THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM

[ARC 61303]

PROJECT 2 : Comparative Analysis Essay

Name : Lee Hui Qin

Student ID : 0322991

Tutor : Mr. Nicholas

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction pg. 2-3

2.0 Comparative Analysis pg. 4-11

3.0 Conclusion pg. 12

4.0 Reference pg. 13

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1.0 Introduction
Central, the heart of Hong Kong city saturated with towers and skyways, elevators and
ladder streets, where also known as a city without ground. Due to the limited land use and high
population density, the urban-planning of the city become vertically-oriented where the floating
three-dimensional circuits connect between each functional spaces while at the same time
separate the pedestrian movement from vehicular traffic. This is the point where multilevel
urbanism start to expand and potentially become a surrogate for the ground-level social place
such as parks and public squares. The result of a combination of top-down planning and
bottom-up solutions has pros and cons where it lead the people to use the infrastructure as an
alternative route to destination but it actually lessen the engagement between people at
outdoor space.

The selected street from Central, Hong Kong is Queens Road Central that runs from
Central to Sheung Wan where commercialized buildings are mostly found along the street with
some short street such as Pottinger Street and Wyndham Street perpendicular to it that acts as
shortcut to the adjacent main street. The social patterns, possibilities of contact points and the
degree of the contact intensity among the user group in that area are highly affected by the
movement pattern that could extracted from the linearity of the street and also the intersection
of between short street to the main street. Open public space rarely been found along the
dense building scale along the street, but it could be found at far end of the street.

Figure1.1 : Queens Road Central intersect with some short street.

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 As for Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the selected street from our Design Studio site is
located in a bustling city renowned for its cultural richness. Back to the early days, the street is
used as a track leading to Batu Village, limestone caves and tin mines with the vernacular
architecture shoplots that spurs the sense of local cultural and historical environment along the
street. But due to the urban development and gentrification, textile business started to
dominant along the street, becoming a textile district whereas commercialized building have
rose around this street, leading to diminished public space. As public space has diminished,
narrow alleys between shoplots or back alleys have become a more functional space not only
for accessibility , but also for local business setting up such as food stalls which could possible
become a passive contact points. Similar to Queens Central Road, short alleys are
perpendicular to Jalan TAR at different interval which would helps in creating more contact
points as it is an intersection point where people could possible meet.

Figure1.2 : Jalan TAR with irregular street networks.

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2.0 Comparative Analysis

First of all, social activity can be defined as an interaction happens between a group of
people that allows change of thoughts and experience, a fundamental element that build
relationship among each other. According to Jan Gehls Life Between Building, outdoor activity
can break down into 3 categories : necessary activities, optional activities and social activities
where the rate of occurrence is highly affected by the quality of physical environment. To briefly
explain about each categories, necessary activities happens based on the basic needs to be
accomplished in daily life while optional activities only takes place when the exterior conditions
is optimal, and so for social activity is actually the resultant action from occurrence of
necessary as well as optional activity (Gehl, 2006). With these outdoor activities happens at a
same place, a possibility of contact could happens among people presence at the place with a
varying degree of contact intensity from the range of passive contacts (low intensity) to close
friendship (high intensity) according to Jan Gehl.

We will first look into the pattern of social activities that based on the physical environment
happens in Queens Road Central. The possible physical factors that could bring impact on it
including the coverage of public spaces, route planning, amenities along the street and also the
unpredictable weather. Due to the fact of lacking public spaces and also amenities, alleys that
perpendicular to the Queens Road Central became a contact point aside from being an access
point to the adjacent destination to carry out necessary activities.This has lead to social
interaction happens between communities as people stop by at the stalls . Hence, this situation
could linked back to Gehls theory that how social activities are actually a resultant from what
have been done for necessary and optional activity.

From the point stated above, it could be evidenced in the selected contact point, which is
Pottinger Street that can be categorized as circulation/social point as it acts as intersection in
between Queen's Road Central and Hollywood Road where there is high flow of pedestrian
passing by especially during morning and evening.

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 Figure 2.1 : Types of activities happens in Pottinger Street

It could be said as moderate intensity contact point as various level of contacts could
happens along Pottinger street. The street can be divided into 2 parts : middle slope and side
walkway, where different types of activities happens simultaneously at there. Individual is
undergoing passive contact where only involve see and hear contacts with the surrounding as
walking due to the quality of slope being narrow and steep that initiate fast pace movement. But
for the people that stop by at the stalls, a higher intensity of contact could happens with a
possibility of acquaintances network between owner and regular clients due to frequent meet
up and common chatting topic based on their necessary activities. Meanwhile the intensity of
contact level at the sidewalk is higher as social activities such as group conversation happens
among a group of friends. A group of people tends to choose to have social activities at the
side walkways as it has a wide landing acts as platform to stop and rest. These situations could
be supported by Gehls theory that the activities are especially dependent on the physical
conditions, where in this case is based on the street conditions.

