habitable edge: architecure for contemporary lifestyle at historical wangfujing area

可居性边缘：在王府井大街上演绎当

代生活方式的建筑

Habitable Edge: Architecture for Contemporary Lifestyle at Historical

Wangfujing Area, Beijing

(申请清华大学建筑学硕士学位论文)

培养单位 : 建筑学院

学科: 建筑学

研究生 : 叶婉宜

指导教师 : 张利教授

二○一二年五月

关于论文使用授权的说明

i

关于论文使用授权的说明

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中文题要

ii

中文摘要

追求更完善的公共空间是城市发展永恒不变的主题。王府井大街，北京

城最拥挤的公共场所之一，日均人流量达 600,000 人，在周末更多达 1,200,000

人。然而，因为大型复合商场的增长，胡同的拆迁，这个地区正逐渐失去它的

城市独特性。在这个城市里，大型复合商场的模式成为提供城市公共空间的新

潮流。同时，北京的传统公共空间——胡同，正面临这种现象的威胁。人们仍

然可以在繁华的王府井和热闹的旅游景点的阴影下发现破败的胡同，残存的青

砖墙。然而，一些胡同还幸存在现代化的石灰森林中。究竟，胡同能与现代城

市体块共存吗？

这篇论文的主题就是探讨北京的城市公共空间。通过分析亚洲城市公共

空间的意义，在北京城探索体现现代日常生活方式的地方，获得可居性边缘的

方案。胡同内的小型公共空间已不能满足现代化的需求，然像三里屯这些经

过改良的公共空间也不能达到真正的平衡. 通过观察原居民的社会活动得出，

可居性边缘项目旨在设计一个拥有多功能的公共空间的方案。而且作为北京城

具有连续性的城市休闲空间模块，可居性边缘将会提供一个北京式的生活模式。

工业发展多数时候不认同城市的微观发展。不过，可居性边缘项目将倡导未开

发区的可持续发展，无论从微观层面到宏观层面。

论文开始会指出现在北京公共空间设计的缺陷，如存在于一些公园甚至

人民广场，接着介绍一些新的公共空间如何满足容纳增长的人口密度的需求。

然而，一些空间并不得到充分的利用甚至影响了人们的日常生活，以至只有少

部分人愿意到这些地方居住。究竟哪一种空间形式能充分体现北京的生活模式？

究竟哪一种空间设计才是能帮助人们展现自我，促进交流，宣扬当地文化的理

想模式？

论文也简要的介绍了人们的消费文化及商场，公园，博物馆，休憩用地，

和其他公共设施如何面对消费对象的需要。建筑也是人们和媒体的消费对象。

建筑所要传达的就是文化的本质，尽管有时候它被忽略或隐藏在其他事物下。

虽然这个项目选择北京王府井大街作为调研对象去分析大体块和小体块

的建筑关系，但是它也可以作为 1）一个通过可居性边缘的设计提高公共空间的

利用率的初步实验； 2）一个关于去帮助为了提高经济效益而陷入两难局面的

城市平行商业发展和遗迹迁拆的关系的可行解决方案；3）一个用最少的建筑手

法达到提供微观建筑发展基础的最大效益经济的干预； 4）一个通过有效活动

中文题要

iii

利用巨型建筑垂直空间的解决方案； 5）一个用最少和合理的建筑手法去约束

和联结地方的空间性和功能性的可持续发展模式。更多的是，该方案可以成为

一个初步的系统，以解决现代建筑和历史胡同僵持不前互相对立的邻里关系。

关键词：王府井，可居性边缘，微观城市规划，公共空间，生活模式，胡

同生存

Abstract

iv

ABSTRACT

There is a constant need of better public space in Beijing. Wangfujing Street,

containing 600,000 people during the weekdays and up to 1,200,000 people during the

weekends, has gradually loosened its identity because of demolition of hutongs and

replacement of shopping malls. Shopping malls has become a new trend of public

space. Meanwhile, Hutongs, Beijing’s typical social space, has to suffer from this

phenomenon. Ruin of hutongs and surviving walls can still be found In Wangfujing

and other touristy spots. Some hutongs still exist behind building blocks. Can hutong’s

life integrate with urban blocking?

The subject of the thesis is Beijing’s urban public space. The analysis is

discovering significance of public space and micro pattern in Asian Cities. The

outcome is to draw a scheme for Habitable Edge which offers universal place making

for daily human pattern within Beijing’s area. Small public spaces at tiny alleys like

hutongs cannot satisfy the need in this modernization and updated public spaces like

Sanlitun Village fail to manage the balance once hutongs could achieve. Deriving from

social activities within former inhabitants, Habitable Edge aims to provide option of

design solution to initiate more functional yet contemporary public space. Habitable

Edge as continual module of small urban spot is expected to supply necessities of

Beijing’s way of living. Industrialization and technology sometimes disregard city’s

micro system. Habitable Edge intends to occupying undeveloped spaces sustainably,

ranging from small to big project.

This thesis starts out with identifying flaws in the current Beijing’s public

spaces like parks and people’s square. There are several new kind of common spaces

introduced to the city to facilitate the density. However, some of the spaces are not

used effectively and demolish the original ideas of Beijing’s public life. Only some

people can or are willing to inhabited new space. What kind of space that can

accommodate Beijing’s activities? Explicitly, what is the ideal public space for citizens

to socialize and to entertain themselves and for visitors to interact with locals and learn

the culture of Beijing?

The thesis also briefly includes culture of consumerism. Malls, park, museum,

open spaces, and other public facilities are faced by the need of consuming object.

Architecture is also consumed by people and media as an object. The essence of

culture is the meaning of architecture we want to convey and sometimes, this

significance is neglected or hidden behind other objects.

Abstract

v

While this study has selected the Wangfujing Street of Beijing as an

investigative model to elaborate between the bigness and the smallness, it also serves

as 1) a preliminary examination into improving the efficiency of public space in the

city through Habitable Edge; 2) a possible model for addressing problems faced by

cities who are trapped in the dilemma of improving the efficiency of the city and

demolishing historical sites valuable to the heritage or economic viability of the city; 3)

an economical design intervention where minimum architecture operation is the base

of the micro architecture’s strategy; 4) a solution of efficiency of in between space by

providing connection thru activities in which big monolith buildings cannot reach; and

5) a sustainable model which requires minimum and reasonable space to bound and

tighten the area spatially and functionally. Furthermore, the strategy can become an

initial system to solve the stagnancy between modern buildings and forgotten hutongs

in one neighborhood.

Keywords: Wangfujing, Habitable Edge, Micro Urbanism, Public Space, lifestyle,

Hutong’s Life

Table of Contents

vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

关于论文使用授权的说明………………………………………………………….………….i

Statement on Thesis Usage Authorization.………………………………………………….…..i

中文摘要……..………………………………………………………………………………....ii

Abstract….……………………………………………………………………………….…….iv

1. Introduction………….……………………………………………………………….……....1

1.1 Background….……………………………………………………………….….....1

1.2 Statement of Intent…..……………………………………………………………..5

1.2.1 Rethinking Internal Order………..………………………………….......5

1.2.2 Rethinking Urbanism……..……………………………………………..7

1.3 Methodology……………………..…………………………………………...…..11

1.4 Proposal……………………..…………………………………………………….12

1.5 Target Groups………………..……………………………………………………13

2. Issues and Analysis ……………..…………………………………………………………..14

2.1 Current Condition of Public Space in Beijing…………….………………………14

2.1.1 Beijing Central Park……..……………………………………………..14

2.1.2 Tiananmen Square………..…………………………………………….15

2.1.3 Nanluoguxiang Street………..…………………………………………16

2.1.4 Wangfujing Street………….…………………………………………..17

2.1.4.1 Urban Blocking………….…………………………………..20

2.1.4.2 Cultural Convention of Public Space….…………………….25

2.1.4.3 Dilemma of Heritage………………….……………………..29

2.1.4.4 New Proposal for Wangfujing Street….…………………….32

2.1.5 Conclusion……………..……………………………………………….34

2.2 Public Space in Other Asian Cities…….…………………………………………35

Table of Contents

vii

2.2.1 Bundaran Hotel Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia – The City of

Transformation…………………………………………………………35

2.2.2 Fa Yuen Street, Mongkok, Hong Kong – The City of Sense……....…..41

2.2.3 Food Center, Singapore – The city with Balance….…………...………48

2.2.4 Conclusion……………………………………….……………………..53

2.3 Micro Scale: The Forgotten Pattern………………………………………………56

2.3.1 New Proposed BIAD’s Building……….………………………………57

2.3.2 Paradigm Studies……………..………………………………………...58

2.3.2.1 Bernard Tschumi Manhattan Transcripts……..……………..58

2.3.2.2 Gordon Matta- Clark Conical Intersect………..…………….60

2.3.3 Micro Scale Contribution in Western and Asian Cities……..…………62

2.3.3.1 Time Square, New York – Minimum Public Zone……..…...62

2.3.3.2 Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan – Compat and Layer…..…………...68

2.3.3.3 Hybrid Kampung Public space, Malang, Indonesia…..……..74

2.4 Conclusion………………………………………..……………………………….77

3. Thesis Design……………………..………………………………………………………...78

3.1 Site Analysis…………………...………………………………………………….78

3.1.1 Introduction of Beijing Wangfujing……...…………………………….80

3.1.2 Micro Site Analysis………...…………………………………………..80

3.1.2.1 The Hutong Wall……...……………………………………..80

3.1.2.2 Edge…………...……………………………………………..82

3.1.3 Macro Site Analysis…...…………………………………………….....83

3.2 Architectural Strategy………………...…………………..…………….…………85

3.2.1 Urbanism…………...………………………………………….……….85

3.2.1.1 Micro Urbanism……...…………………………….………..85

3.2.1.2 Fine- Grained Urbanism…………………………….……….86

3.2.2 Hutong………………………………………………………………….87

Table of Contents

viii

3.2.2.1 Hutong Characteristics………………………………………88

3.2.2.2 Hutong Transportation………………………………………90

3.2.2.3 Horizon of Activities………………………………………..91

3.2.2.4 Role of Architecture?.............................................................93

3.3 Architectural Intervention………………………………………………………..94

3.3.1 Habitable Edge Concept……..…………………………………………94

3.3.2 Public Zone 1……..……………………………………..……………100

3.3.2.1 Process and Limitations…………..………………….…….100

3.3.2.2 Plans, Sections, and Elevations……...……………………..101

3.3.2.3 Perspectives………………………………...………………106

3.3.2.4 Details and Materials……………………………………….110

3.3.3 Public Zone 2………...……………………………………………….112

3.3.3.1 Process and Limitations………………...………………….112

3.3.3.2 Plans, Sections, and Elevations…………………………….113

3.3.3.4 Perspectives…………………….…………………………..118

3.3.3.4 Details and Materials………………………………………120

3.3.4 New Master Plan…………….………………………………………..121

3.3.4.1 Pieces, Replication, and System………..…………………..121

4. Conclusion……………………..…………………………………………………………..123

5. Reference………………..…………………………………………………………………124

致谢/ Acknowledgements………………..…………………………………………………..126

声明………………..…………………………………………………………………………127

Resume………………...……………………………………………………………………..128

Chapter 1. Introduction

1

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Population growth is a major issue for every country. Many ways have been

promoted to avoid overpopulation such as birth control, contraception, living education,

and family planning. China, the world’s most populous country, occupies 19.5%

world’s population with the total of 1,339,724,852 people in November 2010 (Figure

1.1.2).1 Although regulation has been made to control population, sadly, density is still

a major issue for every country especially in China and India. It happens because lands

are limited and human population always increases.

