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SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC2224) (ARC61303)
PROJECT PART B
NAME : WONG TENG CHUN
ID : 0318538
LECTURER : MR NICHOLAS NG KHOON WU
1.0 Introduction
The objective of this research paper is to investigate the elements of individual to create their
own strong identity image of the city. Cognitive map is used to present the understanding of
emerging contemporary urbanism in Brickfield in relations to Kevin Lynch’s theory and how it
influences on people’s perception of the city. To assist the validation of the research, personal
observation, case study and various literature reviews are done based on theories that are related
to mental mapping in relation to site context. This research paper aims to find out the objective by
responding to the following questions:
1. What are the elements that alter human’s perception on presenting their mental mapping?
2. How Kevin Lynch’s theory are related to individual’s mental mapping?
3. How cognitive mapping define the identity or idea of an individual of a site?
1.1 Introduction to the site
Figure 1.1: Map of research area; Brickfields
This research paper revolved around a medium-sized town that consists of commercial and
residential area, located right outside central of Kuala Lumpur called Brickfields. Brickfields is
recognized as “Little India” town due to its high percentage of Indian community present. The
reason why it is crowded with Indian community is because of the history of the site whereby they
are brought over for railway station construction and bricks productions. The business of bricks
production is furthered by Yap Kwan Seng as the demand for bricks increased. Brickfields also used
to be a main depot for KTM during the administration of British to export it goods. It was then
became the largest transit hub in Kuala Lumpur area. As the time pass, different community joins
Brickfields and grow into a larger community. Besides that, Brickfields became an attraction point
for tourism as the place is full of historical and cultural elements and businesses all around the
places. Public transport facilities enable people to access Brickfields easily including the students for
institutions.
Figure 1.2: Map of researched zone in Brickfields
This research will be conducted on area D, right in the middle of Brickfield. That area is
surrounded by Jalan Tun Sambantan and Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad. The area is mainly shoplots
from the opposite of the NU Sentral way down to “Little India”.
2.0 Cognitive Mapping
Cognitive mapping was firstly introduced by psychologist E. C. Tolmon explaining on study of
“how rats learned the rewards in the maze”. Cognitive map, also called mental map, is a type of
mental representation of an individual of a certain physical location. A cognitive mapping of a
person will look for a physical qualities which relate to the attributes of identity and structure in the
mental image. That quality of physical object has high probability power of evoking strong image in
any given observers. In another word, it can be described as a map whereby important features are
define from the surrounding and use it as a reference to find their way. The cognitive map includes
the human’s physical sensory to identify the features of the surrounding. Each of the people has
their own memory of a place as their own mental map. The irrelevant or unimportant features by
individual will be excluded from their mental mapping.
This following cognitive mapping is drawn by me as a local whereby has only been to the
place 2 times recently and a time in the past. The unfamiliar of the site context enable to
distinguish the different and unique features, icon and symbol of the surrounding more effectively.
Figure 2.1: Cognitive mapping drawn by Wong Teng Chun
3.0 Analytic Essay
3.1 Walking Experience and factors of recognition
NU Sentral is a shopping complex whereby is connected to KL Sentral, the main railway hub
throughout the country. Therefore, the starting point of researched zone in Brickfields is chosen to
be at NU Sentral because it is the gathering place for everyone whom visit from another place. It
serves as a starting point for everyone to explore Brickfields.
Figure 3.1: NU Sentral as starting point
Figure 3.2: Crossover Bridge Figure 3.3: Performers at the other side of cross
over bridge
The very first intention coming out from NU Sentral was to cross to the other side of the
road full. The crossover bridge are located right in front of the entrance and cross it to the other
side of the road. People are gathered at the exit of the crossover bridge for the street performers.
The path was chosen down to “Little India” along the cultural arc at the side of the walkway
pavement.
There are a few factors that draws one to the crossover bridge and to cross it to the other
side of the road. One of the factors to bring the people towards the crossover bridge is that it has
an interesting and unique form that creates the excitement and draws people to explore and
experience it. The crossover bridge is located very near to the entrance of the NU Sentral that also
another factor that allow people to access the crossover bridge easily. In the text of Jan Gehl’s “Life
Between Building” describe that people are drawn to activities rather than a space. The 3 type of
activities include optional activity, necessary activity and social activity. At the other end of the
bridge, performers act as social activity element to attract the people to approach them. The
orientation of the crossover bridge define the pedestrian path along Jalan Tun Sambanthan to Little
India direction.
Figure 3.4: Menara SHELL Figure 3.5: Human Statue
The “Menara SHELL” building is located in a near distance with NU Sentral and then was
seen on the other side of the road. It has an enormous volume and size in respond to its unique
shape of architectural design. A small human statue located right opposite of large Menara SHELL is
visited by people for photography.