Another contact point that could be found is the frontage of Entertainment Building,
located at one of the junction of Queens Road Central. As mentioned before that Central is
scarce in land use with a limited public space, hence most of the public space would be
restricted to the frontage of shopping complex or shoplots. According to Kevin Lynchs Image
of the City, a strategic focus point for orientation like squares and junctions is defined as a
node (Lynch, 1960). The node is not only defined through the physical form but also through
the perception and directional sense of people. Hence, this frontage could be define as a
strategic contact point due to the high pedestrian flow and also the built form of it.

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 Figure 2.2 : Types of contacts happen at the frontage of shopping complex

From the picture above, it can be seen that the junction is an intersection point where
pedestrian interchange between Entertainment building and the surrounding shoplots. The
level and opportunities of contact is at the most bottom level which is passive contact with
merely see and hear contact and it applied when people stop while waiting for the traffic light.
While for the frontage of Entertainment Building, the diverse form and functionality of the
buildings encourage a contact point for people to established a higher contact intensity such as
chance contacts or acquaintances by having social events as it is permeable in terms of visual
from each corner. Even though there is no proper amenities, for example people tend to sit on
the steps that acts as seating for them or rather stand around for conversation, this space
could still serve as an informal public space for the people to interact. This shows how the
contact point is formed through the experience of visual and intimate sensory established in
connection between people, not only by its built form.

Aside from the contact points that could be identified along the junction of Queens Road
Central, there is a plaza that located at one of the far end of Queens Road Central, which is
Statue Square. Different from the previous contact point, it is a wide open open public space
that provides pleasant environment by having a well-designed landscaping and vegetation that
could acts as shade to the people around there along with amenities. This suggest that the
quality of the environment affects the behaviour of the people as it initiates a space for mostly
optional and social activities to take place unintentionally.

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 Figure 2.3 : Types of contacts happen at Statue Square

Due to the high walkability and accessibility through various transportation from other
place, the flow of pedestrian is relatively high at here which leads to high intensity contact point
as most of user groups are tourist, family or white collars from the surround office building. This
contact point could be categorized as recreational-based contact point where people
intentionally to come over having social activities with each other such as events, relaxing or
even family outing spot as the environment is pleasant and comfortable with the pedestrian
pavement and amenities along with landscaping or water feature that provides shade and
cooling effect to the people. This situation can proved with Gehls statement that a broad
spectrum of human activities to pursue outdoors is in relation to the physical planning and
environment. With a good outdoor environment, people are willing to stay outside for a long
period and thus it leads to more and longer time interaction with each others, established a
higher intensity of contact level such as friendship or even enhance the established relationship
such as within family. Besides, the statue of British Royalty acts as a landmark that draws
attention of people especially tourists can be spotted taking photos in front of it. This activity
indirectly attract more crowded to come over as people tends to stop and observe the activity
happening and creating a more potential interaction between people and it is so called as
people attract people.

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 For Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the involvement and engagement of people is more
relying on the intimacy of human relationship rather than the external and tangible closure the
place could offer. As the street itself is enriched with social and cultural value, it become a point
that initiates different degrees of contact intensity happens simultaneously between people and
within the local community itself. Even though most of the activities that going on are mostly
target-oriented such as trading, live performance and food selling for economy purpose, it could
catalyst a social interaction among people while the necessary activities carry on due to
intimacy of human relationship. It indirectly contributed to higher chance of engagement
between individual from the lowest contact intensity level to the higher level due to the
stimulation of similar experience and frequent social communication.

Lorong TAR, the back alley of the shoplots along Jalan TAR present itself as a contact
point due to the high pedestrian flow as residential area is in the midst of the commercial hub
that respects the human scale with a more intimate quality between spaces. Similar to
Pottinger Street, it is categorized under circulation/social point as the pattern of social activities
happened is mainly affected by the people flow and the accessibility of it. But there is another
factor that would bring impact on it which is the temporal as different time and day could affect
the social pattern and the contact intensity along the back alley.

Figure 2.4 : Junctions break the linearity of Lorong TAR where higher intensity of contact happens at the
intersection point

Even though it is similar to Pottinger Street as the linearity of the street that promote
forward movement leading to passive contact, the intersection point where the perpendicular
narrow alleys that leading to Lorong TAR are served as a social communication platform as
people meets each other where chance contact is formed. The perpendicular alleys indeed

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breaking the long linear Lorong TAR into a few segment, which creates some stop point for
people to stop, rest and interact. It then break down the primary function of the back alleys
(route) into secondary function which is for social interaction. Unlike Pottinger street that the
social pattern is influenced by the street condition, temporal is the main factor that affect the
social pattern and the intensity of contacts. Not only affected throughout a day, but also in
different day. For example, the intensity of contact only remain at lower level as only pedestrian
or even vehicles use the route to go to destinations. This has lessen the possibility of contacts
between people as the primary function is dominant. Whereas for weekend, night market with
variety of stalls set along the alleys that turns the linearity into a vibrant planar. This prompts
interest of the passerby therefore being catalyst for optional and social activity as higher
chance of contacts happen between business owners and the clients. Besides, the degree of
contact intensity does not being affect by the crowded and uncomfortable atmosphere since the
engagement between people is more relying on intimacy of people relationship and the local
cultural ambience, which can be seen very differently from the situation in Pottinger Street
where people prefer to socialize at a more comfortable side.

weekday weekend

Figure 2.5 : The intensity level of contacts changes according to time.

