Contact
Transport Hub (Transitional node) -GO KL PASAR
SENI BUS STAND PURPLE LINE
-Passive contact: Catching buses and watching people move around
-Chance contact: People meeting new people
-Friends contact: Friends and families meeting up to travel together..
-Necessary activity:
i) Information center
ii) Waiting at the bus stop to commute
-Optional activity:
i) Public toilet
ii) Sitting on benches to rest
-Social activity:
i) Interactions within one another while waiting
-Passive contact: Tourists using street as a shortcut to reach their
destination.
-Chance contact: Incidences of banter within people.
-Friends contact: Rendez-vous point for a group of friends
-Necessary activity:
i) Using street as a journey home
ii) Meeting point
-Optional activity:
i) Groups of people enjoying their spare time
ii) Visitors taking photos of the night life
-Social activity:
i) Bars, encourage interaction between people
Bar (Night node) -Pik Wah Bar & Cafe
Nodes
31. Passive Contact Chance Contact Friends Contact
Medan Pasar (Event node)
-Passive contact: Visitors participating in shopping activities
-Chance contact: Making new interactions with people
-Friends contact: Families and friends come over for shopping for
quality bonding time
-Necessary activity:
i) People come to shop
ii) Locals running errands
-Optional activity:
i) Sitting on nearby benches
ii) Tourists exploring the town
-Social activity:
i) Happens spontaneously as people are moving about and being in
the same open spaces.
-Passive contact: Tourists experiencing the green spaces
-Chance contact: Tourists asking locals questions
-Friends contact: Meeting point for a group of friends
-Necessary activity:
i) Using street as a journey home
ii) Meeting point
-Optional activity:
i) Sitting on nearby benches
ii) Visitors taking pictures and videos of greenscape
-Social activity:
i) Children playing
ii) People interacting while sitting on the benches
Corner plant area near to site B (Rest node)
Nodes
32. Passive Contact Chance Contact Friends Contact
Petaling Street (Shopping node)
-Passive contact: Pedestrians using this zebra crossing at the crossroads as an
easier way towards their destination.
-Chance contact: Tourists interacting with local vendors
-Friends contact: Families and friends come to lhops
-Necessary activity:
i) Using crossroads as part of their route
ii) Locals coming to run errands
-Optional activity:
i) Shopping
-Social activity:
i) Interaction between the customers and stall vendors
-Passive contact: Visitors using this street as a route towards their
destination
-Chance contact: People having meals with one another
-Friends contact: Families and friends come to enjoy meals
-Necessary activity:
i) Street vendors set up their eateries to earn a living
ii) Street as a journey to home
-Optional activity:
i) Having meals
ii) Resting
-Social activity:
i) Gathering at restaurants encourages interactions between people
Lorong Panggong “Kwai Chai Hong” (Tourist node)
Nodes
34. Vehicular Accessibility
Scale 1 : 7500
District 1 consists of multiple 1 way circulation
of main road for vehicles, it is more defined
and utilised. The backlanes are utilised for
people.
However, District 3 consists of more ways of
vehicle access compared to district 1, and
vehicles can access through 1 way or 2 way
main road. The backlanes are utilised for
vehicles.
Lebuh Pasar Besar
Jalan Kinabalu
Jalan Tun H S Lee
(along Site B)
Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lok
Jalan Tun Perak
(along Site A)
35. Public Transportation Hubs
Scale 1 : 7500
There are many public transportation hubs
within the 2 districts and from different
directions, this creates multiple large
ingress points without needing private
vehicles.
Masjid Jamek LRT Station
Pasar Seni LRT, Bus Hub
Pasar Seni MRT Station
Jalan Pudu Bus Hub
There is presently good infrastructure and
accessibility feeding people into the area to visit
the nodes and landmarks of KLCCD.
36. Path of Safuan
1. Central Market Parking
Lot
2. MYNews Convenience Store
3. UOB Bank Medan
Pasar Branch
4. Restoran Tajudin
190M
50M
90M
Mr Safuan, 31
Loan Processor at UOB Bank
(Medan Pasar Branch)
3
2
4
1
Scale 1 : 7500
37. Path of Chee
1. Petaling Street Car Park
2. Madras Lane Hawker
10M
70M
Mrs Chee, 64
Curry Laksa Hawker at Madras Lane
3. Guan Di Temple
Scale 1 : 7500
3
2
1
38. Path of Tourists
1. Central Market LRT
3. Petaling Street
4. Kasturi Walk
6. Masjid Jamek LRT
100M
60M
160M
University students, 19-20
Tourists from Johor
2. Lorong Panggong
5. Sultan Abdul Samad Building
300M
180M
Scale 1 : 7500
3
2
1
4
5
6
39. Path of People
We can conclude that the diversity in land use and dense
urban layout allows for convenience of different
demographics such as white collar workers, blue collar workers
and tourists of different age groups.