Due to Menara SHELL’s large size and zig zag volume shape, it became a very noticeable and
recognizable by everyone including the first time visiting. On eye view on street level, the human
statue became noticeable because the gate is open widely. The large opening invites people to go
in freely and have photographs. The building and the statue has historical value started before
Brickfields was developed into today. Charles Jenks describe that people give a meaning to a sign or
symbol. In this case, that statue has its meaning from the society and became a public attraction for
anyone that pass by that area.
The walk continues till reached the “Little India”. The width of the walkway became huge
and spacious with number of shoplots increases along. Looking backwards, the high-rise are clearly
Figure 3.6: Little India
to be seen and no view are being obstructed knowing a clear location of where they are from the
starting point.
The spacious walkway gave a clear view of everything ranged from near to a distant
structure. This allow pedestrian to notice the landmarks of the surrounding and became one of the
features as it is the only place that can do it. Cultural arc also present at Little India adding it more
with cultural meaning to the surrounding other than high percentage of Indian community present.
These features made this space easier to be recognized and memorable.
The walk continues and left path was chosen as it has more interesting element to be
explore around the site. The incompleteness of the road along the way keep pedestrian to stay in
the unchanged pathway and leads to the school compound. The walkway became narrow and
compact and it was sheltered all along by vehicle such as buses.
The change of pathway volume and width size and the shading from the hot sun stimulate a
person’s senses of the surrounding. This happens when an individual gain different experiences by
changing its physical conditions. This enable people to remember and recognised based on their
senses to the surrounding.
Figure 3.7: Walkway beside school compound
Moving forward, a small house was discovered with 2 little monkeys locked in a cage. A
table of burned candles are left outside the house. Inside the house, cultural music was played and
finds out little kid wore their traditional outfit taking traditional dancing classes.
The cultural elements are present in this place. Cultural objects, features and practices
stimulates a person memory to be recognizable and memorable. Repeating the theory by Jan Gehl,
the dancing classes is an activities that attracts attention and draws people to explore the source of
music.
Figure 3.8: Monkey in the cage Figure 3.9: Religious house
Figure 3.10: Left over burned candles
After that, a Tamil Methodist Church was discovered with a unique and sharp shape;
triangle, coloured in white. The façade has a nice stone texture with 3 long and narrow opening on
it.
Charles Jencks describe that meaning of sign are given by the society and each of them
define it with different meaning behind. The cultural symbol of a cross and its sharp shape are
unique along the road which give a deep impression of Christianity for pedestrian. The sharp form
of this church are very distinctive from the site context. Juhani Pallasma describe that visual can
stimulate other senses when they are not having sensing experience. In this case, visual on the
texture stimulate senses as well as evoking the emotion of pure and white elements of Christianity.
Figure 3.11: Tamil Methodist Church
Figure 3.12: Distant view of parking area Figure 3.13: Graffiti wall
A short distance after the Tamil Methodist Church, an empty and spacious parking lot was
spotted with street graffiti at the very end of the wall. Railway structure are located right beside the
parking lot.
Based on Charles Jenks, the wall graffiti wall has given meanings and became a street
culture which act as a symbol for pedestrian to be recognized. The subtraction of volume (huge
parking space appear as walking), setback, is one of the factor to draw pedestrian’s attention. The
clear view of the huge space invite the pedestrian exploring emotion and thus found the graffiti
wall making it easy to be recognize and memorable.
The journey continues, passing by a large field of empty land. A small red building was
contrasting from the existing shoplot attracting attention and took a turn into a small alley. It was a
Chinese temple, “Sam Kaw Tong Chinese Temple”. The road was small enough to allow a vehicle to
drive through at a time. The alley is decorated with colourful flags all on top of the road. At the end
of the road, left direction was headed to as the left is more interesting to be explored than the
right.
The colour became contrasting element as it is different from the surrounding and attract
pedestrian attention towards it. The cultural elements of the building differs in the modern
architecture building compound which makes the building stands out.
Figure 3.14: Sam Kaw Tong Chinese Temple Figure 3.15: Small road beside temple
On the way walking towards the starting point, a sudden turn of pathway has discovered.
The flow of the pathway was disrupted causing an awkward walking experience. In the middle of
the building is the railway track for the transit train. The track penetrates through the buildings
from both side and pass through the graffiti wall.
The disrupted pathway disturbed the smooth walking experience causing to have a memory
of that incident. The train coming out from the railway track act as a surprise element for
pedestrian. This catches the attention of the pedestrian and draws them to go forward to it for
exploration. Based on Juhani Pallesma, human sensory are aggressively seeking on sensing
experiences rather than being a passive receiver.
