sk comparative analysis essay

PROJECT 2: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY

School of Architecture, Building and Design

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Architecture

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM [ARC61303]

PROJECT PART 2: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY (Individual)

Foo Shi-Ko 0318262

Mr. Prince Favis


Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Phetchaburi Road, Bangkok

1.2 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR)

2.0 Comparative Analysis Essay

2.1 Pattern of Social Activities

2.2 Type of Contact Points + Degree of Contact Intensities

3.0 Conclusion

4.0 References and Citations


1.0 Introduction

1.1 Phetchaburi Road, Bangkok

In the city of Bangkok, it shares many similarities with its fellow Asian mega-cities including snarling traffic,

explosive growth, tasty street food and multiplicity of cultures. However, Bangkok’s canal-inspired street

layout complicates and lengthens daily commutes for its residents in a way that sets it apart from

neighbouring cities, yet its nonsensical street pattern could become Bangkok’s saving grac e despite its

obviousnegatives.

The selected street from Bangkok is the Phetchburi Road which also as known as ‘New Petchburi’ or

‘Petchburi Tat Mai’ in Bangkok stretches all the way from the east side to the west side of the city right

off Ratchathewi Road, making it one of the longest roads in Bangkok. Its strategic location is close

proximity to a series of mixed-use commercial and residential buildings, tourist attraction spot and Siam

areas of downtown Bangkok as Phetchburi’s biggest selling point. On this topic, we will discuss on the

patterns of social activities as well as the types of ‘contact points’ along the street and identifying the

varying degrees of contact intensity.

1.2 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR), Kuala Lumpur

Whereas the selected street from locally which is used as our studio project site to be compared to

Phetchaburi Road is Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR). Both street seem to share a number of common

features where it is the centre of attraction where it is a famous gathering point of the local community

and also serves as a popular tourist spot as it is where all the commercial and local street food delicacies

congregate and meet up. This helps to better understanding of both sites as each has familiarise a certain

degree of social encounters between the people and its communities which helped them in terms of

developing a pattern of social living that made up to the interesting comparative points worth arguing.


Figure 1.1.1 Street view of Jalan TAR

Figure 1.1.2 Map of Phetchaburi Road, Bangkok.

Figure 1.1.1 Street view of Phetchaburi Road, Bangkok.


2.0 Comparative Analysis Essay

2.1 Pattern of Social Activities

Generally speaking, the public outdoor activities can be divided into three categories: necessary activities,

optional activities and last but not least social activities. Social activities is defined as such that it is a

characteristic of experience, behaviour as well as interaction of person’s forming group. Jan Gehl from

‘Life Between Building” had described such that “social activities area all acrivities that depend on the

presence of others in public spaces.” It could be children at play, gree tings and conversations, communal

activities of various kinds and simply seeing and hearing other people. Communal spaces in cities and

residential area become meaningful and attractive when all activities of all types occur in combination

and feed off each other.

Looking into Petchaburi’s road social activities pattern, the overall social activities level of intensity is very

high as it is one of the longest linear street in Bangkok where it is a popular attraction due to its well -

known for their commercial buildings and street food stalls run along this street. Many of the local

community as well as tourist enjoy visiting here most of their time spent in Bangkok. There are not much

of a proper communal spaces or resting area for people to interact with each other except between the

buyer and the sellers as observed on Phetchaburi.

These all contributes to the physical factors where the occurrence of social activity including route

planning of the streets where most stalls are packed behind the alleys which became a contact point for

people to walk on. The public infrastructure and facilities offered along the sideways such as the resting

seats are poorly lacked however there the public phone booth which does not used by the local and is

viewed as a hindrance to the walkability of people.

Referring back to Jan Gehl’s theory, “Social activities also known as the term “resultant” activities,

because nearly all instances they evolve from activities linked to the other two activities categories.”. For

instance, the marketing activities on the streets draws more and more public transportation especially the

cabs and tuktuks to stop by the roadside where Petchaburi has become a main public route that become

a necessary activity to the locals, students, workers, visitors and ecetera. The commercial blocks provides

to fulfill the needs of both the necessary and optional activities of the people where people come here to

restock their grocery, have a walk or shopping with their family and friends and many more. This ultimately

leads to generate a form of social pattern through the nature of activities and also circulation created by

the people movement within the selected public spaces.


Figure 2.1.1 Local community circulation from residential area to Phetchaburi Road

Figure 2.1.2 Vistors/ Tourists circulation from residential area to Phetchaburi Road


Figure 2.1.3 Workers circulation from residential area to Phetchaburi Road

However in Jalan TAR, its social activities patterns runs mostly inside the five -foot walkway on the street

level of the colonial shophouses as it serves as a sun shading properties protecting the pedestrian from

the harsh tropical climate. The covered space beneath creates a kind of interactive space between the

buyer and sellers where shop owner display their merchandise or temporary plastic seats on the walkway

encouraging human activities and communications to occur.

Figure 2.1.4 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR) shopping street


Jan Gehl's research focuses upon the quality of the urban public space which, according to the author is

a necessary condition for guaranteeing the vitality of environments. In this case, what drives the crowd

to Jalan TAR was the shopping involved similar to Phetchaburi Road. As times passes, the streets

became a gather point due to the high intensities of trading and retail along the road.

