Cognitiv essay

Illustrated Essay with a Cognitive Mapping of Brickfield,KL
ARC 1303 Theories of Architecture and Urbanism Page | 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Site Introduction
Figure 1 : Location of Brickfield
Brickfields is known as the biggest Little India of Kuala Lumpur and located just
south of the City Centre. In the past, Brickfield was home to the main depot of the
Malayan Railways during British rule. British brought people from Sri Lanka and South
India to work. Many workers were housed in the area, which is why to this day the
Indian community is so prominent in Brickfields. Brickfields has undergone a makeover
with the construction of KL Sentral, the modern transportation hub of Kuala Lumpur that
was built over the old railway depot. In 1881, a fire engulfed the city of Kuala Lumpur
followed by flood destroying most wooden structure. Since then, buildings are
constructed with bricks and hence Brickfields got its name. Brickfields is also tagged as
a "Divine Location" as many religious structures are in this area such as Buddhist Maha
Vihara Temple , Sri Kandaswamy Temple ,Evangelical Lutheran Church Tamil

Methodist church and so on. In Brickfield, many blind people can be seen as the
Malaysian Association for the Blind is located here where it provides shelter and training
for the blind . The paths around Brickfield are all equipped with tactile guided pathway to
aid the blind along the way. Today, Brickfield , especially KL Sentral area is one of the
fastest growing townships in KL.
For this assignment, Brickfield is then broken down into four zones where each
zone have different characteristic such as Zone A is more to commercial , offices and
transportation; Zone B , shop lots and residential area, Zone C which is the selected
zone for this assignment, more to residential, religious and institutional and lastly Zone
D, residential area.
Figure 2 : Location of site Zone C

1.2 Introduction of cognitive mapping
Cognitive map is a mental picture or image of the layout of one's environment. It
is used to find ways by recalling important features of the environment. This term was
first introduced by a psychologist, Edward Tolman in the 1940s. Cognitive maps can
help to navigate unfamiliar territory, give directions and learn to recall information.
Irrelevant or unimportant information is excluded from the mental map and thus it differ
from the actual environment of an actual place. In Kevin Lynch's The Image of the City
( 1960 ) , it emphasize on the physical qualities that relate to the attributes of identity
and structure in the mental image and this leads to the definition called imageability ,
where a stronger quality of a physical object will have a higher possibility of evoking a
strong image in any given observer. According to lynch, a highly imageable city would
seem well formed, distinct, remarkable and will pull greater attention and participation.

2.0 KEVIN LYNCH ELEMENTS
2.1 Path
Paths are channels along which the observer occasionally or potentially moves. It
may be streets, walkways, railroads. According to lynch ( 1960 ) , paths were
predominant city elements although their importance varied according to the degree of
familiarity with the city. People who know the city better thought more in terms of
specific paths and their relationships.
In Zone C, the major path is Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad where the vehicles,
public transportation and pedestrian mainly used to travel to outside Zone C or into
Zone C. Other than the main path, there are also many secondary path. These
secondary paths are smaller compared to the main path and the secondary paths bring
people into the deeper and quieter side of Zone C. All secondary paths are connected
with the main path. According to lynch, special facade characteristic is important for
path identity. For Zone C, the paths are full of greenery which gives a very distinct
characteristic to Zone C compared to other zone. The paths give a pleasant feeling
simply from standing. It gives a more quite and tranquil feeling to Zone C. Each path in
the Zone C are well equipped with tactile guided pathway to bring convenient to the
blind while roaming within this zone.
2.2 Edges
Edges are linear elements considered as path which breaks in continuity.
Examples of edges are shore, railroad and such edges maybe a barrier, which close
one region off from another and probably outline the city.
In Zone C, although Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad act as the main path, it acts
secondarily as an edge for Zone C. It divides the Zone C from the commercial district.