Fig. 1.1.1 Rapid grow of population causing concern, especially in demand of

land and public space.

1http://www.chinafinancialdaily.com/

http://www.chinafinancialdaily.com/


2

In America, the force to accommodate density was challenged by designing tall

buildings, towers, malls, and everything in large scale to accommodate people. The

architectural forms were usually uniform massive blocks which were hoped to create a

city. Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao, a big stand- alone building, has been able to

attract people for activities and revitalize the economy of the city.

In 1999 the administrative area of Beijing (measured in square kilometers as

16,801 km2) was 11 times larger than its built-up area (1,576 km2) (Figure 1.1.3).2

Government conduct the land use in China. To deal with land shortage and the need of

extra public space and housing, extensive squares and malls are built like in

Fig. 1.1.2 China as the world’s most populous country.

Fig. 1.1.3 Built- up area is important to be measured for density purpose.

2 Angel, Shlomo. (2011). Making Room for a Planet of Cities. Cambridge: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.


3

Wangfujing and XiDan. The cases in Beijing now try to go with the success of

Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao (Figure 1.1.4).

The first purpose- built Pedestrian Street in Rotterdam, Lijnbaan Street, opened

in 1953, was influenced by the idea of Monumentality (Figure 1.1.5). The plan was

committed to the functionalist idea of Le Corbusier and the urban development of

Lijnbaan Street shifted from human friendly scale into well- designed high rise

building blocks after the post- war era. Lijnbaan Street became the international

example of the city of future without realizing there is a missing link between

buildings and human. The idea of Lijnbaan Horizontal Street was destroyed by the

implication of modernity and later, all the development of pedestrian streets in the

world was much influenced by the growing of vertical city. Couple years after the era

of Monumentality came awareness of green zone and sustainability. It does try to

balance between buildings and greenery but it is still doesn’t provide a link between

human and buildings. Humans do not appear in their depictions of urban life.

Fig. 1.1.4 Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao, reviving the economy of the city of Bilbao.


4

Moreover, it is difficult to consider that a mere conformity to the employment

of big monolithic buildings to solve density problem or to force effectiveness of land

use can be equated with moving towards a sustainable or a better future when millions

of dollars need to be generated to fund such massive and higher technological

breakthroughs. While, I am not against investing for more efficient and advance

purposes, the need for thoughtful and thorough planning rather than simply reacting to

the given conditions ought to be supported as well.

Many people support pattern of sustainability. As such, we were unfortunately

trapped and blinded in solely accepting our dependence big buildings as the primary

means to achieve higher density. As a UK House of Commons report concluded, also

summarizing the research: "The proposition that big buildings are necessary to prevent

suburban sprawl is impossible to sustain. They do not necessarily achieve higher

densities than low-rise development and in some cases are a less-efficient use of space

than alternatives.”3 Indeed, the efficient placement of people and their activities is

important. A dense downtown, far away from a dense bedroom community, may

actually be worse, from a carbon point of view, than a less dense mix of the two. Other

than increasingly high embodied energy of steel and concrete per floor area with

increasing height, the challenge of maintenance and repair in some cases require high

energy and cost. In the case of Beijing city, the inefficiency of gigantic outdoor public

space attached aside the monolith architecture.

Fig. 1.1.5 Lijnbaan Street, Rotterdam, 1953.The first built pedestrian street.

3 Sixteenth report of Session. (2002) [PDF file]. . Tall buildings: Report and Proceedings of the House of Commons

Transport, Local Government and the Regions Committee. Retrieved from http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmtlgr/482/482.pdf

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmtlgr/482/482.pdf


5

Nowadays, people try to trace the influence of modern thinking. Many of us

working in the disciplines of urbanism and architecture feel that it is time to drastically

change the way we design and build our environment. This resolution comes after a

century of modernist top-down and energy-wasteful planning. Europe has started an

urban reformation by demolish gigantic buildings and replace with human scale

buildings.4

We are now again in an era full of potential changes, and the word

“urbanism” and “sustainability” have caught on to our lifestyle. However, New

Urbanism, still, “is a form of centrally-planned, large-scale development, instead of

allowing the initiative for construction to be taken by the final users themselves".5 For

urban planners and architects of the era, implementation of “city as a machine” that

guaranteed the Modernist transformation of cities would have been as equally exciting

and mind boggling as how urbanism is going to be with analyzing of basic human

activities and needs to us now.

In this paper, what I hope to contribute towards architecture and urban planning

theorizing is that urbanism should not simply be a grandeur luxury open space or big

monolith building to the need to be urban, but an alternative mindset in responding to

it via a novel interpretation of human activities and local needs that creates new

potential for the city and a new urban culture.

1.2 Statement of Intent

1.2.1 Rethinking Internal Order

The discussion of sustainable urbanism in the present capitalist society is

associated with reference to the production and consumption of space. The market

seems to be doing a satisfactory job in providing “sustainable design” in the name of

green buildings, but often it ignores everyday human experience and disregards the

importance of everyday human actions in sustainable development. There is a two-fold

gap between the production and consumption of sustainable design. First, the design

profession is engaged predominantly in the realm of iconic green architecture.

Second, the everyday spaces produced for consumption and use by people are not

necessarily designed or worse, poorly designed. The disconcerting fact is that

architects and designers continually have less and less of a role in the production of

such sustainable urban places. The profession has retracted from designing places

sustainable for people and their everyday needs. This stance is a primary reason behind

the diminishing role of designers in our everyday life. Within the constraints of

economic interest and political control, human experience, use, and relations are

sometimes neglected. An emphasis of internal order of human activities within

4 Salingaros, Nikos A. (2010) [PDF file]. P2P Urbanism. Retrieved from http://zeta.math.utsa.edu/~yxk833/P2PURBANISM.pdf

5 Ibid.

http://zeta.math.utsa.edu/~yxk833/P2PURBANISM.pdf


6

architecture, as demonstrated by this paper, is critical to restoring the role of

responsive urban design in sustainable urbanism.

The Mumbai Studio Project of In- Between Architecture inspired me as I am

interested in the study of activities in between wall and edge of wall. Their project

explores the unwanted architecture which always appears among buildings in the

center of the city. In the case of Mumbai Studio, it explores life which happens in a

tight alley (Figure 1.2.1.1).6 The purpose of this studio is not to copy literally this kind

of dwelling or public space. Rather, the project tries to capture the solemnness and

calmness quality of life behind the architecture.7 They are a series of intimately

proportioned spaces that are able to adapt to personal and emotional needs (Figure

1.2.1.1). The structure is ambiguous, creating an abstraction of the relationship

between artificiality and nature. As Zevi stated, the origin of modern architecture is

essentially in functionalism. Whether or not there is an evolution of functional

architecture today into organic architecture, we are convinced that functionalism is the

root of modern architecture, and not the trends toward neoclassical stylization, nor the

provincialism of the minor styles.8

In conclusion, the architectural intention of this thesis aims to investigate the

potential of an intervention in Beijing that will go beyond addressing problems

associated with its sustainable urban planning, by providing a spatial interpretation of a

concept that can serve as an investigative tool on the boundaries between bigness and

smallness from wall to wall, which are all grounded in the bigger ideal of sustainability.

Fig. 1.2.1.1 Mumbai Studio Project- In Between Architecture, 2010. Left: current condition of

in betweenMonolith building in Mumbai. Middle: setting of moods of the space. Right: elegant

use of space.

6 Studio Mumbai Architects. (2010). In Between Architecture. Retrieved from

http://www.studiomumbai.com/vam_more.html 7 Ibid. 8 Zevi, bruno. (1950). Towards an Organic Architecture. London: Faber & Faber.

http://www.studiomumbai.com/vam_more.html


7

1.2.2 Rethinking Urbanism

A deep understanding of “urban design” is not debated as much as

“sustainability”. People may want to live in cities for better protection, or for the

construction of public projects, or for a better needs availability.

Urbanism is always being part of urban design. The most-cited definition of the

term urban design is from N.J. Habraken under his book “The Structure of the

Ordinary, Form, and Control in the Built Environment:

“… physical order, territorial order, and cultural order as the three underlying

orders in any urban structure. These three orders establish an urban design

framework that addresses the heterogeneity, complexity, and contradictions of

the urban context.”9

The proposed framework can be derived from two conceptual structures critical

to urban design and planning: “orders” and “place.” Urban design can also be

perceived as understanding complex relationships of politics, economics, sociology,

behavior, and environment embedded in the urban context. Some of those issues have

addressed this post-modern urban problem by studying environment and human

behavior, celebrating the market driven quotidian and everyday needs, examining

economic-political nexus as a growth machine, or embracing diversity in grassroots

level participation towards communicative action.

In the prevalent paradigm of urban design pedagogy, urban designers are

primarily trained as architects, planners or engineers, each having one’s own design

bias. Architects see design as formal orientation in space. Planners conceive design as

regulatory framework and implementation of policies reflecting social and economic

values. Engineers understand design as efficiency in production. This eclectic

approach of urban design creates a partitioned education model with conflicts and

contradictions. Urban design is defined in multiple ways depending on who defines it.

This has created a contradiction, as architects and designers have been unable to

reconcile their need to address everyday life with a wish to engage abstract concepts.

Vitruvius famously opened the first treatise on architecture with the statement

that “architecture requires the interaction between practice or fabric and reasoning or

ratio.”10

However, since the 20th centuries, so far, has been the domination of both

practice and reasoning by established architectural firms and central planners. The

urban planning and architecture building blocks are, for most of the time, take the

advantage of the conventional methodology and planned to satisfy certain class of

people. The question we should pose ourselves would then be: are the techniques and

ideas we are using today for urban and city planning still in conjunction with the needs

of our societies?