They are able to walk to their destinations within minutes to
perform necessary or optional activities.
White collar worker Blue collar worker Tourists
40. Shades as Attractions
1. Jalan Petaling
2. Central Market Bus Hub
6. Madras Lane Hawkers
1
2
6
5
3
4
5. Petaling Street
4. Kasturi Walk
3. Jalan Pudu Bus Hub
KLCCD is set in the tropical climate, hot and humid with
temperatures reaching 33C during noons, shades are essential in
increasing the functional duration of a public space throughout
the day.
Therefore it’s no surprise that that nodes and landmarks are
shaded.
Scale 1 : 7500
41. Busy Backlanes
1. Extended functions for
restaurants (Lorong Bandar 18)
5. Storage for hawker stalls
3. Flower stalls
(Sri Maha Mariamman Temple)
2. Tourist Attraction (Kwai Chai Hong)
4. Food stalls (Lorong Pudu)
1. Timothy Cafe
1
4
5
2
3
1
Backlanes are an integral part of public
realm in KLCCD as they serve many
functions.
Scale 1 : 7500
42. Busy Backlanes
Vandalism with graffiti by people who have low
civic values, and due to less surveillance.
Operational stalls / non operational stalls completely block the entire
back lanes, reducing accessibility and physical permeability. Some are
completely blocked, while others only have enough space for a motorcycle
to pass through.
Backlanes are used as space for economic functions such as hawker stalls and
merchant stalls. This shows that that locals will functionally adapt their
surrounding built form for the means of survival.
43. Existing Green Spaces
Urban green spaces that have is present in site.
1. Merdeka Square
2. Central Market MRT
3. Jalan Petaling
4. Goon International College
5. Purple Cane Tea House
2
1
3
4
5
● Historical buildings at edges of green
space
● People stay near the edges
● Allow for sports and large scale events
● In front of main road
● Seatings and shaded by trees
● Promote passive contact for
observation
● Linear layout
● Bright lighting at site deter
crime
● Deter crime
● Linear layout
● Bright lighting at site deter
crime
● Deter crime
● Next to junction
● Seatings and shaded by trees
● Next to a tea shop
These urban green spaces have no
centerpiece or square to draw
people and linger, there are only
meant for short term rests
throughout one’s journey, hard to
create chance contacts.
Scale 1 : 7500
44. 5 foot walkway
Complete disruption Complete disruption, but
allows for visual
permeability
Partial disruption.
For the use of grocery shops to display grocery items of the shop,
loading and unloading of goods.
Personalization of 5 foot walkway causing disruption of path,
there are 2 main types seen within the districts, one is partial
disruption of walkability at the 5 foot walkway, the other is a
complete disruption.
45. 5 foot walkway
Some eateries or cafes added seating and plants to personalize and beautify their shopfront
46. 5 foot walkway
Partial disruption. This shows functional obsolescence from the
temporal dimension, though temporarily during pandemic times.
From what we can see, from above examples, people personalize and
adapt the walkway because 5 foot just isn’t enough for the use cases of
current times.
Due to the pandemic, 5 foot walkways have been used as a functional part of the shop premis for ordering, causing a partial
or complete disruption of walkability depending on rush hour and business. People have to wait, exposing themselves to
weather. The narrow width of the shophouses do not allow for lining up while ordering food.
48. Urban Fabric
The urban fabric of KLCCD that combines the old and new, contemporary
and traditional, variations that keeps the visual experience interesting.
The harmony of different pattern languages and form languages forges
the KLCCD experience.
49. Urban Fabric
Plaza First Nationwide
OCBC Bank Oriental Building
The larger tower buildings such as offices and banks distinguished themselves from neighbouring
buildings, signifying importance and prestige with larger scales for wall cladding, and more
premium materials for finishes.
There is a variety, of scale and proportion in the street experience while walking.
50. Urban Fabric
Groups of buildings with less maintained
facades creates sense of hostility in the area,
disrupting the overall experience of KLCCD.
51. Homelessness
Nomadic lifestyle can be spotted around the site. The situation is caused
by the existing soup kitchen that serves the nomadic community
food at certain hours. Therefore, many flock to the surrounding area.
52. There is a need of upkeep towards the facades of the buildings in the KLCCD, and fix the present social issues to
lessen the perceived sense of hostility towards the visitors and therefore having any chance of drawing people to
start business or stay here and sustain the area in the long term.
Urban Fabric
Graffiti as a major component of urban walls in district 1 and 3. Bare walls and
unused back alley walls, are perfect canvases for graffiti artists. It further
engraves the sense of hostility and safety at some parts of the district.
53. Scale and Proportion
Claustrophobic Bustling Change Timeless Enclosure
Jalan Hang Lekir Jalan Petaling
Stalls filled both sides of
the street, creating a
bustling scene, buffering
the large scale buildings
the the side to create an
intimate scale.
