Theories of Architecture and Urbanism Project 3

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture
Module: Theories of Architecture & Urbanism
Project: Comparative Analysis Essay
Student: Cha Yun Xian
ID No.: 0322048
Tutor: Mr. Nicholas Ng

Table of Contents
1.0 Abstract 1
2.0 Introduction of site
2.1 Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street 2
2.2 Kawasan 1, Klang 3-4
3.0 Comparative Analysis
3.1 Pattern of social activities 5-16
3.2 Contact points 17-27
3.3 Varying degrees of contact intensity 28
4.0 Conclusion 29
5.0 References 30

1
1.0 Abstract
According to Jan Gehl’s ‘Life Between Buildings’, social activities are all activities that depend
on the presence of others in public spaces. Every day, different kinds of social activities occur
in many places: in dwellings; in private outdoor spaces, gardens, and balconies; in public
buildings; at places of work; and so on. These activities are a result of contact points formed in
the physical environment.
This project calls for a thorough comparative analysis between the findings from Part 1: case
study and a local site study from Architecture Design Studio V. The main framework of this
essay is to compare the similarities and dissimilarities based on the patterns of social activities,
types of contact points and varying degrees of contact intensity between the two cities -- which
are Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street in China and Kawasan 1 in Klang, Malaysia.

2
2.0 Introduction of Site
2.1 Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, Shanghai, China
Figure 2.1a Street view of Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
Located in Huangpu District, Shanghai City, the famous Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street has a
total length of 1033 meters and 18-30 meters wide, stretches from Xizang Middle Road in the
west to He’nan Middle Road in the east. It is one of the busiest shopping streets in the world
with over 100 years of history.The streets used to be called “Parker Lane”. It was named
Nanjing Road officially in 1865 and turned into a pedestrianized road in 1999. According to
statistics, there are over 1,700,000 visitors to Nanjing Road every day.
On the northward of the road axis, there is a prime section called "Golden Belt". The “Golden
Belt” is a designated area which runs through the whole pedestrianized area. 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.

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2.1 Kawasan 1, Klang, Malaysia
Figure 2.2.a Zoom-in map of study area

4
Figure 2.2b Street view of Jalan Raya Timur
Located within Kawasan 1 of South Klang, the selected area for Architecture Studio V covers
a few streets on the site -- which are Jalan Raya Timur, Jalan Besar, Jalan Stesen 1, Jalan Dato
Hamzah, Jalan Tengku Kelana and Jalan Istana. The place is also known as the Royal Town of
Klang for its rich history background and significant infrastructure. For instance, the Klang
railway station located on Jalan Raya Timur is the oldest commuter station built in 1890. By the
railway station, there is a few rows of pre-war shop houses, some built as early as 1926, while
some have been converted into modern shops. The most populated ethnic group on site is
Indian, followed by Chinese and Malay. The rise of Indian community can be traced back to the
early 1890s where the development of the commuter station has subsequently increase the
population and human intensity of the place. Indians started to run business around Jalan
Tengku Kelana and Jalan Dato Hamzah by renting shop lots from Chinese owners. Many of the
traditional business such as old restaurants, goldsmith, textiles shops are still thriving; however,
business such as frame maker, scale maker and watch maker are dulled by the passage of
time and rise of new technology.
Another symbolic building on site is the Royal Gallery of Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah on Jalan Besar.
This 1909 colonial building – previously an administration office for the British, as well as the
headquarters for Japanese army during World War II – was converted into a royal gallery
dedicated to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah in 1988. His son, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah who
ascended the throne in 2001, turned the museum in a royal gallery dedicated to his father,
highlighting the heritage of Selangor Sultanate since 1766. This royal gallery is now one of the
tourist spot on site.

5
3.0 Comparative Analysis
3.1 Pattern of Social Acitivities
Based on Jan Gehl’s ‘Life Between Buildings’, outdoor activities are activities that take place in
public spaces in which he divided into three categories: necessary activities, optional activities.
These activities are influenced by a number of conditions; physical environments is one of the
significant factors that influence the activities to a varying degree and in many different ways.
Necessary activities refer to every tasks and pastimes such as going to school and work,
running errands, shopping and those that are essential in everyday life. This type of activities
usually take place throughout the year under nearly all circumstances. Due to its necessity, the
incidence is more or less independent of the exterior environment.
In compare with necessary activities, optional activities are dependent to exterior environment
and only happen when the exterior conditions are favourable. Examples of activities that goes
under this category are mostly recreational activities that are especially pleasant to pursue
outdoor such as sitting in the park enjoying life and sunbathing. The relationship between
exterior condition and activity occurrence is important in connection with physical planning.
Social activities or resultant activities happen whenever necessary and optional activities are
given better conditions in public spaces. It occurs spontaneously, depending on the context
which in they occur. Hence, the meeting opportunities and forms of contacts created in physical
planning plays an important role in promoting interactions between people.
Figure 3.1.a
Graphic representation of the relationship
between the quality of spaces and the rate of
occurrence of outdoor activities.