9 Habraken, N. J. (1998). The Structure of the Ordinary: Form and Control in the Built Environment.

Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. 10 Vitruvius. (1935). Writing the Body of Architecture. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.


8

Grid plan has been used back since c.2600bc in Indus Valley (Figure 1.2.2.1).11

China has used grid plan since 15th

century BC.12

Guidelines put into written form in

the Kaogongji (The Records of Examination of Craftsman) during the Spring and

Autumn Period (770-476 BC) stated:

"A capital city should be square on plan. Three gates on each side of the

perimeter lead into the nine main streets that crisscross the city and define its grid-

pattern. And for its layout the city should have the Royal Court situated in the south,

the Marketplace in the north, the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the east and the Altar

to the Gods of Land and Grain in the west." 13

Xi’an is one of the cities in China which has developed grid plan since the 1st century

(Figure 1.2.2.2).14

The rectangular grid was by far the most prevalent design, with

examples in China, India, Rome and Greece.15

Grid plans has been applied in North

America to show organization and strength of economy. From that, social order such

as civic, religious, and governmental are rooted in the city planning.

Fig. 1.2.2.1 Indus Valley, c.

2600bc.Regular grid of street.

Fig. 1.2.2.2 Xi’an, 2200 years ago- showing grid

pattern already existed in China since early day.

11 http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Grid_plan 12 Ibid. 13 Ibid.

14 Ibid.

15 Kostof, S. (1991). The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings through History. London: Bulonch Press.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaogongji

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_Period

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_Period

http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Grid_plan


9

Grid plan has been a subject of contradiction since modern movement. Despite

the cost, grid system could work very well in ancient area because there were very

little of automobile dominating the street and it was very worthy for guarding the city

from its enemy. Nowadays, social networking and street playing degraded as traffic

increased on a street. Another principal disadvantage of the rectangular grid is the

difficulty of diagonal movements, which make up a large proportion of urban trips. As

the result, there are plenty of left over spaces and those places are subject to becoming

slum areas. Those places are often the place between the streets and the buildings.

We have very limited land area land nowadays and different social hierarchies

need to be satisfied. Top- down method has many advantages: we can manage a big

picture, an order, a networking, a scale, and a size of a city. However, from top- down

method we also overlook smaller scale, details, and in- between space. Moreover, we

overlook what people need in size and space. Although looking for detail is not part of

urban design, but a lot of positions of major buildings and big public space are based

on the master plan blocking. Therefore, it gives little chance to actually link the

civilization to the object.

So what can be done to improve the condition of current urban planning?

Galina Tachieva proposes some ideas to repair the urban sprawls around global.16

As

“the leader of the CNU (Congress for the New Urbanism) Sprawl Retrofit Initiative, a

founding member of the Congress for European Urbanism, and a board member of the

New Urban Guild Foundation,” 17

her works are always linked to current economic,

social, and political condition. She proposed an idea of “Occupying Sprawl!”18

Various

activities happen in Wall Street and it stimulate her to revitalize empty or abandoned

spaces.19

Small spaces can mean so much for many people. Unproductive spaces can

be occupied for more functional purpose. It will mean a lot to communities.

Fig. 1.2.2.3 occupying the edge at Wall Street Area, New York, 2011. Transforming

parking lot and empty space into more useful programs.

16 http://galinatachieva.posterous.com/ 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid.

http://galinatachieva.posterous.com/


10

Plan drawings, other than trying to identify distance from one place to another,

are not what common people perceive in real life. We see things in section and

perspective. Most of the time urban planners don’t pay attention to the city scale from

sections or perspective point of view. Another urban research project, challenge the

“by- product” 20

of Tokyo, was done by RMIT students in Tokyo, 2003. In these

investigations, Students are assigned to analyze contradiction of Tokyo’s urban space.

Small things from Signage to infrastructure are examined to find a force in the overall

positioning. Raveling unseen phenomenon of the contradiction is the challenge of the

research (Figure 1.2.2.4). It is worth exploring the structure because Tokyo is one of

the busiest cities in the world with many skyscrapers and many of the micro urbanism

and essential urban conditions have been forgotten easily. This research is very

functional to remind planners what is the convenient way to design for people’s

comfort.

Fig. 1.2.2.4 By- Product Project, Tokyo, 2003. The analysis reveals the unseen relationship of by-

product architecture.

20 http://architecture.rmit.edu.au/Projects/By_Product_Tokyo.php

http://architecture.rmit.edu.au/Projects/By_Product_Tokyo.php


11

In a similar line of thought, this thesis thus ambitiously hopes to take on the

challenges put forth by these two inspirational projects and to further the rethinking

and reevaluation of the current typology of architect and urbanism under the bigger

notion of urbanism.

1.3 Methodology

The methodology adopted in this research is embedded in a series of fieldtrips

research and feedback from consulting tutors, professionals, and locals. It will start

with a series of agendas as listed below:

1) Identifying effectiveness usage of space problem by studying current public

space condition in Beijing.

2) Comparison studies of streets with similar urban contextual issues as Beijing

in several other cities.

3) Investigation of the typology of minimum and effective architecture for

public purpose for an understanding on the possibility of prototypical modification in

accommodating future public spot requirements.


12

1.4 Proposal

The primary research identifies problem of Wangfujing Street as a Monolith

City which is without the collaborations among everyday life, architecture, and

urbanism (Figure 1.4.2). Wangfujing Street is defined as an area bounded by Wusi Rd

and Dongsi on the North and Chang’an East Rd on the South. The total length of the

street is about 810 meters and the width is about 20 meters .

This proposal aims to achieve urban objective and architecture objective of

improving the experience of its users in Wangfujing in micro scale through the

implementation of Habitable Edge. The micro site will be the spot between wall of

hutongs or wall of monolith building and the Wangfujing Street. Starting from the old

hutong wall between Daruanfu Hutong and Datianshui Hutong on Wangfujing Street, a

series of micro public spot will be arranged as an attempt to improve the public

function architecturally. Through this attempt to tackle a challenging problem in

Wangfujing, this proposal will also be used to serve as a meaningful investigation that

carries the potential to be integrated into the current space of other part of Beijing or

other cities at the numerous public hotspots.

Fig. 1.4.1 Wangfujing’s Area of study.


13

1.5 Target Groups

The target users are determined via an analysis of different group of people

occupying the street. Different kind of activities can happen on the site for different

range of age and each group can watch other groups intimately. The groups are:

1. Children

2. Man

3. Woman

4. Elderly

5. Tourist

6. Local

Fig. 1.4.2 Transformation of Beijing from a Linear City to a Monolith City.

Chapter 2. Issues and Analysis

14

2. ISSUES AND ANALYSIS

2.1 Current Condition of Public Space in Beijing

2.1.1 Beijing Central Park

The earliest public park, located in Beijing, is Zhong Shan Park and it opened

in 1914 (Figure 2.1.2.1). The park was initially enclosed as a palace during the Qing

Dynasty. Later, the park is opened until now for leisure.

Many parks have similar background as Zhong Shan Park and open for public

nowadays. Sculptures and important treasures from other palaces have been moved to

the park to attract tourists. Those objects are inserted to the park as a display and sign

of public open space.

Architecturally, can a place attract activities and be an effective public space if

a building is a box filled with icon and symbol? Does inserting object to a space

activate and prove a place is public?

Fig. 2.1.2.1 Zhong Shan Park, 1914


15

2.1.2 Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is a big open space and it has been under transformation for

an even bigger space. It is a symbol of economy strength and power of China. As the

biggest square in the world, the square has been used for special event or event related

to politic and economy. Gigantic scale of Monument of People’s Heroes (Figure

2.1.1.2) is located right across the Tiananmen Square. The square and monument come

together and create a feel of grandeur and prosper of Beijing City and China.

Fig. 2.1.1.1 Tiananmen Square, 1954, was formed for political gathering.

Fig. 2.1.1.2 Monument to the People’s Heroes, 1958, is a symbol of bigness and authority.


16

The bigness of the square is important representative for the city and for tourist.

However, is it practicable to improve the square’s inefficient openness? Each activity

in Tiananmen Square is separated from the other and it is hard to be seen in a big

distance (Figure 2.1.1.3). Is there any way to provide a least possible architecture

solution to the square?

2.1.3 Nanluoguxiang Street

Fig. 2.1.1.3 Scale of Tiananmen Square.


17

Nanluoguxiang is a preserved hutong in Beijing with plenty of activities which

attract tourists and locals. The length of the street is about 700 Meters with 700 years

history (Figure 2.1.3.1).

Hutong is Beijing’s unique intimate public space which is fast removed from

the center of the city. Other than westernize area such as boulevards and squares,

hutong is another type of public space that hasn’t been tackle effectively in

modernization.

Sizes of hutongs are different from one another. Each has its own community

which marks typical culture. Activities, outdoor space, and architecture are in human

scale so that everything is interwoven together. What is sad is the order and layer of

hutong are slowly vanished from time to time.

Rapid urban constructions have loosened a link between past and present in

hutong. Instead of destroying hutong, can the colorful life and activities of hutongs

bring a new idea in architecture for Beijing’s modernity?

2.1.4 Wangfujing Street

Wangfujing is named after a well which helped and gave life to hutongs and

prince residents nearby. From the influence of developers, nowadays, it is more

modernize than what it was like. The street is full of block buildings functioned as

malls or office superblock. The meaning of Wangfujing has a historical site is weaken

Fig. 2.1.3.1 Nanluoguxiang map and section, depicting Beijing unique type of public space.


18

by the appearance of building blocks and demolition of hutongs. The street has been

widened from time to time.

Open door policy has brought changed the Beijing’s skyline. Not only newer

buildings are tall but also have grandeur open space. Figure 2.1.4.1 shows pictures of

Bird Nest, CCTV Tower, and Water Cube. The enormous open space surrounded those

iconic buildings. Figure 2.1.4.2 and figure 2.1.4.3 depicts the current condition in

Wangfujing regarding the scale. The first picture shows the hutong traditional shops

which still exist in the alley of Wangfujing with the wall attached to new commercial

buildings. The second picture shows the outsize of the street. Therefore, incoherent

scale of public area occurs in Beijing.

Fig. 2.1.4.1 Countless new buildings in Beijing produce inefficient open spaces.


19

Fig. 2.1.4.3 Urban disconnection in Wangfujing Street- big open square which lacks of

function.

Fig. 2.1.4.2 hutong shops which still survive in the alley of Wangfujing.


