Utilisation of Urban Design Principles in Designing the Food Street in Southeast Asia City
– Case study on Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur
Abstract
The importance of food street in urban culture is stressed by examining the development of food street in developing countries within Southeast Asia.
The research provides analysis and explanation of urban design principles which constitutes the components of successful urban space in seven headings, which comprises of legibility, character, diversity, continuity and enclosure, ease of movement, adaptability, quality of public realm. The physical characteristics of each principle are used to evaluate the selected food street, Jalan Alor in Kuala Lumpur on how the street fullfills the requirements by observation.
In addition, the research aims to provide example for designers to know how to implement these principles street design physically for food and hawking activity.
As a result, importance and necessity of urban design principles in order to achieve successful food street in urban context for future development has been presented.
1.0 Introduction
This paper highlights place attachment concept and its significance in creating the sense of place. Place attachment dimensions are examined in the context of the traditional streets in the city centre of Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. As the earliest streets in the city, the traditional shopping streets preserve their character physically and socially through the streets activities and people interaction (Shuhana, Ahmad Bashri, Norhaslina, & Maslyana, 2004). They are regarded as important in influencing the city identity and economic vitality. Place attachment is defined as the bonding established between people and places. It is reflected in the users’ identity and dependence on their settings. However, due to unfit development, the sense of place and attachment are interrupted thus affect the people’s feelings and perception of the streets. In most cases, changes in the physical setting, the types of uses and the streets’ activities may consequently erase what is precious and meaningful to the existing individuals and the community particularly those who have long-term attachment to the areas. Since meaning and attachment are the attributes of place, the lack of meaning in places weakens the sense of place and identity. This article also discusses the significance of place attachment in the identification of distinctive and meaningful places within a particular socio-cultural context. In order to fully understand factors influencing attachment to the traditional streets, the attributes and characteristics of the streets as a place of functional and emotional significance that forms the attachment are examined.
1.1 Street as Multi-functional Space
For the past, streets have often centred around moving people and automobile as the main arteries of cities and neighbourhood. The street serve as the main infrastructure for movement, access, connectivity and supply utilities and services. However, the streets perform multiple functions in reality, providing both movements and activities for social or cultural purposes. A city’s streets, parks, squares, and other shared spaces have been seen as symbols of collective well-being and possibility. In the book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs argued that the life of the cities reflected in the life of its street, in which if streets are lively, the city is interesting. The streets are defined by their physical dimension and character including size, scale and architectural expression of the lined buildings.
According to Mehta (2013), over half of the world’s population now lives in urban area. This translates into a higher possibility of social encounter on the streets. Social encounters have always been a significant part of the life in the city. Street is a shared space within the urban fabric accessible to all people physically and visually. Streets are the important social gathering spaces in urban areas and cities, where diverse cultural and commercial activities encourage interaction between the citizens (Lim, 2014). Furthermore, the urban streets are the common social and cultural space for people to unwind and participate in culturally-specific activities. Sharing space with strangers is important. This is how we learn about new viewpoints to perceive the world. Some scholars argue that everyday encounters in public spaces may inadvertently produce cosmopolitan sensibilities as persons of diverse ethnicities, races, and status mix and interact as they go about their daily lives (Laurier and Philo 2006; Watson 2009).
In descriptions such as Kong’s above, the hawker center is figured as a significant communal meeting place—a vortex of intersecting identity positionings, of age, generation, gender, ethnicity, and class. noticing how readily the spaces of casual eating places and their economies of sharing allow a degree of ready-made, for-the-moment intimacy (particularly for an obvious stranger and a woman) not permissible in other contexts.
“A landscape that affords a limited ability to explore, create, express and share; to encounter difference and learn; and to confront, tolerate and resolve conflict.” – Mehta (2013)
Although intended to be circulation space, street invariably becomes multi-functional venue in urban context (Chua & Edwards, 1992). In the age of urban sprawl, multiple usage of public which changes on a daily or seasonal basis is driven by political and cultural expression (Frank & Steven, 2007). Streets have been transformed from a circulation route to market.