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Pattern of social activities in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street and Kawasan 1, Klang
Figure 3.1a List of activities happen in both cities
A. Necessary Activities
According to the table, necessary activities that occur in Kawasan 1, Klang are very similar
compare to Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, which mainly include walking to station, eating and
shopping. This is because both sites function as a commercial district where necessary
activities are compulsory and can happen regardless how the environment condition is.
Besides, Kawasan 1 and Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street also share the same target users
which are mainly local community and tourists. However, a significant difference that can be

7
noticed is the number of people on site. Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street has more tourists
compared to Kawasan 1 due to its reputation, physical planning and advanced economy.
Kawasan 1 is a primarily a business district that serves the local community in the area. The
main reason why tourists can be seen on site is due to the existence of the Royal Gallery and
Masjid India Klang.
Figure 3.1b Location of tourist spots in Kawasan 1, Klang
Figure 3.1b Masjid India Klang Figure 3.1c Gallery Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah

Masjid India Klang is one of the nodes where necessary activities occur, especially during
Fridays, as most of the Muslims from neighbouring community would gather here for prayers.

8
Figure 3.1d Orange: popular restaurants in Kawasan 1 / Teal: most visited facilities in Kawasan 1
In Kawasan 1, the necessary activities mainly revolve around the immediate community, such
as students, workers and retirees carrying out their daily routine. For example, taking the train
from Klang Railway Station to work is a daily necessity for locals who do not have their own
transport; in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, the East Nanjing Station are often used by tourists
who travel by public transportation rather than locals who have their own vehicles. When
compare to Klang Railway Station, the East Nanjing Station has a higher intensity of people and
activities occurrence because necessary activities that happen in Nanjing Road Pedestrian
Street do not have a time frame which the place is busy throughout the day, whereas in
Kawasan 1, necessary activities usually occur at a certain time period that are predictable.

9
Figure 3.1e Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street map
As mentioned before, necessary activities that happen in Kawasan 1 and Nanjing Road
Pedestrian Street are quite similar, such as shopping, eating, and going to banks. These
activities are similar in their intention, but in content, they are different. Nanjing Road Pedestrian
Street is a tourist hotspot with high density of tourist among the year that made a significant
contribution to the tourism industry in China. Most of the buildings that have historical value are
well preserved and have been developed into commercial buildings to suit the needs of the
current society in Shanghai. Such buildings include the Yong An Department Store that was
established in 1918, the Shanghai Fashion Store and other heritage buildings which feature
elegant Roman and Art-Deco architectural elements that has attracted visitors to admire the
beautiful facades while walking along this shopping district.
Figure 3.1f Yong An Department Store

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The type of business that can be found along the street are mostly high end stores that sell
branded clothing and accessories, for example Zara, Longines, Omega, etc. These businesses
usually target international tourists that are willing to spend more during their visit.
On the other hand, the economy of Kawasan 1 relies more on the local community as the
business that are still thriving are mostly traditional business that was handed down from
generation to generation. For example, Chong Kok Kopitiam is an extremely popular breakfast
spot in Jalan Besar. Once a hotel and bar, the 76-year-old coffee shop now attracts retirees
and tourists in equal measure, acting as a node where social activities highly occurred.
Figure 3.1g Chong Kok Kopitiam
In comparison, both sites contain buildings that has long history. However, buildings in
Kawasan1, Klang, are not as well persevered as the buildings in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
as there are a lot of dormant buildings left untouched on site.
Another observable difference between the two sites is the circulation pattern and its walkability.
For Kawasan 1, the form of the site is considered as a district instead of just a street like Nanjing
Road Pedestrian Street. The district contains several edges and secondary roads that forms a
clear grid circulation around the site for vehicles to travel around. Hence, the site cannot be

11
considered as a pedestrian city. Despite the unsafe conditions, people in Kawasan 1 are forced
to cross the tar road to get to their destination due to traffic congestion and lack of parking
spaces.
Figure 3.1h Circulation pattern in Kawasan 1 Figure 3.1i Circulation pattern in NRPS
In contrast, the circulation pattern of Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street is designed in a simple
and direct linear form that stretches from Xizang Middle Road in the west to He’nan Middle Road
in the east. Specifically designed for pedestrian and mini trams only, the street is covered in red
indian granite tiles to improve walkability and environment quality. For that reason, Nanjing Road
Pedestrian Street provides better exterior environment quality for optional and social activities.
Figure 3.1j Human flow and trams on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Streets