20

Many iconic towers, big scale squares and plaza have been designed and put in

Beijing Land to become a Mega City and to invite investors in the last twenty years.

The government plans to link Beijing and Tianjin in a big infrastructure to strengthen

economic power. Meaning of architecture is consumed by public. Do malls something

we want to consume behind architecture?

If malls and tower blocks are unavoidable, is there anything architecture could

do to supply sufficient outdoor space?

2.1.4.1 Urban Blocking

Habitation of Beijing has started 3000 years ago from Jin to Qing Period

(Figure 2.1.4.1.1).21

Dadu period is known as a precedent of Beijing today. The site of

Beijing was chosen based on its strategic military and food availability- flat city

surrounded by hills, montains, and water (Figure 2.1.4.1.2).22

The urban design of

Beijing is based on the Dadu in 13th

century.23

Therefore, Beijing has been one of the

old centrally planned city with blocking. In Chun Qiu period, the principles requested a

grid rectangle plan surrounded by shops, houses, and temples with twelve doors facing

Fig. 2.1.4.1.1 Grid planning of Beijing City and itsNorth- South axis.

21 http://www.tibetheritagefund.org/media/download/hutong_study.pdf 22 Ibid. 23 Ibid.

http://www.tibetheritagefund.org/media/download/hutong_study.pdf


21

all directions (Figure 2.1.4.1.3).24

This planning have been updated in a similar form

until Qing Dynasty (Figure 2.1.4.1.4).25

Fig. 2.1.4.1.2 Setting of Beijing City: guarded by hills along with water.

Fig. 2.1.4.1.3 Rectangular grid palace, later followed by hutongs planning.

24 http://www.tibetheritagefund.org/media/download/hutong_study.pdf 25 Ibid.



22

Rectangular grid has the pattern if Beijing City. “Intended to serve as a

monumental avenue with sites for governmental and ministerial headquarters, the

intersection with Beijing’s north-south axis, running through the Forbidden City,

Tiananmen and Qianmen, formed the axis mundi of the People’s Republic of China”

(Figure 2.1.4.1.1).26

Looking at the New York latest endless grid, starting from lower

Manhattan, Beijing seems to have a kind of Manhattan greatest grid (Figure

2.1.4.1.5).Manhattan was really a big city plan. The plan lies from North to South

crossing hills and slopes. Detail calculations have been done to calculate everything

from big blocks to small parks. However, New York City is only 200 years of history

and it was built from the wilderness of nature. The planner gave a thoughtful planning

of the city from the building to the human. On the other hand, Beijing has a long and

culturally rich history imbued within its urban fabric and hutong lifestyle that simply

could not allow human or public space as a priority in urban planning.

Fig. 2.1.4.1.4 Beijing City’s grid enlarged over time.

26 Rowe, Peter G. (2011). Emergent Architectural Territories in East Asian Cities. Basel: Birkhauser gmbh. Chapter 2.



23

The combination of these phenomenon result in a wasted land between the

urban block (Figure 2.1.4.1.6). The figure ground study of Wangfujing reflects the

disadvantage of urban blocking (Figure 2.1.4.1.7). Many square meters are simply

wasted because of the lack of attention and collaboration between urban fabric, history,

and city planning. Moreover, the blocking zone only encourages shopping malls

development and increase exclusiveness of each building. The grid plan of Manhattan

originally only encouraged monolithic buildings but later, the careful division of the

grid creates small alleys and it brings a life of vibrant human scale neighborhood.

Taken for example in Wangfujing, the alley streets only being used for locals or

migrant workers for most of the time although there are some small alleys connect to

Wangfujing Street. Those small alleys are more for private use instead of being an

Fig. 2.1.4.1.5 Manhattan Grid, designed meticulously from

big street to its alley.


24

urban connector or another type of Beijing modern lifestyle (Figure 2.1.4.1.6).

Unfortunately, the development of hutongs is forgotten because the government pays

too much attention on larger scale buildings.

Fig. 2.1.4.1.6 Urban blocking which only encourages monolith buildings.


25

2.1.4.2 Cultural Convention of Public Space

Fig. 2.1.4.1.7 The edge of shopping malls could have been used for architecture.

Hutong is the earliest Beijingers public space. Various activities can be found

in small alleys. Everybody feels free and intimate to interact with each other (Figure

2.1.4.2.1). After demolishing hutong’s life, comes a different type of public space, a

big open space. The Wall Street in New York is a spacious public space and almost

every day people take advantage of it by gathering, putting on a circus show, singing,

and protesting after one another (Figure 2.1.4.2.2). The width of Wall Street is about

15 meters, approximately 3 meters less than Wangfujing Street. However, the street is

always full of people and the space becomes a practical space. It is the place to

exchange people’s opinion, meet friends, and enjoy abundant activities. In China, we

barely see show on streets by talented locals whereas in Western countries that is

pretty common. The citizen doesn’t have a culture to gather around in a big public

space just for fun or even for demonstrating. In Western cities, more open space

supposes to accommodate more density. But it is not the case of Beijing City (Figure

2.1.4.2.3). Beijing’s life is hidden behind big open space.


26

Fig. 2.1.4.2.1 Colorful activities of hutong’s public space, which replaced by squares and plazas.


27

Fig. 2.1.4.2.2 Various activities can happen in big open space in New York City.

Fig. 2.1.4.2.3 more open space supposes to accommodate more density. But it is not the case

of Beijing City.


28

The rise of consumerism in China has been taken advantage by putting

commercial activities here and there to encourage shopping and to raise revenues. It is

also another attempt to shift Beijing’s original public space into indoor shopping malls

(Figure 2.1.4.2.4). As a result, activities have to happen inside buildings. Other than

full of people buying stuffs, the urge of intimate and casual public spaces is apparent in,

for example, Wangfujing Bookstore. People sit down around the books and make

themselves comfortable (Figure 2.1.4.2.5). Different type of public space serves

different continent. Could there be a universal idea of public space?

Figure 2.1.4.2.4 Shops as a consequence of consumerism, leaving outdoor space of

Wangfujing for different class of people.

Fig. 2.1.4.2.5 An urge for intimate and casual public space in Wangfujing Bookstore.


29

2.1.4.3 Dilemma of Heritage

Wangfujing is famous as the commercial area with hundreds of long history.

Medias and advertisement promotes Wangfujing as a very suitable tourist spot because

it has many Chinese tradition and culture retained on the street (Figure 2.1.4.3.1).

However, it is nothing as much tradition as the modernity. Indeed, lots of the

prominent features are western brands (Figure 2.1.4.3.2). It is one of the biggest trade

commodities of a long history but the malling are very dominant along the street and it

only attract foreigners or tour groups. Locals shop elsewhere at small alleys near the

Wangfujing Street. Very few people walk on the street if the malls are closed. Here is

again the consumerism issue and lack of appropriate outdoor public space. Therefore,

what attract people to Wangfujing is mostly for shopping rather than for historical tour.

Adding shopping malls may increase the crowd of Wangfujing but the stuffs consumed

are, sadly, not as cultural as expected.

Fig. 2.1.4.3.1 Famous as a historical street, Wangfujing has been under a major change and

slowly lost its historical value.


30

Fig. 2.1.4.3.2 Western brands and fast foods are all over Wangfujing main street.


31

Another aspect of Wangfujing’s dilemma is whether it should destroy heritages

or keep and preserve it. Destroying malls can be a difficult task since long planning

and construction need to be done. Nevertheless, Europe, the pioneer of all this idea of

monumentality, is daring enough to destroy some malls for humanity purpose. In

China, the idea of preservation is quite new. Walk through Rome, and the city is like a

museum where you can see the passage of time. But history in China has been

rewritten over and over again. There’s a constant pushing forward. Old china has a

tradition of destroy the old buildings for the its new palace. Like in Wangfujing,

buildings and brands are confused with western style (Figure 2.1.4.3.3). The trend of

hutongs had gone and most of those that distract the grandeur of Wangfujing Street

were already demolished. Where do people live whose hutongs are gone?

The future of Wangfujing is another problem. Wangfujing Street has to

compete with some new developing areas such as Financial District, Central Business

District, and Olympic Green. CBD already moves forward to creating a low carbon

master plan for its extension while the development Wangfujing is not as booming as

CBD and other new area (Figure 2.1.4.3.4). What it seems like to me is Wangfujing is

trying to become another CBD which may ruin its historical value.

Fig. 2.1.4.3.3 Dilemma of heritage. Keeping or destroying?


32

2.1.4.4 New Proposal for Wangfujing Street

Wangfujing Commercial Street may be extended, spreading its glamour south

to Qinian Dajie according to a Beijing Times report. The government revealed that

they were working on the overall district development plan for the next 20 years,

which included the plan to extend Wangfujing. Wangfujing Commercial Street, if

extended to Qinian Dajie, would be 3,000 meters long. Taijichang Dajie, the future of

Wangfujing Street, is narrow, and it has history, so as Qinian Dajie. If they are going

to connect Wangfujing and Qinian Dajie together, they may have to widen the latter.

Fig. 2.1.4.3.4 Booming development in Beijing CBD. Is Wangfujing gonna catch up and ruin

another historical site?


33

What is worst is that the widening may lead to demolition of the buildings on that

street. Some of them have more than 100 years of history, and it would be such a pity

to tear them down. Extending Wangfujing Street might mean inviting more customers

to the shops and malls. However, it will be Wangfujing dilemma all over again. This

plan is really unnecessary because it will just increase traffic by keeping in mind that,

first, unreasonable width of the street itself. Second, it doesn’t accommodate density

(Figure 2.1.4.4.1). People are rather passing by than sitting enjoying scenery at

Wangfujing Street. Coming to Wangfujing is always just for commercial and business

purpose. The area has become too commercial and people choose elsewhere for

relaxing after a long day.

Fig. 2.1.4.4.1 New proposal for Wangfujing Street will increase traffic and only accommodate

certain group.


34

2.1.5 Conclusion

General lack of Wangfujing Street is its bigness of the street doesn’t

accommodate people’s daily activities. The development of shopping malls has shifted

Wangfujing, once a Linear City, to a Monolith City. Urban blocking and consumerism

keep the excitement to build highly interiorized shopping malls. As a result, hutong, an

original Beijing’s public space, suffers. The street loses its historical value day by day.

Wangfujing Street nowadays is just for mall shoppers and it excludes certain people.

Square, plaza, and big open space are not suitable for Beijing. Beijing is in a move for

a new type of public space.