2.2 Type of Contact Points + Degree of Contact Intensities

Contact point are define widely as a focal point where opportunities of meeting to communicating with

another being could be found at. According to Jan Gehl, “the concept of carrying degrees of contact

intensity is the basis of the following simplified outline of various contact form.” As an example from the

lowest intensity of the hierarchy which would be the Passive contacts and to the highest intensity contact

point which is to the degree of relationship between chance contacts, acquaintances, friend and close

friendship.

In Phetchaburi street, the main contact points could be identified through the major landmarks on site

which supply the local community to realizing their necessary activities such as running errands for daily

needs, going to school or to work and to religious purposes. The first contact point is discovered on

Shibuya Pratunam which located adjacent to one of the backlanes of Phetchaburi main road. The

interesting part in this contact point is we can notice the junction of the road became a recessed drop off

area and pickup point for the visitors and local community as there are no proper parking space provided.

People hail taxis or get picked up by acquaintances and these create various various contact intensities

beside promoting contact between pedestrian and the vehicular community. Hence, this form a relatively

high intensity contact point as most of the visitors here are mostly family or friends come together and

have a good shop together and the condition engages conversation and interaction as people using

communication to indicate their needs.

Small stalls are being set up around the junction as the seller intends to use the contact intensities as to

their advantage for marketing of merchandise. You can hear conversation between the seller and buyer

bargaining prices, the walking steps of the pedestrian walking across the road, the constant honking of

vehicular at the road stimulating the senses of the users adding a vibrant and interest of life to the street.

Distinctively, the large canopy offered by the mini stalls became a stopping point for shoppers to stop by

and have a view of their merchants as well as shading themselves from the tropical harsh weather.


Figure 2.2.1 Mini stalls along the Soi Phetchaburi street in front of Shibuya Pratunam

Figure 2.2.2 The junction at Shibuya Pratunam where mini stalls set up around it with crowds

The second contact point would be the Darul Aman Mosque, similar to Shibuya Pratunam,

which is located one of the backalley of the Phetchaburi street named Phetchaburi 7 alley. However,

the surprising discrete difference between these two streets is that this street appear to be quieter in

overall compare to Shibuya Pratunam. This can be explained through the necessary activities which

is the prayers conducted by the Muslim are constricted to a certain time and day otherwise the other

time it pretty much is empty as it is also a mixed-use area with residential buildings could be found next


to the Mosque as well. Another reason being is the mosque location being strayed away towards the

West side from the main street where all the well-known shopping commercial business are placed at

and the mosque provide the basic daily needs of the residents living in that area.

In Darul Aman Mosque, the streets reflects strongly upon Jan Gehl’s theory where the

possibilities related to the low-intensity contact forms offered in public spaces perhaps can best be

described by the situation that exists if they are lacking. The involvement and engagement of the

community here circulate mainly on the opening hours of the mosque only more crowd would be

spotted otherwise there seem there is not a obligatory point to walk on the same merchandise

displayed everyday as opposed to the shopping streets which keep up to the latest trends and fashion

which sparks curiosity as well as the attention of visitors.

Figure 2.2.3 Mini stalls with lesser people located adjacent to Masjid Darul Aman

The third contact point would be the Talad Neon night market where shops are arranged in a grid system

accordingly creating directive linear typology enhancing the walkability experience of users. Talad Neon

Night market located on the border of Phetchaburi Road and can easily grabbed the attention of the

pedestrian across the street through its eye-catching bright neon LED lights all over the place. Along the

rows of market stalls, local hawkers and buyer interact with potential customers that passes by,

establishing chance contact and eventually become a cohesive social activity space.

This contact point relies heavily on its surrounding elements as the mere existance of bright, colourful

lights illuminate and overcast the neighbouring building, it has already successfully draw the

concentration of crowd and made use as a focal point. A variety of food stalls with atmospheric outdoor

seatings along the streets also add points to inviting customers to taste their food. Another reason for this

high intensity interaction being is that are large range of activities conducted on this space where

happenings other than food and beverages, there are even street performances, music performances

and even public programme held, this increases the chance of people to linger for a longer period and

catering to a social communication space for the community.


Figure 2.2.4 Bright multi-color stalls aligned in a grid system increasing the walkability experience

for the visitors

In Jalan TAR, the building form is much more different from what is observed in Phetchaburi Road. As

the street evolves through the years, the colonial shophouses on site gradually replaced by high rise

modern style building which affects the street level interaction between the pedestrian and the

architecture itself where the visual communication is b locked away from the eyes and viewers have no

intentions nor the desire to go in into the building at all more or less taking interest into the stalls.

As refer to Jan Gehl “the trend from living to lifeless cities and residential areas that has accompanied

industrialisation, segregation of various city functions, and reliance on the automobile also has caused

cities to become duller and more monotonous, namely the need for stimulation.” The diminishing multi-

cultural essence of the local community is being replaced by isolation through the increasing high rise,

modern style building yet people forget to attain the sense of belonging of the people is the key to

imagining public space.