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B. Optional Activities
According to figure3.1a, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street provides more opportunities for
optional activities during the day and night compare to Kawasan 1 which optional activities only
occur during the day due to inactive night life of the streets. There are a few similar optional
activities that happen on both site such as sightseeing and photo taking. In Kawasan 1, Klang,
these optional activities only take place at certain tourist spots such as the Royal Gallery and
Masjid India Klang, whereas in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, sightseeing and photo taking
activities occur in almost every corner of the street because the street itself is a tourists’ hotspot.
In this case, the physical quality of public spaces serves as a key factor of the occurrence of
optional activities. When compare both sites, it is obvious that the Nanjing Road Pedestrian
Street has greater potential in promoting outdoor activities than Kawasan 1, Klang. First of all,
there is a serious lack of well-designed public spaces in Kawasan 1 that allows the community
to contact with each other. According to Jan Gehl’s ‘Life Between Buildings’, the relationship
between the outdoor conditions and optional activities is particularly important in connection
with physical planning because most of the recreational activities that are especially pleasant
to pursue outdoors are found precisely in this category of activities. These activities are
especially dependent on exterior physical conditions. Therefore, the absence of public spaces
such as parks, squares, seating areas or even shaded areas has reduced the frequency of
optional activities in Kawasan 1, Klang.
On the other hand, different types of optional activities happen frequently in Nanjing Road
Pedestrian Street as the street provides better quality of outdoor spaces. For example, there
are several public squares along the street that allows local community to practice tai chi and
play badminton during the day. The Century Square is the largest public square located in the
middle of the street. The square is equipped with a performance stage and two large screens
and is mostly used as an event space. Besides that, optional activities that occur in Nanjing
Road Pedestrian Street also includes pedestrian strolling, enjoying beautiful street views and
sitting at the rest areas. As compared to Kawasan 1, the quality of outdoor environment of
Nanjing Road Pedestrian Streets are more well-appointed and well-maintained, giving a sense
of comfortability no matter rain, shine or snow. Therefore, resultant activities are also more likely
to occur in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street.

13
Figure 3.1k Exterior conditions of Kawasan 1
Figure 3.1l Exterior conditions of Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street

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However, the occurrence of optional activities happened in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street will
be affected when climate comes into play. A reduction of occurrence can be noticed during the
hottest and coldest season of the year when weather is not favourable for outdoor activities.
Whereas, in Klang, Malaysia, the weather is hot and humid all year long. Therefore, if condition
met, individuals in Klang are more likely to stay indoors or under the shaded area if they were
to go outside.
Figure 3.1m Average High/Low Temperature in Shanghai
Another dissimilarity between both sites is the scale of the buildings. The buildings in Kawasan
1 has an average height of 3 storeys, whereas in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, the average
height of buildings is 7 storeys. Despite having larger building scales, Nanjing Road Pedestrian
Street is still considered as pedestrian city with high intensity contact points that brings people
together. Even though the building scale in Kawasan 1 is relatively small and closer to the
pedestrians, the substandard quality of outdoor environment still badly affected the occurrence
of optional activities on site. As stated in page 11 of Gehl’s Life Between Buildings, “When
physical outdoor conditions are of high quality, many optional, necessary and social activities
will occur because place will invite people to stop, sit, eat, play and so on, creating a contact
point for people to interact.”

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C. Social or Resultant Activities
According to Jan Gehl’s ‘Life Between Buildings’, the occurrence of social activities is indirectly
supported when necessary activities and optional activities are given better conditions in public
spaces. Based on the analysis above, it is clear that Nanjing Road Pedestrian Streets and
Kawasan 1, Klang has different quality of physical environment despite the similarities in
functions of site, users and necessary activities.
By comparing the two sites, social activities in Kawasan 1 often happens indoors due to
weather factor, substandard quality of outdoor environment and lack of outdoor public spaces;
whereas a high intensity of social activity can be observed along Nanjing Road Pedestrian
Street. Study has shown that the more time people spend outdoors, the more frequently they
meet and the more they talk. The physical planning of Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street has
allowed users to enjoy staying outdoor when the time and weather are favorable. Examples of
social activities happened on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street include people talking to each
other while practicing tai chi, conversations over sports, tourists asking for information about
the site, pedestrians talking to each other while waiting for friends at the seating area, and more
that depend on the presence of others in public spaces.
Figure 3.1n People playing badminton on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street