35

2.2 Public Space in Other Asian Cities

While looking at resolving urban design issues faced by Wangfujing Area, it is

important to understand the problems faced by the public space’s of other cities and to

reference their solutions as precedence studies. The case studies here have been

selected based on their status as cosmopolitan cities with high urban density, high GDP

ranking and the well-known efficiency of their land use. For a more comprehensive

study, the cities have been chosen for the difference in planning strategy for its

historical public space.

2.2.1 Jakarta, Indonesia – The City of Transformation

Population: 9,580,000

Density: 14,476/km2

Built- up area: 6,500 km2

Fig. 2.2.1.1 Jakarta’s tangled web of highway and the location of Bundaran Hotel Indonesia

(HI).


36

Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 18,000 island. It has 33

provinces and is the world's fourth most populous country. Jakarta is its capital city,

located in Java island, and is the biggest city in south east Asia regional.27

Besides

having many kampoeng (informal urban village) reside the city, the center of the city

has changed over time according to its regime. Traffic is a really big problem in the

city nowadays, however, in Jakarta, traffic can be part of its public space (Figure

2.2.1.2). The city is chosen because of its idealism of public space once was the same

as the one in Beijing. Jakarta’s Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (Hotel Indonesia

Roundabout) is the most important spot in the city and its transformation and struggle

as a public space are something Beijing can learn of (Figure 2.2.1.3).

Fig. 2.2.1.2 Traffic, highway, apartments, and malls are coloring Jakarta City.

27 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_of_Indonesia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Indonesia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Indonesia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia


37

“Built up Jakarta as beautiful as possible, build it as spectacularly as possible,

so that this city, which has become the center of the struggle of the Indonesian people,

will be an inspiration and beacon to the whole struggling mankind and to all the

emerging forces. If Egypt was able to construct Cairo as its capital, Italy is Rome,

France its Paris and Brazil its Brasilia, then Indonesia must also proudly present

Djakarta as the portal of the country.”28

Soekarno, 1962. Transformation of Djakarta Raya

“Look at New York and Moscow, look at any state capital, East and West it

makes no matter, and you will always find the centers of nations’ greatness in the form

of nuildings, material buildings to be proud of.”29

Soekarno, 1962. Transformation of Djakarta Raya

Jakarta has undergone meaningful renewal since Hinduism to Dutch

conolization. Soekarno, the first president of Indonesia, was also an architect. He

wanted to create his own meaningful architecture and refused to follow Dutch or any

foreign idea. He came up with an idea of centerpiece as Jakarta’s city identity.30

He

designed Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (Hotel Indonesia Roundabout), with its big scale

of 100 meters diameter (Figure 2.2.1.4). Same as Tiananmen Square, he designed

parks and square in a big scale. Bundaran Hotel Indonesia(HI) was a symbol of

authority and pride. The function is to gather citizens and mass media to meet him or

to listen to his speech.

Fig. 2.2.1.3 Bundaran HI before and after 1962.

28 Soekarno. (1962). Transformation of Djakarta Raya in Indonesia 1962. Republic of Indonesia: Deparment of Foreign

Affairs. 29 Ibid. 30 Ibid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia


38

Soeharto, the second president, deserted Soekarno architecture idea of big open

square or roundabout. Soeharto transformed Jakarta City to a capitalist city. He

promoted infrastructures, malls, miniature parks, and housing at the city and changed

function of existing public squares to malls (Figure 2.2.1.5).

Fig. 2.2.1.4 Section of Bundaran HI.


39

.

Bundaran HI is a sample of conflict and transformation of important public

space in Indonesia. During Soekarno’s regulation, it was used as a landmark and for

his political authority. Other than that, it couldn’t be used for activities. During

Soeharto era, Bundaran HI was surrounded by luxurious hotels followed by upscale

shopping center. The area of Bundaran HI has shifted from nationalism to capitalism.

Under his 32 years regime, Bundaran HI was basically dormant outdoor space until

1997 economic crisis. The crisis transformed Bundaran HI radically to be the people’s

place. Until now, almost everyday people come there to protest like in the Wall Street,

New York. After his fall down, Bundaran HI was renovated to discourage people

gathering. The surface is now covered with water from the fountain. The intention was

to make the space unreachable by human (Figure 2.2.1.6). Later, the surrounding

surface of Bundaran HI has become even more consumerist – more upscale shops,

hotels, and restaurants are built and still on going now (Figure 2.2.1.7). Although the

Bundaran HI is a massive fountain, people still come there and stand on the fountain to

demonstrate and express their thought (Figure 2.2.1.8).

Fig. 2.2.1.5 Rapid modernization in Jakarta after 1965.


40

Bundaran HI has become a realization of contradiction public space. It is a

center of consumerism, traffic, political demonstrators, pedestrians, and government’s

income. “Spatial contradictions express conflict between three forces; it is only in

space that such conflicts come effectively into a play and in doing so they become

contradiction of space”.31

The struggle and transformation of Bundaran HI through

different regime has, gradually, changed its function from exclusive usage into public

space. The struggle reflects the need of ideal public space in Jakarta. There are still

many parts of Jakarta require transformation or new minimum and ideal public space

for daily activities.

Fig. 2.2.1.6 Before and after: transforming Bundaran HI into untouchable space.

Fig. 2.2.1.7 Capitalism and consumerism.

31 Lefebvre, H. (1991). The production of Space. Oxford: Blackwell.


41

2.2.2 Fa Yuen Street,Mongkok, Hong Kong – The City of Sense


Density: 53,050/km2

Built- up area: 97 km2

Hong Kong is the highest density compared to its low built- up area among

Beijing, Jakarta, and Singapore. Among those four cities, Hong Kong is the one that

really has land shortage issue. Luckily, Hong Kong urban planners have innovated in

the creation of an orderly, attractive and economically viable high density urban

development, especially in providing public space. Providing public space is expensive

for city like Hong Kong. Nevertheless, Hong Kong has its own way to define public

space. The sense of public space plays an important role in Hong Kong as a gesture of

invitation.

To cope with the overwhelming car traffic, the land shortage, and the need to

recover pedestrian zone of the city, the term of Privately Owned Public Space was

invented in 1960s in New York City.32

“Privately Owned refers to the legal status of the land and/or building on or in

which the public space is located. “Public Space” means a physical place located on

private property to which the owner has granted legally binding rights of access and

use to members of the public. Ownership continues to reside with the private owner,

public space may be thought of as an easement held by the public on the owner’s

property.”33

Hong Kong follows this Privately Owned Public Space too after New York. This kind

of public space would help to improve the high dense condition and address the

Fig. 2.2.1.8 Spatial contradiction in Bundaran HI.

32 Kayden, Jerold S. (2000). Privately Owned Public Space: The New York City Experience. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 33 Ibid.


42

shortage of public space in Hong Kong. As return of provision of public space to the

city, a building can go taller by approximately two to five floors. For examples, the

public space in Times Square situated at the Causeway Bay, added 3000 m2

plaza and

widen the street. Therefore, the building can get 120,000 m2 taller space (Figure

2.2.2.1).34

For many part of Hong Kong, the public space is not like Times Square in

Causeway Bay. The life and activities in smaller scale public spaces attract more

tourist than shopping malls. Taken Fa Yuen Street as a case study, it is one of the most

attractive types of place in Hong Kong (Figure 2.2.2.2). The length of the street is

about 1,000 meters and the crowded part is about 300 meters at the north. Common

narrow street can be found anywhere in Hong Kong, which is about 10 meters wide

(including pavement). Overall tallness of the surrounding is almost all the same- 28

meters.

Fig. 2.2.2.1 Times Square extension of outdoor public space.

30 meters

34http://newurbanquestion.ifou.org/proceedings/5%20The%20Transformation%20of%20Urban%20Form/full%20papers/d0

56_luk_winglun_Revised.pdf


43

Fig. 2.2.2.2 Fa Yuen Street, typical spontaneity and legally public space.


44

Fa Yuen Street is located at Mongkok, an area which thousands of activities

happen. The first obvious thing noticed on Fa Yuen Street is the intermediate space

between formal and informal structure (Figure 2.2.2.3). The entire owner of property

extends their products to the street as welcoming gesture. Although cantilever building

style provide shade and make people feel cozy to walk by and shop, extending the

shop to the street indeed invite more people to slow down (Figure 2.2.2.4). In this

intermediate space, the property owners use idea of sight, taste, smell, touch, hearing,

and movement to run their business (Figure 2.2.2.5). Even though polarization in Hong

Kong between rich and poor, west and east, and old and new happen, sense of friendly

environment, smell and crowd of market that invite people to feel easy and cozy to be

part of it.

Fig. 2.2.2.3 Intermediate space between formal and informal.


45

The Fa Yuen Street- kind of situations can be found everywhere in Hong Kong

(Figure 2.2.2.6). Extending shops out of their boundaries reflect the need of ideal

public space. It distracts housing owners on the above floors. However, in this

spontaneous urban chaos, government decided to licensed them and be part of city’s

tradition and identity now.

Fig. 2.2.2.4 Availability of extended shops invites people and tourists to slow down,


46

Fig. 2.2.2.5 Sight, taste, smell, touch, hearing, and movement.


47

Fig. 2.2.2.6 Fa Yuen Street type can be found everywhere in Hong Kong.


48

2.2.3 Food Center, Singapore – The City with Balance


Density: 7,315/km2

Built- up area: 245 km2

Singapore is a famous as a trading island and it is the most urbanized city in

South- East Asia. The whole country is covered with greenery and it is very highly

urbanized. Therefore, the city invites many expats and they feel comfortable living in

Singapore because the city is very multicultural. Having English, Malay, Chinese, and

Tamil as official languages, the city accepts multicultural life and try to do its best to

accommodate all races. The city is chosen as a case study because under its rapid

urbanization and changing pattern in a short period of time, Singapore can still balance

the development of both big buildings and small scale public spaces (figure 2.2.3.2).

The city knows which one is part of its multicultural culture that has to be survived.

Food center is the culture of Singapore since 1819 and it has been under major change

from time to time for the better and hygienic life. 35

Fig. 2.2.3.1 Singapore Island with its approximate Food Center.

35http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_centre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_centre


49

To Singaporean, there is no hierarchical pattern on street. Street is being used

as much as for life. Since British Colonization in 1819, hawkers, which later were

given more organized space to sell food, have been part of Singapore development

agenda. The earliest hawkers was at Wayang Street and it has been there as early as

Raffles (British) came to colonize (Figure 2.2.3.3). At the early stage, it was an illegal

way to sell food. Rather than destroying them, the government accepts the existence of

hawkers and gives them a better place to sell, which is called food center now. Food

center has become a new type of public space in Singapore (Figure 2.2.3.4).

Fig. 2.2.3.2 Highly urbanized condition in Singapore.