Other than Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad, there are also fragmentary edges which lynch
called which is the abstract continuous but only visualized at a discrete point and KTM
railway line acts as the fragmentary edges along the bottom part of Zone C. Although
edges are often path, there are also edges called overhead edges, which would not be
barriers at the ground level and might be an effective orientation elements in a city. In
Zone C, the LRT railway line are the overhead edges acting on Zone C. These edges
clearly divide the Zone C and also acting as the edges for Brickfield itself, separating
from Jalan Syed Putra.
2.3 District
Districts are the medium to large sections of a city which the observer mentally
enters " inside of " and which have some common character. The component to
determine a district is the thematic physical characteristics which may consist of endless
variety of components such as texture, form, detail, building type uses and so on. For
Zone C, it can be categorized into 3 districts which are residential district, institutional
district and religious district. Residential district and religious district' s path are fill with
the greenery which give a tranquil effect to the district whereas for institutional district,
the greenery seems lesser which also give out different characteristic for the district.
2.4 Nodes
Nodes are points, a strategic spots in a city into which an observer can enter. It
may be a junction, place of break in transportation , a moment of shift from one
structure to another. In Zone C , the nodes are the intersection of streets which does
not have a strong impact and hence make the nodes less memorable such as the
intersection between Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4 and Jalan Tun Sultan Abdul Samad,

there is no noticeable direction to which direction as it has no landmarks or attractive
points for people to move on or stop by. Other than this nodes, some nodes have
landmarks to support the directional movement such as the nodes at the Malay
traditional house and the Perbadanan Kesenian Malaysia, the Maha Vihara Buddhist
temple as the landmark gives a more sense of direction at the nodes.
2.5 Landmarks
Landmarks are another type o point reference which the observer usually do not
enter within them. they are external. Usually they are physical objects such as buildings,
signs, store or mountain. Some landmarks are distant one where it can be seen from
different angles and distances. The landmarks in Zone C are mostly local landmarks
formed from religious structure. First local landmarks will be the stood plate with a
temple name, which maybe the landmarks for the local but not for the outsiders as it
need people which is familiarize with the place to find it as a landmark. The other
landmarks will be the Malay traditional houses and British style house which their
architecture is quite unique and different from the surrounding. Another religious
structure will be the Maha Vihara Buddhist temple where its symbol can hardly be found
in KL area. Another two major landmarks along the main path Jalan Sultan Abdul
Samad are the Evanuecal Lutheran Church and the Tamil Methodist Church which both
have a distinct architectural style and their clear form vary contrast to the surrounding
makes them a strong landmarks.

3.0 ANALYSIS OF BRICKFIELD COGNITIVE MAPPING
Cognitive map is a mental picture or image of the layout of one's environment. It
is used to find ways by recalling important features of the environment. The site for this
research is at Zone C. This journey start from Nu Sentral, connected with KL Sentral is
a transit station and shopping center and one of the landmarks in Brickfield which act as
a guidance for the pedestrian, car drivers, and also the passengers for public transport.
Nu Sentral can also be called a nodes as Nu Sentral is a strategic point where everyone
can enter where moment of shift from one structure to another happens. Nu Sentral is
Figure 3 : Cognitive mapping of Zone C

an extrovert nodes as the general directions are explained and connections are clear, to
KL Sentral, to office district and to the opposite commercial shoplots.
From Nu Sentral, moving across the monorail station, above Jalan Tun
Sambanthan, the shophouses which rich in Indian culture is right in front. After the
monorail station is crossed, the arched structure can be seen on the left which cause
the decision made to turn left. Going down the street, the pedestrian path is equipped
with tactile guided pathway to aid the blind along the way and following the tactile
guided pathway, a junction acting as a nodes is met. Decision to turn left is made as
guided by the tactile guided pathway. Along the path, the environment is different from
what Nu Sentral portray with a busy modern commercial environment, along Jalan Tun
Sambanthan 4, the density of people decrease and more greenery can be seen. At the
end of the street, a cross junction can be seen, the overhead pedestrian bridge with lift
can be seen at the left side of the junction and this draws the attention to move that way.
Along the path, the greenery are all along the both path and this gives a quite feeling to
institutional district lies beside the path. Walking along the path, a sudden change of the
floor tiles of the path draws attraction and this symbolized the change of district from
institutional to residential district. Before reaching the junction turning into the residential
area, a unique triangle structure which is a Tamil Methodist church is on the right and it
is a landmark as it has a clear form and very contrast with the background around.
Figure 4 : Tamil Methodist Church Figure 5 :Different floor tiles and greenery
along the path