16
Besides the quality of physical environment, another significance difference between both sites
is the context which social activities occur. Even though Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street covers
smaller area compare to Kawasan 1, Klang, it is still considered as a city streets due to its
strategic location, functions, and target users. In city streets and city centres, social activities
will generally be more superficial, with the majority being passive contacts – seeing and hearing
a great number of unknown people. But even this modest type of activity can be very appealing.
On the other hand, Kawasan 1 can be categorized as residential streets due to its context and
functions that serves mainly the neighbouring community. In the residential streets, near
schools, near places of work, where there are a limited number of people with common
interests or backgrounds, social activities in public spaces can be quite comprehensive:
greetings, conversations, discussions, and play arising from common interests and because
people “know” each other, if for no other reason than that they often see one another. In this
case, most of social activities that happen on the contact points found in Kawasan 1 are located
indoor and has higher contact intensity, for instance, family chatting around the dining table in
restaurants, or friends gather at KTM station.
Figure 3.1o People having conversation in Chong Kok Kopitiam

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3.2 Contact Points
A. Contact points in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
Figure 3.2a Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street map
Figure 3.2b Location of contact points at Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street

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Contact Point 1: East Nanjing Road Station Entrance 6
The East Nanjing Road Station is an interchange station between line 2 and 10 on the Shanghai
Metro. Located under the intersection of Nanjing East Road and Henan Road in the city center
of Shanghai, the sixth entrance of this station sits on the starting point of Nanjing Road
Pedestrian Street and function as the gateway for commuters who heading to street. As a result,
the open space in front of the station entrance became a gathering point for the commuters
and forms a low intensity contact point that enable passive contact.
Types of Activities occurred on site
Necessary activities: Waiting for a friend
Optional activities: Sitting and resting
Social activities: Initiating conversation with other commuters
Intensity Level of People
Day: High
Night: High

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Contact Pont 2: Outdoor Seating Area
Outdoor seating areas are located along the street to provide a place for people to rest amidst
their active shopping routines, such as the one in front of Shanghai Fashion store. To improve
the physical environment quality of these area, planters are also planted around the seating
area to provide shading and comfort. Along with the improvement of physical quality, the
seating areas became one of the contact points on site which promotes social activities.
Optional activities: Enjoying the street view
Social activities: Initiating conversation with other pedestrians
Day: High
Night: High

20
Contact Point 3: Shen Da Cheng
Sheng Da Chen is a famous Shanghai Chinese restaurant located at the cross junction of
Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street and Zhe Jiang Middle Road. The restaurant has been serving
dim sum since 1875 at ground floor level with three take away counters facing the pedestrian
street. Thus, this spot became a contact point when the crowds appear. As stated in page 23
of Gehl’s, Life Between Buildings, “People are attracted to other people. They gather with and
move about with others and seek to place themselves near others. New activities begin in the
vicinity of events that are already in progress. People are attracted to the restaurant as they are
convinced that the many people that gather there find that the food is nice.”
Necessary activities: Queueing up to buy food, eating
Optional activities: Taking photos of the surrounding buildings and food
Social activities: Initiating conversations with restaurant workers / strangers
Day: High
Night: Moderate

21
Contact Point 4: Century Square
Located at the middle of Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, the Century Square is a big open
space that covers an area of 8404m2
. The square is equipped with a stage, two LED screen,
a management room at the east side, a drought fountain, parking lot and other facilities. It is an
ideal place for performances, merchandise displays and large-scale events. During normal day,
the square is used by the local community to practice tai chi as a daily routine, hence forming
a contact point.
Optional activities: Standing around enjoying life, participating in events, practicing morning
exercise such as tai chi, skateboarding
Social activities: Participating in events, initiating conversations while practicing tai chi
Day: Moderate (when there is no special event occurs)
Night: Low (when there is no special event occurs)

22
Contact Point 5: Bar Tazza D’Oro
Bar Tazza D’Oro is an open-air bar located beside Century Square of Nanjing Road Pedestrian
Street. Contrary to other businesses in the area, which operates from day till night, the bar only
operates at night which make a huge contribution to the night life of the street. The bar serves
unique varieties of drinks such as cocktails, beers, wine and whiskey that it became a popuplar
hang out point for both locals and tourists on the street. Thus, a high intensity contact point is
formed.
Necessary activities: Having dinner
Optional activities: Sitting and chilling, gathering with friends and family
Social activities: Chit-chatting with friends, initiating conversations with strangers
Day: Very low
Night: High