Figure 3.16: Disrupted pathway Figure 3.17: Railway track station
3.2 Discussion and Analysis on Cognitive Mapping
The cognitive mapping is produced based on factors that influence on one’s recognisability
of the places which includes proximity, size, location, shape and social-cultural factors. Based on
Kevin Lynch, the mapping should be convey with his theory of the 5 elements; path, edges, districts,
nodes and landmarks.
Path. According to Kevin Lynch, the path should have a continuity flow to movement and
has an obvious functional necessity. He also states that “path may not be identifiable and
continuous but has direction quality”. In the mental map, the path is constructed according to the
flow of the movement where incomplete pathway is eliminated or not chosen by the individual.
The path also was identified by the crossover bridge directing the pedestrian to the main attraction
of the town, Little India. Juhani Pallasman describe that “…senses as aggressively seeking
mechanisms rather than mere passive receivers”. The reason why the map circulate around is
because that in that compound, the individual finds interesting or exciting element for fulfilling
their sensing needs. In the mapping, after the Chinese temple, left path was chosen as it has
buildings, railway structure and activities than the right side.
Edges. Kevin Lynch define edges of the site as inaccessible path or area to the pedestrian.
That will create a boundary to define the site itself. The mental map has its boundary defined by
Figure 3.18: Railway track defining edges
the inaccessibility of pedestrian to cross over it. The one of the left hand side would be railway
track that goes to the KL Sentral. Figure 3.18 shows the railway track became the edges as no one is
allow to invade the private property of train station.
District. Kevin Lynch refer district as a relatively large sections of the city distinguished by
some identity or character. The physical characteristic that determine districts are thematic
continuity consists of various component. Edges can act as secondary role of district to help
distinguish and define more. The map shows a clear district component throughout the journey by
showing the sequence of district that has been through. On the left hand side of the cognitive map
is business district and on right side are religious district. This interpretation is made based on the
walking experience throughout the site. It defines the district that a person has gone through.
Nodes. Kevin Lynch states nodes are point or strategic spots in the city that public can enter
and is intensive foci. Junction of path, a place of break and transportation stop also can be nodes
where they heighten their attention to the surroundings. Nodes are made up of concentration of
humans to be in a certain place. Activities also attracts people to approach and gather. To support
that argument, Jan Gehl describe that human are attracted by activities in the space rather than a
space without activity. Nodes became memorable when it draws pedestrian attention towards it.
For example, the performers at the crossover bridge create a memorable impact to the pedestrian.
Landmarks. According to Kevin Lynch, landmark is a point-reference whereby it is used
externally as a guide for way finding. The landmarks has its uniqueness, specialization or
memorable in the context. The landmarks that is easily identifiable most likely be chosen with
significant, contrast with the background or prominence of spatial location. In the mental map, the
landmarks are crossover bridge, Menara SHELL, Chinese temple, graffiti walls and Tamil Methodist
Church as each of them has achieved the requirement to be as a landmark.
4.0 Conclusion
The cognitive mapping by an individual show how one define the identity of the site,
Brickfields. The mind-mapping characteristic criteria would be proximity, size, location, shape
and social-cultured factors. Kevin Lynch’s image of city: 5 elements theory of a city; path, edges,
district, nodes and landmarks describe the physical characteristic, appearance or features of the
site into the mapping. The use of only Kevin Lynch’s theory alone is insufficient to help one to
define the identity of a place.
Theories by other authors does help and contribute for an individual to define the identity
more in depth. Jane Jacobs analyse the city with different consideration taken to define a city.
She define it with safety, contact and children of the sidewalk as the identity. Her theory helps
to judge the urban town. Other than that, Charles Jencks theory can be applied to define the
identity more clearly. He states that the symbols, landmarks, has their own multi-valent
meaning that is given by the referent. Every element in the site has the meaning behind it and
to be given by the people depending on how much they interpret it as a whole. Therefore,
different individual define the landmark differently with their own understanding to the site.
Juhani Pallasma’s theory on memory stored within body enable an individual to recognized and
link the elements or characteristic of an object or culture to shape the site identity. For
example, the smell of the flower and the burned candles from that context remind the
individual’s conscious about Indian culture.
With these, an individual define the identity unconsciously based on their self-evaluation on
site. However, each of the individual has their own definition of their cognitive mapping.
Therefore, their interpretation on the place are different from each other as they has different
level of experience of senses and knowledge with them.
References Gehl, J. (1987). Life Between Buildings Using Public Space. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death And Life Of Great American Cities.
Jencks, C. (1969). Semiology and Architecture.
Lynch, K. (1960). The Image Of The City.
Pallasma, J. (2007). The Eyes Of The Skin. Great Britain: Wiley-Academy
Tolman E. C. (1948). Cognitive maps in rats and men. Psychological Review, 55, 189-208.
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