• Circulation for vehicles, pedestrian and cyclist
• Transit access
• Building access
• Provision of light and ventilation for building
• Route for utilities and services
• Storage space for vehicles
• Public space of human interaction and encounters
1.2 Development of Food Street in Southeast Asia
In many parts of Southeast Asia, streets have always been related to foodways and hawking activities. It is a growing phenomenon in developing countries, particularly the urban areas. This is due to the economic growth which enables the urban dwellers to spend more on food, while the changing lifestyles encourage higher population to practice eating-out in the restaurants and food street. (Ali & Abdullah, 2012). High living cost in the city has driven the families to seek for more income source and thus, they tend to rely on services available in their neighbourhood to save the precious time for earning extra money. The provided services in the neighbourhood include laundries, nurseries and even cooked food services. Hence, eating-out has become a culture and cooked food industries are profiting from the urban development. It is estimated that 2.5 billion people people eat street food every single day according to United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (Fellows & Hilmi, 2011). This situation encourages the number of food streets to increase within the urban area to cater for the demand by the people.
Street food business provides a feasible solution to make a living. Economical need has driven the people to make living by selling prepared food in public spaces such as sidewalks and streets. In developing country, vendors are made up of lower classes who face barriers limiting their ability to access formal job with good pay. For example, immigrants from rural area take part in street food business as a source of money income without relying on the employer (Cardoso & Marras, 2014).
In Malaysia, the total number of licensed street vendors was nearly 35,000 together with 12,000 unlicensed street vendors, according to Department of Hawkers and Petty Traders (Bhowmik, 2015). Hence, the food streets play an important role in supplying cooked food to the urban population and creating the sense of community by bringing people to enjoy their meals in a social setting. Food streets are also perceived as one of the most enjoyable place for western travellers to seek for ethnic experience and indulge in authentic food culture or interacting with the locals.
1.3 Characteristics of Food Street
As public spaces, streets are essential structures and identities in the mental maps of both locals and tourists. The quality of the streets such as: colour, shape, rhythm, arrangement, buildings, environment, ambience and people evoke the meaning, expressiveness, sensous delight, stimulus and choice (Lynch, 1960). A highly imageable city with vibrant streets is able to evoke strong mental image because of its significant ‘personality’ or ‘character’.
In the context of Southeast Asia, the characteristic of food street are not much different among the cities. Commonly, food hawking activity takes place along the long and narrow street with mainly two-storeys shophouses on both sides in both Malaysia and Singapore. In the book, Public space: Design, use and management, Chua and Edwards (1992) argued that the uniformity of shophouses rows along the street gave the street a homogeneous character but also transformed the street into the ‘open public space’ for shophouse residents, shopkeepers and hawkers. Most of the shophouses are designed with a continuous public walkway, known as ‘’five-foot walkway” or verandaway which serve as a pedestrian route or extended retail activity. The form and facade treatment of the shop frontage attract pedestrian to engage in the informal activity along the varandaway (Shuhana et al., 2004). The facade and continuous veranda way of the shophouses give the street a uniform look. Besides that, the rows of shophouses also provided a ‘picture frame’ of human dimension in which the ever-changing street activities, such as hawking could be appreciated.
1.4 Vitality of Food Street
A vibrant food street not only rely on solely the food attraction, it also depends on the viability of the located site. In the book ‘Street Food Success’, Gabriel argues that site selection is one of the important criteria in creating a thriving food street. For instance, food street should be positioned closely to places with high pedestrian traffic with good visual connectivity in order to gauge potential customers and take advantage of the liveliness offered by the city itself. Besides, the overlapping activities and the softening of boundary between spaces in urban context create rich sensual and visual experience along the street (Frank & Steven, 2007). In his study of Chinatown in Singapore, Philip Tieh (1988) found that Singapore tourist guides ranked ‘street scene’ as the second most important attraction. Recently, 7-Smith Street in Singapore has been revitalised and transformed the into nostalgic street hawker scene with authentic 1960s atmosphere and decoration for local and tourist alike. The fully pedestrianised and covered food street allows visitors to dine in comfort regardless of rain or shine, day to night. The revitalised street has become the latest dining and tourist attraction in Singapore. Therefore, good urban design of the site contributes to the vitality and success of a food street.
However, little research has been done on the relationship between urban design principles and food street to explore how these principles create place for food and social activity to take place. This study attempt to identify and understand how the urban design principles contribute to the success of food street in urban context of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The result of this research can be used as a reference in designing food street to satisfy both locals’ demand and attractive tourist destination.