This path has a denser greenery which add shades to the pathway . Going down
this path , there is a blue colored bicycle track way at the right of the path and at the end
of the bicycle path, the LRT railway line act as the edges giving a sense of dead end to
this pathway. This path which is called Jalan Berhala separates the institutional district
and residential district. Moving down this path, there are 2 Hindu temples which can act
as the landmarks for the residence around the area but not for the outsiders as it is too
deep inside the district. At the end of the Jalan Berhala is edges by KTM railway line
which stops people from going further. At the junction, decision made to turn right where
the path is still named Jalan Berhala separates the residential district on the right and
the traditional shophouses on the left. Along this shaded path, the stood plate with a
temple's name on it contrast with the surrounding which attract and cause people to
pause looking at it and this draws the attention to lure people into the temple. The path
into the temple is a slight slope which topographically attract people to enter but sadly
the temple was not open.
Moving out from the temple, following the tactile guided pathway, decision to
turn right is made. Following the path, a grand building, Perbadanan Kesenian Malaysia
is on the right of the path. At the end of the path a special and unique Malay traditional
house, and British style house is acting as the landmark for the locals as it depends as
much upon how familiar the people is with their surrounding as upon the elements itself.
Figure 6 : Stood plate with temple name Figure 7 : Topography attracts people in

ARC 1303 Theories of Architecture and Urbanism Page |
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These buildings stand out itself as the architectural style for these buildings differs from
the others . At this junction, KTM railway line is at the left which act as the edges
restricting movement towards it. Turning left, moving into Jalan Berhala, the Maha
Vihara Buddhist temple is at the right of the pathway. Its structure at the entrance act as
a symbolic landmarks as this symbol of Buddhist temple hardly can be found in KL area.
Going up to the path, the bank rakyat tower act as a distant landmarks which have
prominent points visible from many positions brought us forward.
Again at the junction, decision made to turn left as the curved path unintentionally
give a sense of direction and a large old tree also give attention to move towards.
Opposite the junction, the construction is still ongoing and the hoarding of the
construction might act as the edges for Zone C. Moving down the path, institution can
be seen at the end of the path. Following the designated pathway, a turn to left is made.
Along this path, it separate the international institution and local institution whereas the
Global Indian International School is at the left and SKK ( C) St. Teresa Brickfield is on
the right. With the boundary of the international school act as the edges, a u turn is
made. Back to the junction, a right turn in made following the shaded pathway in front of
the school. Continue walking, SMK La Salle with beautiful mural painting introducing the
history of Brickfield is at the end of the Zone C and this junction will be memorable
because of the mural painting at the wall of SMK La Salle. Then from SMK La Salle,
decision made turn back to venture the unvisited part within Zone C is made. Along the
Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad path, where the construction hoarding is on the left, a
Figure 7 : Special symbol for Maha Vihara
Buddhist temple
Figure 8: Bank Rakyat tower as distant landmark.

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different architectural style of church, Evanuecal Lutheran Church on the right act as the
landmark for Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad.

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4.0 CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the cognitive mapping is done based on the memories during the
journey within Zone C. Zone C has a clear edges which are Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad
which divides Zone C from the commercial district , LRT railway lines as the overhead
edges and the KTM railway line as the fragmented edges separating Zone C from Jalan
Syed Putra. Zone C also has a path with rows of greenery to give characteristic to the
Zone , clear districts which are institutional district, residential district and religious
district , road junctions as nodes and several religious structure as the landmarks.

Cognitiv essay

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Cognitiv essay