Walking in between 2
tall buildings in a narrow
alley creates a sense of
discomfort.
A difference in scale and
proportions when walking
through buildings of
different typologies creates
a sense of freshness in the
district.
The 5 foot walkways and
shophouses that have
been there for almost a
century allows for a
glimpse of the past.
Alleyways between short
shophouses creates a sense
of enclosure, sky is framed
and wide.
Bangunan Luen
Heng
Hotel Malaya Syarikat Perniagaan
Luen Wah
Bubble Bee Cafe
The variation of scale and proportion in conjunction with the perception that it brings could give insights on how
future height regulations of building conservation and adaptive use guidelines of the area can be drafted.
Scale and proportion affects how people perceive the public realm.
54. Skyline of Site A
Site A sits beside Central Market, Kasturi Walk and 2 storey high
shophouses, the skyline are similar in height, and has less drastic
changes, gives it a sense of harmony and perhaps monotony.
Surrounding Skyline of Site A
55. Surrounding Skyline of Site B
On East of Site B, across the road, a row of shophouses that consists of 4
and 5 storey structures and 2 to 3 storey shophouses, differences in
height creates rises and drops, and the different shapes and sizes
clerestory gives a sense of vitality and liveliness even without people.
57. Views to Site A
Infrastructure overlaps the western
side of the site, disrupting the
visual permeability of from the
site.
A fragmented visual permeability
is experienced from this view as
moving vehicles play a supremacy
role on the framing of the view.
Shade and absences of vehicles
at Kasturi Walk allows visitors to
enjoy the experience provided by
the site.
The “Wau” gate can be clearly
spotted even from a distance
which improves the legibility of
the site.
1
2
3
4
3
4
2
1
Scale 1 : 7500
58. Views to Site B
1 2
3
4
4
A wall from the JPJ building blocks the
site visually from eye level.
The site is framed by rows of
shophouses on the East , with open
spaces on the North and West, which
makes the site has unobstructed views
to buildings far away from those
directions such as the Dayabumi
Complex.
The road at the North of site to has an axis
towards the tower PNB 118.
Wisma Tun Sambanthan can be seen from
the South of the site, measured 100 meters
away.
3
4
2
1
Scale 1 : 7500
60. PESTEL Analysis
Politics
● Development Planning Movement by
Think City and Cendana
● Rental Rate Policy for Shophouses in
heritage areas
● Shophouses be included in the
government scheme of transit housing or
micro housing to promote affordable
living in downtown KL in line with Draft
Kuala Lumpur 2040 Plan.
● Nurturing the Art and Culture Market
● Conservation and Redevelopment
Economy
● Grants for facade upkeep of traditional /
heritage buildings.
● Self sufficient Economy
● Promotes Local Tourism
● Strong sector networks across the cultural
& creative economy (formal and informal),
facilitating knowledge exchange
● Review and reform the business support
and investment landscape for Kuala
Lumpur – to ensure creative businesses
have access to tailored expertise and
advice, business-to-business exchange,
and key investment communities.
Social
● Ratio of white collars offices to cultural
movement is relatively high
● Engage cultural events with the public to
increase social activeness in the area.
● Approach institutions to promote cultural
movement and understanding
● Lack of business support in key creative
sectors – e.g. visual arts, performing arts,
and music
● Resources to help the metally illed.
61. PESTEL Analysis
Technology
● Readaptation of conserved buildings
● R&D of traditional crafts into
contemporary uses
● Providing a supply chain for materials
needed for crafts during the Covid-19
pandemic.
● Reintroduce education of the modern
technology as art and culture medium
Environmental
● Good physical connectivity but weak
visual permeability
● Conserved / heritage building rework
● Flash flood issue
Legals
● Stricter laws on vandalism on public
property
● Stricter regulation of selling knock-off
products
● Laws on 5 foot walkway renovations and
personalizations to prevent a disruption
of walkability
62. An evolving connotation
From our findings on the urban elements of KLCCD, we can understand that:
The people here are not restricted by the default purpose or function of the built form, they
adapt the built form to suit their needs, to sustain their livelihood
● five foot walkways for their own needs
● alleys for hawker stalls and extended functions
● shophouses turned into eateries
There is a show of resiliency and a show of strength in the spirit of the people.
The physical aspect of old KL city centre is here to stay, but now due to the changing times
and trend, the cultural aspect reaches a crossroad, to adapt its culture to suit the new era of
needs and trends, or to stay and risk being swept away by the relentless march of time.
What we can do (as designers) is to lend them a helping hand in this change,a gentle nudge
towards the right direction to help KLCCD grow and sustain itself in the coming years.
63. Thank You
Tutor : Ar. Edward
By
Celine Sabina Michelle Pacheco (0333005)
Chin Cheong Soon (0323529)
Jordan Tok Wen Xuan (0327629)
Tan Wei Sen ( 0324564)