3.0 Research Question
How does urban design principles activate food street in South East Asia urban context?
3.1 Research Aims & Objectives
In the discussions on ‘New Urbanism’ and ‘Urban Design’, this report does not cover every aspect of New Urbanism and urban design literature due to its broad context and multi-disciplinary field. The focus has been selective, addressing the main issues of interest related to Whangarei District. The discussion in this report has been centred mainly on environmental and social sustainability. Cultural and economic sustainably are the subject of separate reports but are acknowledged as being intimately related to urban design, amenity, local character and sense of place. However, a number of issues omitted could merit further investigation.
4.0 Literature Review
4.1 Urban Design Principles
Good urban design is able to enhance economic viability of development by generating a sense of place. A sense of place helps to attract visitors and tourists that in turn, contributes to economy of the particular location. A strong sense of place contributes to economic wellbeing that creates a positive image of the place.
The Value of Urban Design indenfities eight (8) core elements of urban design. These elements guide physical development toward a desired image that is consistent with the social, economic and aesthetic value of the city.
The urban design principles listed below are identified and studied to allow identification at selected food street in Kuala lumpur. These elements are summarised below:
4.1.1 Legibility
A clear and simple development pattern within the urban context enable people to read and understand the environment which in turn allow navigation in the city. The perceptual order is related to the legibility of the environment that allow recognisable coherent pattern. According to Lynch, the quality of ‘imageability’ of the city can be achieved by evoking strong image of the main elements: oaths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks (Lynch, 1960). A visually prominent landmark in term of building, landscape or public art is able to create a memorable location which people cause as visual clue to navigate. This is important for tourists or visitors who are visiting the area for the first time enjoy the place without getting anxious of getting lost.
The physical elements and activities influence the users’ perception of the places while the functional, emotional and the social meanings evoked by the elements is found to be the profound reasons that a place continued to be loved and felt significant. The physical form and activities are significant in the user’s familiarity and imageability (e.g. identification of recognisable historical buildings and the presence of public open spaces) while the social and cultural relationship, memory and personal meanings contribute to emotional attachment and belonging to the places. The identity of the traditional streets has been imbued in the identity of the dominant ethnic community in their way of life and religious practices. Constant attachment with the streets’ activities promotes familiarity and a sense of ownership. The users associated place familiarity with places that are frequently visited and spaces that they engaged with on daily basis. It can be understood that repeated direct experience of a place is necessary for persons or groups to build attachment and meanings.
4.1.2 Character
All the elements within the built environment work collectively to create a character that reflects the identify of the place and community.
The street should be sympathetic to local character.
Variation in building height, volume, and the way in which buildings are grouped together, are examples of how building form contributes to the unique character of specific areas. Building forms are guided by specific uses of buildings. As they have an impact on the streetscape, it is important that their forms respond to their surroundings.
Local character is one of the generators of urban design. It is the distinctive identity of a particular place that results from the interaction of many factors – built environment, land use patterns, landscape, history, style and era of architectures, people and their activities. Character can be distinguished from the individual attributes that constitute it: density, connectivity, scale, use. While each of these qualities may be advantageous in its own way, ‘character’ describes the additional benefit that results when such qualities combine to create an easily recognisable identity. An inner-city suburb, an older, well-established suburb and a seaside village all have their own, quite distinct local character.
Some are economic, such as increased attractiveness and competitiveness of the city. In terms of social value, social inclusiveness and wellbeing increased vitality and safety, and the simple satisfaction gained by both residents and visitors from the availability of pleasant amenities and facilities.
The Resource Management Act (RMA) defines ‘amenity values’ as “those natural or physical qualities and characteristics of an area that contribute to people’s appreciation of its pleasantness, aesthetic coherence, and cultural and recreational attributes.” Typically a person would view amenity to be matters such as ‘privacy’, ‘pleasantness’, ‘clean air’ or ‘peace and quiet’. Matters such as noise, odour, density of development, and shading contribute to amenity.
While amenity attributes present tangible and measurable matters such as physical noise measurements, amenity values represent less tangible matters such as people’s perceptions of noise, culture, expectations, desires and tolerance. Amenity values can be defined at a range of spatial levels such as city-wide, suburb, neighbourhood, street, and site; at each level they contribute to the identity of an area and provide a ‘sense of place’.