Another contact point that can be defined along Jalan TAR is at the far end of it, which is
SOGO mall. Same as Entertainment Building in Central, its location at the junction of Jalan
TAR which contains high flow of pedestrian and accessibility with various transportation.
Though it is an informal public space where it defined through the perception and directional
sense of people with the building scale is in context and sympathetic with human scale that
could become a focal point for people. Even though this is similar to what happened in
Entertainment Building, when look into the detail we can found out that the local culture in

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SOGO mall plays an important role in catalysts social activity, leading to a higher contact
intensity level compared to Entertainment Building.

Figure 2.6 :Social pattern and high level of contact intensity in SOGO mall

What makes SOGO mall different from Entertainment Building is the culture happens in
front of the shopping mall, which is live performance such as art and band performance carry
on daily which become a main attraction point to draw the crowded to the place. This could
relate to the situation of people attract people results in a higher chance for passive contact
that people gather around to enjoy and appreciate the performance. It then lead to a possible
chance contact between people and performers by exchanging thoughts. This shows that how
a local culture as an intangible aspect could probably engaged people aside from the urban
built form. Besides, in SOGO mall there is no proper amenities provided, same to what happen
in Entertainment Building. Hence, people with his human behaviour would make use of the
limited facility for own purpose such as treat the steps as a seating for them while waiting for
bus or enjoying a performance. Eventually, social interaction among each other serve as a
secondary activity aside from necessary activity. A higher level of contact intensity is
established such as acquaintances or even friends as people tend to spend more time linger
around or resting at there.

The sunken public square that located in between Lotus Five Star Cinemas and Coliseum
Theatre is another contact point that found along Jalan TAR. Compare to Statue Square, it has
a similar function which serve as an event area occasionally and also a open public space for
people and family to gather around. Most of the activities carry on at there are optional and
social but the level of contact intensity is relatively low due to lack of pleasant environment

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provided, though it is a well-designed square with amenities and high accessibility to the site.
The contact intensity only increase in level whereas there is event going on.

Figure 2.7 : Urban form that leads to decrease in visual permeability of the site

Due to the urban form in Jalan TAR, the sunken square is less noticeable from humans
eye level from a distant as it is located at a turning point along the street which caused a dead
angle from a certain view, unlike Statue Square with a strategy location. Optional and social
activities are dominant in this contact point but only during the occasion event as the physical
environment which is hot and lack of shading does not allow people to stay long. During
occasion event, people could be seen around there as they come to carry on a necessary
activity. While this action could attract passerby to stop by and add more crowded to the place.
This results in increasing of level of contact intensity from a passive contact to chance contact
that present in between passerby and people in the event. For example, passerby that only
having see and hear contacts with the happening in the sunken square from distant transform
into short conversation with the people at the event place due to curiosity. It is a similar
situation that happen in Statue Square.

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3.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, social pattern and type of contact points in different place is highly
influenced by the culture, urban planning, public amenities and also the unpredictable factor,
the weather. Although Queens Central Road and Jalan TAR have a average moderate level of
contact intensity, but for Queens Central Road is slightly low compare to Jalan Tar. Most of the
activities carry on are from necessary activities with a fast pace movement where people are
just rushing to their destination to the extend that social activities could only happens when
ones stop their steps. Hence, public amenity would be a good key point to increase the level of
contact intensity as it could create a pause in the fast-moving urban life. For Jalan TAR, the
activities are mostly formed by the culture such as local night market and live performance. It
also a necessary activities for the community and performers at there, but it interchange with a
social activities that could leads to a higher contacts among each others. Hence, it shows how
important to maintain our culture as a tool for people engagement.

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4.0 Reference

Gehl, Jan. Life Between Buildings. 1st ed. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2011. Print.

Lynch, K. (1960). The Image of The City (1st ed.). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Sepe, Marichela. Planning And Place In The City. 1st ed. Print.

James, J. Y. (2016, May 01). The Multilevel Metropolis. Retrieved July 01, 2017, from
https://placesjournal.org/article/multilevel-metropolis-urban-skyways/

Urban planning must reflect Hong Kong's great need for community and open space. (2014, June
09). Retrieved July 01, 2017, from
http://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1528423/urban-planning-must-reflect-hong-kongs-great-ne
ed-community-and-open-space

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