50

Fig. 2.2.3.3 Top: earliest hawker at Wayang Street. Bottom: Section showing hawkers get special

site to sell on the gated pavement.


51

The transition from hawkers to food center is important as it legalize illegality.

Starting from nomadic hawkers, it was upgraded to a non-permanent sheltered space.

Later it was given a formal name called Hawker Center. It was more permanent open

air shelter in metal structure. Over the time, Hawker Center has become a desirable

public space. It becomes nowadays Food Center. Telok Ayer Food Center, Rasa

Singapura, Wayang Street, and Laguna Park are an example of different style of food

center. Some of them decide to stay in its old fashion of hawker styles; some of them

decorate their food center in vernacular architecture style to invite more tourists

(Figure 2.2.3.5). Nevertheless, all of their styles still mimic Singaporean culture in the

architecture style or the service given.

Today there are about hundreds food centers in Singapore and more of street

hawkers within 700 km2 size of Singapore Island (Figure 2.2.3.1). As a modern city in

an island, the problem of accommodating or destroying the old is major because the

need for spaces for more high technology buildings. Singapore is different. It values its

new as much as the old ones. Nowadays, food center is a meeting point, a cultural

place, a food place, and a public space to its citizens, expats, and tourists. Nowadays,

we can find food centers or food stalls everywhere and this street food has merged to

the city.

Fig. 2.2.3.4 Old Airport Road Food Center, Singporean style of public space.


52

Fig. 2.2.3.5 Process toward food center.


53

2.1.5 Conclusion

Data of Beijing:


Density: 7,400/km2


Rather than copying from Western idea about public space, why don’t we

create suitable public space for Beijing? In other word, public space doesn’t have to be

plaza, park, pedestrian’s street, or a square. In my opinion, people can create their

public space under minimum condition and be comfortable with it.

Regardless its low number of density, Beijing still has a good number of built-

up area among the rest of the cities of the case study (Figure 2.1.5.1). Consequently,

Beijing has chances to develop its own unique public space. There is something we can

Fig. 2.1.5.1 Built- up area per person comparison among Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, and

Jakarta.


54

learn from each city’s public space- control over public space regarding its tradition.

Jakarta always has a big planning for big scale public space like mall, theme park,

fountain, and square. However, the establishment forgets about the need of urban

cultural public space. As a capital city, Jakarta has hidden its cultural human scale

public space and replaced with new modernize public space. Occupying the Bundaran

HI is a spontaneous reaction of in a need of public space. Controlling and banning

from usage of historical public space happens in many recreational spaces in Jakarta.

From Hong Kong, we learn about controlling public space without planning and

accepting the tradition. Without planning, small streets can bring alive their culture

way of selling stuffs as much as mallings. In Singapore, the raise of high rise buildings,

modernize squares, and cultural public spaces are balance. The city formalizes

informality and makes a unique type of Singaporean pubic space. Singapore accepts its

cultural diversity, improves the standard of the public space, and takes a good control

over big and small scale projects.

Generally, public space in Asian cities has an overpower elaboration on big

buildings and squares, which almost forget their small scale cultural public space.

Jakarta and Hong Kong are in a need of a more authentic yet habitable public space.

Dilemma of keeping or destroying old historical space is general issue every Asian city

is facing.


55

Ideas or concept behind each city’s public spaces are important to be

understood for application. From Figure 2.1.5.2 we deduct that Beijing Wangfujing has

an average area per person. It means Comfortable zone are still under control and

distance between people are not less than personal zone which is 4.5 meter. Regardless

its high population, Beijing is still going a good job in maintaining personal zone

because a lot of public spaces are monumentality. What need to do is to take a look at

its forgotten unique public space. Therefore, Singapore is a good case study to follow

because regardless its highly urbanized buildings, its public spaces are still maintained

from big to small scale. It is one of the cities that put effort and realize that cultural

identity is worth being shown off to public. Despite the fact that land is expensive,

Having good enough size of public space like Singapore is better than parking lots

which can be find everywhere at ex hutongs area in Beijing. What is sustainable is if

we can develop a system of this kind of peculiar public space rather than start over

again in every project.

Quality of Public Space’s Comparison

Cities

Fig. 2.1.5.2 Quality of public space’s comparison in Asian Cities.


56

2.3 Micro Scale: The Forgotten Pattern

The micro scale section will investigate the forgotten pattern of architecture

that could help to contribute towards the objectives listed to provide a better public

place for human activities in Wangfujing.

One problem of professional architecture is, that it thinks too much of a

building. Providing shelter, which is close to our simple and trivial life, is more

fundamental than architecture. For one place, humanity is more important than

building while simple handicraft is more important than technology. If we look around

Wangfujing Street, we see formal shops, shopping malls, bookstores, office blocks,

hotels, old Western Church, and parking lots. Other than office workers during the day,

most people come simply for shopping. All buildings are isolated from the streets.

Without the shops, the street is empty. We should bring back the meaning of

Wangfujing Street as a historical realm and encourage Beijing real life rather than

copying other style.

Beijing always destroys hutongs because of the mindset that hutongs can’t exist

and fit in modern era. Instead of making beneficial addition of hutongs, simply

demolish hutongs complex were seems to be Beijing city planning solution (Figure

2.3.1). In addition, younger peoples obviously feel disconcert to live in hutongs

because of its poor conditions. Therefore, it is not that the citizen has changed their

lifestyle. It is the city planners and developers who have forced us to change.

Hutong is always connected to the street and to each other buildings, not like

big monolith buildings we find in Wangfujing Street. Moreover, the internal order of

hutongs is important to activate the life of hutong itself. It is what we should remind in

Beijing- the value of Hutong’s internal order. This hutong’s internal order revival can

trigger off the meaning of Wangfujing.

The new architectural intervention should hence seek to provide not just

another conventional definition of public space or isolated buildings but a vibrant field

of public activities and urban space. The proposal will inject the meaning back in

Wangfujing without taking advantage of consumerism lifestyle which sometimes is too

formal and benefits certain people.


57

2.3.1 New Proposed Latitude Studio with BIAD’s Building

New Proposed Latitude Studio with BIAD’s building at Wanfujing Street is

again, another monumental building (Figure 2.3.1.1).

“The program is with the objective to create an interior space, a surprising

interior world that would become an extension of the existing urban scenario.

Furthermore, a system of void spaces introduces a spatial configuration that brings

daylight into the cube, and views from/to the surroundings. It has been used the entire

client’s requirement in order to not only give an outstanding commercial solution, but

creating a real icon in Wangfujing street.”36

The outcome of the project still is an individualistic building and only indulges certain

people who love luxury. Furthermore, the idea of glowing and blurring, which were

thought to be Chinese tradition of latern, have formerly used in Western countries. The

word “luminosity” has been created in Western and it is more of a generic idea rather

than Chinese trademark. Hence, a deep understanding of Chinese culture is needed

before we make assumption what Chinese tradition is.

Fig. 2.3.1 Internal pattern of hutongs that was fast forgotten.

36 ArchShowCase. (2011). Wangfujing street in Beijing,China in Latitude Studio with BIAD. Retrieved from

http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-showcase/2011/05/19/wangfujing-street-in-beijingchina-in-latitude-studio-with-biad/



58

`

2.3.2 Paradigm Studies

2.3.2.1 Bernard Tschumi Manhattan Transcripts

Bernard Tschumi is an architect, writer, and educator. He went to Federal

Institute of Technology Zurich and graduated in architecture in 1969. Tschumi has

taught at Portsmouth Polytechnic in Portsmouth, UK, the Architectural Association in

London, the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in New York, Princeton

University, the Cooper Union in New York and Columbia University where he was

Dean of the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation from 1988 to

2003. 37

Fig. 2.3.1.1 New proposed urban center in Wangfujing can’t represent Chinese tradition.

37 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Tschumi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architect

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_Polytechnic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_Association

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Institute_for_Architecture_and_Urban_Studies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_University

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_University

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_Union

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_University

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_School_of_Architecture,_Planning_and_Preservation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Tschumi


59

In 1981 he made The Manhattan Transcripts, a sequence of drawings evolved

from montage techniques taken from film and techniques of the nouveau roman. In this

theoretical project, Bernard Tschumi argues that “the disjunction between spaces and

their use, objects and events, being and meaning is no accident today. But when this

disjunction becomes an architectural confrontation, a new relation of pleasure and

violence inevitably occurs.” 38

“They found the Transcripts by accident ... a lifetime's worth of urban

pleasures - pleasures that they had no intention of giving up. So when she threatened

to run and tell the authorities, they had no alternative but to stop her. And that's when

the second accident occurred ... the accident of murder ... They had to get out of the

Fig. 2.3.2.2.1 The Manhattan Transcripts – Finding disjunction between space, object, and

event.

38 Tschumi, Bernard. (1994). The Manhattan Transcript. New York: John Wiley & Sons.


60

Park - quick. And the only thing which could help them was Architecture, beautiful

trusting Architecture that they had used before, but never so cruelly or so

selfishly ...”39

Figure 2.3.2.2.1 is the example of the Manhattan Transcripts diagram. The photos the

scene we can physically see, the plans are how we perceive a space, and the diagrams

are the special interrelation we can put into drawing.

In my point of view, this approach showing that we cannot just think

architecture is a building. Architecture will degenerate if we only care about building.

Instead, we can treat architecture as a catalyst of activities.

Applying to Beijing case, the question is how can architecture be the energy to

generate activities instead of just an indoor building? Inspired by Manhattan Transcript,

my intention is to treat architecture not only as a building but also as a program

activator like what outdoor public place can do.

2.3.2.2 Gordon Matta- Clark Conical Intersect

Fig. 2.3.2.1.1 Connical Intersect- question on value in urban renovation.

39 Tschumi, Bernard. (1994). The Manhattan Transcript. New York: John Wiley & Sons.


61

Born in artist’s family, Gordon Matta- Clark graduated from architecture

school in Cornel University.40

During his life, he practiced architecture differently.

After spending a year in Paris during student strike in 1968, his direction of

architecture moved to Situationists and he was influenced by Guy Debord, French

deconstructionist philosopher.41

His work is mostly related to cutting buildings. His famous creation was

Conical Intersect during Paris Biennale in 1975 (Figure 2.3.2.1.1). In that time, some

houses were demolished to build Georges Pompidou Center. In the meantime, he

created art work in between two demolished houses. The result is a big hole between

two walls. He implied the meaning of architecture behind urban reformation and

deconstruction.