This could be explained through the significant lack of interaction caused by the existing macro grain

buildings found everywhere in Jalan TAR compared to Phetchaburi Road where the fine grain buildings

create intimacy between people which leads to higher concentration for human interactions to engage.

There is another statement in which Gehl stresses the importance of symphathetic with human scale and

proportion of a city’s urban life consider the level of interactions relationship between the intimacy of

people with the public spaces.

As an instance, the junction at Busana Kompleks is visibly empty in the broad daylight compare to

Shibuya Pratunam in Phetchaburi Road. Most of the shop/ commercial stores here do not set up in mini

stalls but more of a proper architectural settings inside the building. The barrier that the wall or glass

ultimately creates a distance away between the pedestrians and the store as it lessens the direct contact

and decrease the pedestrian’s interest with the merchandises itself as displayed on the Shibuya

Pratunam.

Hence, the engagement of activity is low in this area as people just walks pass the store without even

glancing towards the merchandise inside the store decreasing social interactions unlike the mini markets

on Tadal Neon Night market where the seller display their merchandise across the table and thus reduce

the distance between the buyer and the seller again this put a light upon the importance of visual

permeability between the buyers and the products.

Figure 2.2.5 (Left) The Junction in front of Busana Kompleks

Figure 2.2.6 (Right) Pedestrian walkway opposite Busana kompleks

As the second comparative contact point on Jalan TAR, Gulatis is textile and commercial landmark

among the local communities which consists of mainly the Malays and the Indians. On this area, the

building typology are mostly linear as it is where most of the remain shophouses were left from the colonial

period and preserved. The implementation of five foot walkway which locates on the street level floor of

every shophouses becomes a crucial aspects for the walkability of shoppers as it provides the basic sun

shading purposes as well as increasing contact points between the buyer and seller. Not only, Jan Gehl


has briefly stated that “living cities, therefore, ones in which people can interact with one another, are

always stimulating because they are rich in experiences, in contrast to lifeless cities.”

As compared to Darul Aman Mosque, Gulatis and Darul Aman both have similarities that shares direct

frontier interactions for the buyer and the seller only the sense of belonging is stronger in Gulatis as

cultural aspects of the shophouses community and sun shading properties of the 5 foot way on the harsh

climate has helped as a tool to attract people concentrations.

Figure 2.2.6 Seats or merchandise from the store usually displayed inside the 5 foot walkway

On the backlane of Jalan TAR, Jalan Bunus is filled with colourful textile display on the exterior of shop

frontage providing a more favourable condition for communication and interaction between the object and

subject. The experience of colourful and attractive condition stimulates the user’s se nses hence providing

a great opportunity for people engaging in activities such as physical and mental interactions with the

inanimate objects which offers a sensual experience as opposed to Darul Aman Mosque.

Figure 2.2.7 Shophouses streets along Gulatis


Last but not least, the night market in Lorong Jalan TAR is one of the long lasting market in Kuala Lumpur

district as the streets would be packed with stalls from evening till night time as the local would enjoy

delectable local street food and casual walk along the streets. Similar to the Tadal Neon Night market in

Phetchaburi Road, the night market runs along the straight narrow path with mini stalls with canopy on

both side of the streets as it encourages high intensity of interactions due to the level of intimacy drawn

by smaller scale context.

Contacts are mostly developed instinctively through small exchange of words, brief analysing the

merchandise, watching the lady flipping the pancakes, chatting away with your family or friends on the

side of the stools enjoying the street food provided to the man speaking through a microphone marketing

his cleaning agent product on the side of the crubs. All these employ the users to trigger their attention

and stimulate their senses. “Through the mass media we are informed about the larger, more sensational

world events, but by being with others we learn about the more common but equally important details.

We discover how other works, behave, and dress, and we obtain knowledge about the people we work

with, live with, and so forth.”

The stalls also targeting not only a single race but all the major three races in Malaysia which are the

Chinese, Malay and Indian. This offers a large diversity of products to be advertised and most of the local

communities come to the night market instead of the foreigners occasionally. The variety of cultural

products approaches has been a triumph especially during the main religious holidays such as the

Ramadhan and Deepavali became a gathering point for families to shop for their new clothes and props

getting ready for new year celebration.

Figure 2.2.8 Stalls set up on both side of Lorong Jalan TAR


3.0 Conclusion

In a nutshell, visual permeability and communication has become a huge influences on the level of

interactions between human and building scale and proportions. This determines the activities driven

around the context as whether if it provides a suitable condition as a social platform to invite the peo ple

into the building and engaging in various activities. The types of activities also controls the people’s

walkability in a certain area and it drives the operation of the city to a degree whether the social pattern

defines the existance of the space and human circulation patterns.

4.0 References and Citations

http://www.bangkok.com/petchburi/

http://www.urbanistdispatch.com/2441/making-the-case-for-bangkoks-labyrinthine-streets/

https://www.pps.org/reference/jgehl/

Gehl, J. (1987). Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space (transl. by Koch, J.), New York: Van

Nostrand Reinhold.

http://www.planum.net/jan-gehl-public-space-public-life

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