4.1.3 Diversity
Provide a diversity and choice through a mix of compatible housing and programmes.
A range of different architecture adds visual interest and programmes which can reflect the diversity of the local community.
Successful places offer a variety of uses and activities, shops and services.
4.1.4 Continuity and Enclosure
An open space such as street enclosed by building which overlook at the public space can provide sense of security by natural surveillance.
4.1.5 Ease of Movement
Fully or partly covered provide weather protection where possible appropriate to the context.
Comfortable and safe for pedestrians and disabled.
All the three traditional streets are located near the light rail transit (LRT) stations, therefore the intensity of pedestrian movement is the highest in the area. This encourages greater potential for buying and selling activities. Being one of the highest pedestrian count spots in the city, the mixture of activities such as retail and market activities are significant factors for the streets’ vitality even though the shops are closed before midnight. The presence of residential units in the streets adds to the sense of vitality due to the constant presence of the people throughout the day.
. Definition: the physical conditions facilitating access within a region, city, town or neighbourhood. Well-connected cities, towns and neighbourhoods can:
• Enhance land values
• Make local service shops and facilities more viable
• Enhance people’s safety and security by encouraging surveillance
• Reduce vehicle emissions through fewer cars being used for non-work trips.
On any street, pedestrians are headed to di erent places. They rely on sidewalks to connect them to where they want to go; so a good pedestrian network provides con nuous, reliable connec ons, without gaps or obstacles. Furthermore, a network with op ons—with more than one sensible route from one place to another, places to change course, and places of interest to stop—is more useful and interes ng, and encourages people to walk.
•
4.1.6 Adaptability
The street is designed to accommodate various functions, not dominated by any one function.
. Definition: the capacity of urban buildings, neighbourhoods and spaces to adapt to changing needs. Urban design that addresses adaptability can:
• Extend the useful economic life of buildings and public spaces
• Increase the diversity of uses and users in a public space, and the length of time it is used for
• Encourage the conservation of non-renewable resources
• Contribute to economic success over time.
The best city streets serve many uses well. Beyond circula on for cars, bikes, and pedestrians, streets provide public space for a community. In add on to its primary uses, sidewalks can o er a place to pass me, watch people, meet friends, and be entertained. Good streets and other public spaces facilitate certain ac vi es and permit and invite others: they are open and exible to changing uses.
4.1.7 Quality of Public Realm
. Definition: all parts of the physical environment of towns and cities that the public has access to, and that form the setting for community and public life. Urban design that ensures high quality public places can:
• Lead to enhanced urban economic performance by attracting more people and activities
• Encourage greater participation in community and cultural activities, and enhance civic pride and commitment to the community
• Increase the use of public space and support associated business
• Enhance personal safety.
The public realm provides an important setting for retail and commercial uses – , in street markets, seating for cafés, and all types of commercial advertising – a valuable contribution to the activity and sociability of the public realm (guided by the Council’s regulatory framework). The design and con guration of these commercial uses of the public realm must leave no ambiguity as to the boundaries between public and private, and should be appropriate to the public setting in which they area located.
The best places to walk are punctuated with pleasant surprises that make people glad they walked and encourage them to keep walking. A good view, a comfortable place to sit, a work of public art, a nice place to get a cup of co ee: these are rewards for exploring. When people an cipate such things, or when they are a racted by invi ng or intriguing features in the public realm, they are mo vated to use streets and bring them to life.
Environments that demonstrate though ul planning, execu on, and maintenance are inspiring and appealing. They express quality, investment, and human presence. These impressions help make a public realm engaging.
4.2 Physical implementation of urban design principles
The implementation of urban design principles enhance community and economic of the street life. The economic influence by the principles is directly related to the food street business.
The characteristics of urban design principles below shall be used as guidelines to identify in the observation process.
Urban Design Principles
Characteristics
Economic influence
Legibility
• Recognisable routes, intersections and landmarks to assist in way finding.
• Visible and memorable landmark buildings at street level.
• Street network hierarchy is highlighted by scale of buildings and street design.
• Increase in employment and tourism activity.
Character
• Coherent image and identity formed by buildings, public spaces, landscaping and street furniture.
• Locally distinctive patterns of development, landscape and culture.
• Guarantee future growth after regeneration.