Applying to current Beijing condition, hutongs, a deep Beijing’s life culture,

have been replaced with building blocks and some of them remain a ruin. If destroying

is unavoidable, can the process be breaking down but creating a new space in a

meanwhile? Place between buildings blocks can mean more than a void. The void can

be set up to connect building blocks or to display values which are not visible in

buildings.

Fig. 2.3.2.1.2 The void demolishes and create urban fabric at the same time.

40 Jenkins, Bruce. (2011). Gordan Matta- Clark: Conical Intersect. New York: Afterall. 41 Ibid.


62

2.3.3 Micro Scale Contribution in Western and Asian Cities

Western cities have undergone realization on micro scale development in this

Twentieth Centuries. Asian cities also have many interesting micro scale elements in

which many scholars and emerging architects try to pose out. The case studies are

about how to improve function of almost forgotten space or unwanted architecture.

The case studies are also about how to maximize space in between architecture. Spaces

between architecture can become problematic and shanty if not taking cared.

2.3.3.1 Time Square, New York – Minimum Public Zone


Density: 10,452/km2

Built- up area: 3,859 km

2

The densest city in United States is in New York. New York is an important

city for economy and financial development. “New York City is notable among

American cities for its high use of mass transit, most of which runs 24 hours per day,

and for the overall density and diversity of its population. In 2005, nearly 170

languages were spoken in the city and 36% of its population was born outside the

United States.The city is sometimes referred to as The City that Never Sleeps”.42

Fig. 2.3.3.1.1 Location of Time Square, New York.

42 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York


63

Times Square is a major intersection in New York City that was named after

Times Building, where The New York Times was formerly headquartered. Times

Square is located at Broadway and Seventh Avenue and extends from West 42nd

to

West 47th

. Like city squares in many other major cities around the world, Times

Square has become an illustrious landmark and a symbol of New York City. “There

are about 1.5 million pedestrian daily, 150 million commuters annually, 35 million

tourists annually, over 1000 hours of annual broadcasting, global branding location,

and over one billion impressions on New Year’s Eve at Times Square.”43

The length of

the street is about 410 meters and the width of the street is about 15 meters (Figure

2.3.3.1.1). The area along the street consists of shopping malls and high rise buildings,

ranges from 40 meters to 200 meters tall. The function of the square varies from

business purpose, shopping area, a hub of entertainment, a home to famous Broadway

theaters, motels, upscale hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, bars, music venues, to quality

shops (Figure 2.3.3.1.2). The planning of the street is very direct and easy to read

because all the shops and main doors are located on the main street.

Fig. 2.3.3.1.2 The city that never sleeps.

43 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York



64

The city of New York was originally planned for pedestrian:

“Los Angeles is laid out according to the progressive ideals of the decongested

metropolis, planned for the efficient movement of trolleys cars, and, later, automobiles

whereas New York’s grid is for pedestrians and horses.”44

Later, the success of automotive and machine use has brought New York City from

pedestrian city to car city. Same problem as Beijing, The New York City has to adapt

to that change. The difference is that New York doesn’t have as deep culture as Beijing.

Consequently, the city changes from time to time and it means modernization to the

world. What is more, the Manhattan grid is design from big scale to a meticulous scale

for pedestrians. Hence, car and pedestrian traffic are manageable.

To cope with traffic and the need of public zone, the term Privately Owned

Public Space was invented in this city. The invention of this policy is based on the

principles of light and air on the ground level and control overall bulk mass. It aimed at

creating better and instant public spaces integrated with the urban development so as to

improve the pedestrian experience. This model is a result of cooperation between

public and private.45

The relevant policy was set up to balance the interests between

the developers and the public when the power was shifting to the corporations during

the rapid economic growth in 1980s. Through establishing the policy regarding

Privately Owned Public Space, corporations are encouraged to take up its social

responsibility to contribute to the city development (Figure 2.3.3.1.3).

44 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York 45 Kayden, Jerold S. (2000). Privately Owned Public Space: The New York City Experience. New York: John Wiley and

Sons, Inc.



65

Another way to increase public zone is by cutting off the width of some major

streets. In Times Square and surrounding streets, rather than closing off the street for

walking, the planner made a necessary human zone in a minimum area by narrowing

down the width of the street by 8 meters- it used to be around 24 meters. So, it is still

car predominantly with a minimum comfortable zone for pedestrian (Figure 2.3.3.1.4).

The human friendly zone, in Broadway for example, was designed carefully so that the

feeling of urban scale is really there (Figure 2.3.3.1.5).

Fig. 2.3.3.1.3 Privately Owned Public Space.


66

Fig. 2.3.3.1.4 Providing minimum comfortable public zone.


67

New York City is an excellent case study in that it is one with the most

skyscrapers and the one with the realization of forgotten pattern of human scale public

space among tall buildings. What is great is the Times Square can still fit for people

from different origin without changing its meaning. Car on the street, people on the

road, shoppers, food stall, coffee place, and many others generate the success of Times

Square as a public space for many public activities. All of these atmosphere make

locals and tourist don’t want to travel elsewhere.

Fig. 2.3.3.1.5 Micro scale development in every corner of New York’s major street.


68

2.3.3.2 Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan – Compact and Layer


Density: 14,254/km2


Shinjuku is chosen as the central research because of its various redevelopment

from small to large scale. Shinjuku has 60,690 m2 area of station.

46 In East Shinjuku

typically (Figure 2.3.3.2.1). We want to learn how the Japanese make use every single

space smartly given the compactness of the city. Figure 2.3.3.2.2 shows distinctive

conditions we may find in Tokyo such as super kiosk, vendor machines everywhere,

and pocket plaza.

46 http://architecture.rmit.edu.au/Projects/By_Product_Tokyo.php

.



69

Fig. 2.3.3.2.1 Location of East Shinjuku.

Fig. 2.3.3.2.2 Micro detail in Japan, which is often vanished in design process.


70

Entertainment is a traditional focus of East Shinjuku. The widest street is about

18 meters. The average tallness of buildings on main street is about 60 meters. The

street is very packed and every Milimeters count in Shinjuku’s daily activities (Figure

2.3.3.2.3). The permanent elements such as sign board, plaza, and vending machine

collaborate dynamically with non- permanent elements like table and chair.

Fig. 2.3.3.2.3 Layer of micro scale in small alleys: karaoke, comic store, restaurant, bar,

vendor machine.


71

Figure 2.3.3.2.4 depicts the locations and typical situations which can only be

found in Japan. In every corner of Shinjuku, various activities and small architecture

elements can be seen. All of the elements are put together smoothly from top of

building block to ground, creating another layer of space (Figure 2.3.3.2.5).

Fig. 2.3.2.5

Fig. 2.3.3.2.4 Location of the study: Signage, yatai, and underground corridor.


72

Fig. 2.3.3.2.5 The spontaneous labeling of buildings, signage, and vendors have made

secondary layer of Tokyo. The secondary layers become permanent over time. This notion is

almost forgotten in architecture. Section: Typical alley in East Shinjuku.


73

Figure 2.3.3.2.6 shows an intricate underground street of Shinjuku Station.

Every space in between wall is occupied with activities. Almost every corner is a

program activator in Shinjuku. The land shortage and density issues really challenge

Japan to tackle the real future of urban city. The spontaneity of micro scale placement

in the city has created a unique atmosphere.

Fig. 2.3.3.2.6 retails, kiosk, vending machines, recycle trash, and many other things can be

found at every corner of the city. Sum up of micro scale architecture brings power in making a

city.


74

2.3.3.3 Hybrid Kampung Public space, Malang, Indonesia

Indonesia is one of the most populous countries. Quality of life has been under

degradation as a result of the high population. Malang is a developing city in East Java

with its constant need for better dwelling and public space. Same as hutongs, Indonesia

has this kind of village where locals and migrant workers come from. The banks of

Brantas River in Malang have become a place for living and it is not in a good

condition. From time to time this place has become more and more dense. Therefore

“kampung”, or informal urban villages has no space for social interaction.47

Architects start to pay intention to kampung design. Architect Irwan Yudha

proposed a new living paradigm of urban village and sustained the social order of the

village. The solution is to add another level of public space for interaction and

activities. It seems as a simple notion yet can be easily applied from small to big sector

in sustainable level (Figure 2.3.3.3.1). The project won the First Prize in UIA2011

Tokyo, the 24th

World Congress of Architecture. For many time, kampung is put to the

last. Although it is not there yet, however, it is a preliminary step for Indonesia to start

putting effort on its unique cultural identity.

Four things can be grasped from this project. First, there is still a way to

upgrade hutongs and make them as a comfortable zone like the elevated public space

in kampung project. Second, the way the kampung redeveloped shows that kampung

can still fit in this modernization era so do hutongs. Third, the redevelopment of the

47 Akmal, Imelda. (2011). Indonesian Architects. Jakarta: Imaji.

.



75

kampung public space based on its micro urbanism and material such as activities,

vegetation pot, water basket, public toilet, wooden chair, information sign, etc. (Figure

2.3.3.3.2). Therefore, its maturation based on trivial things of the kampung. The same

concept can also be applied in Wangfujing. Lastly, hutongs life and activities can still

exist in Wangfujing if we provide a better condition to occupy.

Fig. 2.3.3.3.1 Improving condition of kampung by providing public space can become a

desirable public space in the city for the future.


76

Fig. 2.3.3.3.2 Micro urbanism is part of the design process.


77

2.4 Conclusion

From New York City, we catch about its intermediate zone which becomes a

unique place on its own. It is freestanding and it supports the pedestrian’s need. From

Tokyo, we grasp about an idea of insertion and overlapping to cover any dead end or

unserviceable spots. Small little pieces like vending machine, newspaper box, recycle

box, food stand, signage, and shop enclose Tokyo streetscape. From Malang, we learn

about preserving and improving kampung by providing standard public space which

are built from local materials with thoughtful consideration about their daily activities.

These hybrid and micro space case studies can help Beijing in couple ways. In

Wangfujing, instead of closing the whole street for pedestrian, we can open half for

cars and half for public space to maximize function of the street. We can also inserting

many micro scale activities and permanent kiosk along the pavements to bring life of

the street. Lastly, reminisces of hutong’s life is important for Wangfujing to show that

hutong is a typical Beijing’s public space.

Plaza, big square, and malls are not sufficient to deal with Beijing’s life. The

city has innumerable alleys which can be developed in the future. The meaning of

architecture has been consumed as part of consumerism. By bringing back life of

hutong, symbol of history of Wangfujing should also be consumed in the users. A

function of a space cannot be fixed but element of architecture such as material, texture,

and details can support the usage.