23
B. Contact points in Kawasan 1, Klang
Figure 3.2c Location of contact points at Kawasan 1, Klang

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Contact Point 1: Klang Railway Station
Located at Jalan Besar, the Klang Railway Station has served the Klang community for more
than 100 years, playing a huge role in transferring people in and out of the site. It is the point
where transition of human flow occurs. During peak hours, contact points are formed at the
station whereby different types of contacts were generate, including both passive and active
contacts.
Necessary activities: Waiting for friend, waiting for train
Optional activities: Sitting and resting
Social activities: Meeting up with friends, reaching out to strangers for travel information
Day: High
Night: Low

25
Contact Point 2: Chong Kok Kopitiam
Chong Kok Kopitiam is an extremely popular breakfast spot in Jalan Besar and is one of the
oldest business on site. The coffee shop is famous for its toasted bread with homemade kaya
and butter, black coffee, and nasi lemak. Once a hotel and bar, the 76-year-old coffee shop
now attracts retirees and tourists in equal measure, acting as a contact point where social
activities highly occurred.
Necessary activities: Eating breakfast
Optional activities: - Gathering with friends and family
Social activities: Ordering food, chit-chatting with friends and family
Day: High
Night: Low

26
Contact Point 3: Restaurant Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh
Located down the street from Jalan Besar, Restaurant Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh is another
popular breakfast spot in Kawasan 1, Klang that has served both locals and tourists for many
years. The shop is a corner lot that offers outdoor dining spaces under the Kota Bridge,
providing a well-shaded semi-private dining environment. As a result, contact point is formed
around the outdoor dining spaces due to favourable physical conditional that contributes to the
occurrence of social activities.
Necessary activities: Eating
Optional activities: - Gathering with friends and family
Social activities: Ordering food, chit-chatting with friends and family
Day: High
Night: Low

27
Contact Point 4: Masjid India Tengku Kelana
Masjid India Muslim Tengku Kelana is one
of the major mosques in Kawasan 1, Klang,
bordered by Jalan Tengku Kelana and Jalan
Dato Hamzah. It is also one of the landmark
for Klang’s famous tourist spot – Littile India.
This Indian Muslim mosque has a bowl-
shaped dome topping its prayer hall,
flanked by a pair of minarets. The prayer
hall is three storeys tall, with a grand
staircase leading up to the first floor, where
the main prayer hall is located.
The mosque enjoys a rich history
background that can be traced back to
1910. The building serves mainly local
Muslims who would attend prayers every
day. Function as a religious place of
worship, the building became a contact
point that provides the believers to meet
and get to know each other.
Necessary activities: Praying
Optional activities: - Sightseeing, photo taking
Social activities: Interflow between prayers
Day: High
Night: Low

28
3.2 Varying Degrees of Contact Intensity

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4.0 Conclusion
Through a series of comparison between Kawasan 1 in Klang and Nanjing Road Pedestrian
Street, it is undeniable that the quality of physical environment has profound impact on the
occurrence of activities in the city. When compare to Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, it is
obvious that the physical planning of Kawasan 1 is not favorable enough to promote interesting
optional activities and social activities, hence, result in social issues such as lack of community
engagement and economic stagnation. Although both sites share the same types of target
users, and intention, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street has exceed Kawasan 1, Klang in many
aspects including economic, human intensity, and types of activities. This shows how important
social activities are in building a successful urban context. As Jan Gehl’s mentioned in his book
‘Life Between Buildings’, although the physical framework does not have a direct influence on
the quality, content, and intensity of social contacts, architects and planners can affect the
possibilities for meeting, seeing, and hearing people – possibilities that both take on a quality
of their own and become important as background and starting point for other forms of contact.
This concludes that every single detail in the physical planning is the seed of a successful city,
even the design and placement of a public bench is equally important as all other deign matters.

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5.0 References
Book
1. Gehl, J. (2011). Life Between Buildings- Using Public Space. Washington: ISLAND
PRESS.
Online Articles
1. Author unknown. (2015, October 10). 南京路步行街 . Retrieved from
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/shanghai2/2624285.html
2. 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.
3. Shanghai Highlights. (2017). Nanjing Road. Retrieved from
https://www.shanghaihighlights.com/shanghai-sightseeing/nanjing-road.html
4. Best things to do in Klang. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.timeout.com/kuala-
lumpur/things-to-do/best-things-to-do-in-klang
5. How to Travel between Shanghai and Nanjing. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/shanghai/nanjing.htm

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