Diversity
• Mixed-use programme to respond to local needs.
• Range of activities and uses which contribute to the vitality of the place at different times.
• Variety of building forms and architecture expression.
• Provision of employment opportunities and housing.
• More active public realm create more commercial opportunities.
• Growth of local business and industry.
Continuity and Enclosure
• Street made of continuous frontage of buildings.
• Clear distinction of private and public areas.
• Natural surveillance and security created by buildings.
• A safe public area increases commercial activity.
Ease of Movement
• Prioritised pedestrian walkway.
• Located within close proximity to public transport.
• Connectivity with existing infrastructure.
• Good visibility leads to commercial viability.
• Expansion of customer base.
Adaptability
• Design to cope with ever-changing climate.
• Adaptive-reuse buildings for new uses.
• Less relocation of local residents and business.
• Affordable renovation work to suit new business activity.
Quality of Public Realm
• Attractive, safe & uncluttered public spaces and routes.
• Usage of durable materials which require less maintenance.
• Ease of use for children, disabled and elderly people.
5.0 Methodolodgy
The definition of food street is similar to other developing countries in Southeast Asia which refers to public street where vendors and hawkers prepare or sell food in a collective manner (FAO, 2005). On the other hand, Bhowmik (2005) defines street vendor as a person who operate business or sale to the public without a permanent built-up structure. In this paper the study focused on Jalan alor which suits the definitions above and it is located in an urban area of Kuala Lumpur, so that urban design principles can be applied to the selected context. In detail, Kuala Lumpur is one of the major urban centre in Southeast Asia with population of 1.7 million, covering 5,000 square kilometer (DBKL, 2012).
In order to further justify the presence of urban design principles in Jalan Alor that were worth researching, the characteristics of the selected street is explained. Jalan Alor is a unique street catering for a pedestrian-friendly environment and bustling food activities at the cultural hearth of Kuala Lumpur city. Combination of traditional shophouses and modern buildings of the 1970s and 1980s flank the street while offering certain degree of sun protection. A sharp contrast to commercialised streets like Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Alor has the past-age character which is filled with traditional Chinese charm where mini red lanterns strung up in the trees can be seen and aged fluorescent restaurant signage lighting along the street. In the evening, Jalan Alor is transformed into a large temporary outdoor eating area with variety of stalls offering local Malaysian cuisine. Starting at 5pm, hawker stalls are set up on the five-foot walkway with plastic tables and chairs spilling out to the driveway In addition, some restaurants also.extend their business out to the sidewalks and street. In term of accessibility, the street is easily accessible by monorail and within walking distance from Bukit Bintang station. (Kozlowski et al., 2015)
5.1 Case Study
Descriptive Case study, one of the qualitative methods was used to identify the relationship of urban design principles with the selected food street. This method focuses on a holistic explanation about an event that happened (Chua, 2012). Conducting case study allows the uncovering of in-depth information about an individual’s behavioural response to his environment which is the selected food street, Jalan Alor. Before conducting the research, the theory of urban design principles were given an in-depth explanation and used as guidance for the entire duration of the research. Data triangulation was also used to improve the reliability and validity of the research. By combining multiple methods: observation, in-depth interview and secondary documents, the research phenomenon becomes clear and in-depth (Chua, 2012). Lastly, the data was analysed and evaluated to create the data pattern to explain the phenomenon.
5.1.1 Observation
Observation was the first data collection technique used in the study. Photography was the common visual instrument to record the scenery and background of pattern towards Jalan Alor food street including user interaction with the environment. Using observation method in the form of photography, it was possible to identify the seven (7) urban design principles in terms of physical characteristics at the selected street: legibility, character, diversity, continuity and enclosure, ease of movement, adaptability & quality of public realm. The physical characteristics of the urban design principles were identified in the literature review.
5.1.2 In-depth Interview
In-depth interview was the second data collection technique used to explore the user’s experience towards food street. Ten respondents aged between 20 to 60 years old with different demographic backgrounds were interviewed on their experiences and opinions toward food street. Semi-structured interview was applied to make respondents feel at ease, but still maintain the structure of objectives (Bailey, 2007). The instruments used were interview guideline question, note and voice recorder. Then, the voice recorder was transcripted and analysed into the themes and code before interpretation. The In-depth interview was used to compare and confirm the data from observation technique.
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