Chapter 3. Thesis Design

78

3. THESIS DESIGN

3.1 Site Analysis

3.1.1 Introduction of Beijing Wangfujing

Beijing’s Wangfujing is located on the central of the city. Wangfujing Street is

defined as an area bounded by Wusi Rd and Dongsi on the North and Chang’an East

Rd on the South. The total length of the street is about 810 meters and the width is

about 20 meters. The subway station is located at the South end of the Street in

Oriental Plaza. The name of Wangfujing came from a well full of sweet water which

was found while ten princess residence were built in Qing Dynasty. In 1903, Dong'an

market was formed. Since then, there have been commercial activities in this place.

The important commercial buildings there are Dong’an Plaza, Lotte Plaza, and

Oriental Plaza. There are also a couple hotels such as Prime Hotel, Hyatt, SunWorld

Hotel, and Hilton Hotel. There are quite a lot of hutongs which still exist behind

Wangfujing Street (Figure 3.1.1.1). The map diagram shows the location of subway

station, bus stop, prominent buildings, well, and hutongs within five minutes walking

distance in radius of 400 meters.


79

Fig. 3.1.1.1 Mapping of the reminding hutongs, subway station, prominent buildings, and

bus stop within five minutes walking.


80

3.1.2 Micro Site Analysis

3.1.2.1 The Hutong Wall

Some part of hutong walls still survive. Some of them are visible and the rest

are hidden right behind temporary shopping buildings (Figure 3.1.2.1.1). Somehow,

Wangfujing façade has a tendency to cover up old Beijing with something more

modern and luxury. Even the hutong wall itself, one of the oldest walls on the street

façade, is put aside. By bringing back the atmosphere of Hutongs, Wangfujing Street

can bring back its meaning and still grow into a public space with its historical

atmosphere rather than keep layering old structure with new one.


81

Fig. 3.1.2.1.1 Hutong walls on Wangfujing Facade


82

3.1.2.2 Edge

The 20 meter wide of Wangfujing Street without enough public

accommodation makes the street as an open big square with no function. Moreover, the

creation of mallings results in an edge between Wangfujing Street (Figure 3.1.2.2.1).

Each building on the street is tall and it is an edge for people on street. We are faced by

stair once we enter buildings (Figure 3.1.2.2.2). Therefore, it is a sign of exclusiveness

and consumerism. Activities inside malls are very individualistic and there is no

relation to the outside.

Fig. 3.1.2.2.1 Building as an edge of the street.


83

3.1.3 Macro Site Analysis

The primary research identifies problem of Wangfujing Street as an Monolith

City which is without the collaborations among everyday life, architecture, and

urbanism (Figure 3.1.3.1). Beijing Wangfujing has changed from Linear City which

featured hutongs to Monolith City. Each building is very individual and the activities

aren’t collaborating with architecture and urbanism (Figure 3.1.3.2). Is it the mirror of

Beijing’s life culture?

Fig. 3.1.2.2.2 Stair separates buildings and street.


84

Fig. 3.1.3.2 Plan showing separation among buildings.


85

3.2 Architectural Strategy

3.2.1 Urbanism

3.2.1.1 Micro Urbanism

“Mic.ro: Extremely small in scale or scope.

adj: (m kr )

Ur.ban

.ism: The culture or way of life of city dwellers”.

48

n : (ûr b -n z m)

Having people gathering, city, and buildings only create settlement but not city.

A building can have big elements that grow into a city and small elements- kitchen,

storages, toilet, slide, and many others which can be urbanite. To me, the micro side is

very important urban notion for city like Beijing. Moreover, notion of micro urbanism

can work both for its small dimension and big scale (Figure 3.2.1.1.1). This is an

attempt to learn from internal system of local habitation.

Fig. 3.2.1.1.1 Line of dry clothes can been seen easily at hutongs.

48 http://www.thefreedictionary.com

.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/


86

3.2.1.2 Fine- Grained Urbanism

The role of architects is to bring to the streets the “visceral, intellectual, and

physical experience that demands descriptive words such as amazement,

wonder, poetic revelation; words not found in planning documents.”49

Steven Holl

Beijing has developed a big master plan in a big city planning over years. The

city demands a growth of precious little space and let’s not waste valuable architecture

site that lacks of desire to fulfill our hope of what Beijing can be. At city scale,

planners can control the quality of pedestrian spaces. However, it is architecture that

shapes public space to serve pedestrian urbanism desire in its own fine grain quality. If

we want Wangfujing Street to be memorable in the mind of locals and travelers, we

must have an urban place that brings fine grained experience, not just a few tourist

icons and floor space to sell. This fine grain theory can create more passageway and

place to wonder and sense around in between architecture.

Fig. 3.2.1.2.1 Fine grained urbanism abstraction.

49 Holl, Steven. (2009). Urbanisms; Working with Doubt. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 17.


87

3.2.2 Hutong

Hutong once was an important passage way. Hutong consist of alleys with

activities in different dimension. Therefore, in the future, hutongs can be transformed

into new urban network that shows the real Beijing’s public space.

Density is an issue in Beijing. The micro space of hutongs can help to succeed

the effectiveness of public space where big monolith public space can no more

accomplish. Beijing has to pay attention to the physical and functional change in scale

of bigness and smallness.

3

Fig. 3.2.2.1 Can bigness and smallness elaborate together in a city?


88

3.2.2.1 Hutong Characteristics

Architecture and city can work together in hutong. Taken Dacaochang Hutong

as example, figure 3.2.2.1.1 shows the relationship that happens between architecture

and city. Figure 3.2.2.1.2 shows different group of people and activities which can be

easily found in hutong.

Fig. 3.2.2.1.1 relationship between architecture and city in hutong.


89

Fig. 3.2.2.1.2 activities and groups of people in hutong


90

3.2.2.2 Hutong Transportation

Cars and city vehicles gradually occupy hutong. Therefore, hutong is gradually

growing and compromising with the modernity. The problem is the size of hutong can

no longer accommodate this change.

Fig. 3.2.2.2.1 cars start to dominating hutongs.


91

3.2.2.3 Horizon of Activities

The diagram figure 3.2.2.3.1 and figure 3.2.2.3.2 shows a different approach of

architecture process. It starts with an analysis of social activities in relation to the

height.

Fig. 3.2.2.3.1 Horizon Vs. micro social activities, original horizontal lines of hutong, and existing

condition of openings.


92

Fig. 3.2.2.3.2 hutong’s horizon line.


93

3.2.2.4 Role of Architecture?

What can architecture do to make hutong’s life alive in this era as a type of

Beijing’s public space? Can architecture do something with the leftover of hutong’s

wall on Wangfujing Street?


94

3.3 Architectural Intervention

3.3.1 Habitable Edge Concept

“Occupying edge; making place by generating at a micro scale then

accumulating at a macro scale. “

Stephanie Jahja

“To yield is to be preserved whole. To be bent is to become straight. To be

hollow is to be renewed. To be in want is to possess. To have plenty is to be

confused.”51

Lao Tzu, Chapter 22

Same as the philosophy of Matta- Clark’s Connical Intersect, as Lao Tzu said, the

hollow is to be renewed. What can architecture do to fill in the void after destroying

precious urban culture in Wangfujing Street?

The concept of Habitable Edge is generated from investigation hutong’s life in

millimeter scale and its accumulation in meter and kilometer scale. Later, the idea and

the constraint are adapted to the Habitable Edge in Wangfujing Street.

51 http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/

Fig. 3.3.1.1 left: current condition of Wangfujing Street. Right: habitating the edge.

http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/


95

Fig. 3.3.1.2 From tectonic to urban degree.


96

Fig. 3.3.1.3 Unit in relation to activities.


97

Fig. 3.3.1.4 Adaption to different space.


98

Fig. 3.3.1.5 Habitable Edge Concept.


99


100

3.3.2 Public Zone 1

3.3.2.1 Process and Limitations


112

3.3.3 Public Zone 2

3.3.3.1 Process and Limitation


121

3.3.4 New Master Plan

3.3.4.1 Pieces, Replication, and System

This intimate small scale project can be easily built to fulfill the need of public

space. In the future, this type of public space will create a new layer of urban fabric- a

unique Beijing’s culture public space.

Fig. 3.3.4.1.1 Bringing a new layer of urban spot to improve current condition of city structure.


122

Section drawing

Chapter 4. Conclusion

123

4. CONCLUSION

Micro elements are often forgotten in architecture design process.

Industrialization and technologies have been focusing on large scale planning and big

industry sectors. Shopping malls, towers, superblocks, and big plaza are the big sectors

which are being exposed in major spots as objects to be consumed. This is the result of

machinery assembly that focuses on grandeur massive scale but not human scale.

Wangfujing’s type of street are scattered in majority city in China: Shanghai

has its Nanjing Street, Tianjin has its Binjiangdao Street, and Xiamen has its

Zhongshan Street. The bigness of those public streets lacks of intimate places- human

scale place for watching each other and doing social interaction.

Habitable Edge concept proposes another type of solution. Learning from

micro pattern, the intervention can work together with the big scale buildings. Rather

than breaking down existing urban structure and malls, issue of gap between big and

small, old and new, and tradition and modern can be solved.

Architecture is not only a building but also a program activator. Micro size

intervention can be a simple yet powerful step to improve present- day urban blocking

without changing everything. The target of the future is to scatter this new type of

unique urban scale module in Beijing and to apply in other Asian and Western Cities

with their own distinctive urban life in similar conception.

Chapter 5. Reference

124

5. REFERENCE

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ArchShowCase. (2011). Wangfujing street in Beijing,China in Latitude Studio with

BIAD. Retrieved from http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-

showcase/2011/05/19/wangfujing-street-in-beijingchina-in-latitude-studio-with-biad/

Bertram, Nigel, Shane Murray, and Marika Neustupny. (2003). By-Product-Tokyo.

Melbourne: Bambra Press.

Bianchini, Franco, and Michael Parkinson. (1993). Cultural Policy and Urban

Regeneration: The West European Experience. Manchester: Manchester University

Press.

Bureau of the Census. (2011). [Text info]. Population Division in 2012. Retrieved

from http://www.census.gov

Chi, Ti-Nan. (2001). Micro Urbanism. Retrieved from

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Deutsche, Rosalym. (1996). Evictions: Art and Spatial Politics. Chicago, IL: Graham

Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.

Glassie, Henry. (2000). Vernacular Architecture. Indiana: Indiana University Press.

Habraken, N. J. (1998). The Structure of the Ordinary: Form and Control in the Built

Environment. Mass: The MIT Press. pp. 10-12.

Holl, Steven. (2009). Urbanisms; Working with Doubt. New York: Princeton

Architectural Press. pp. 17.

Kayden, Jerold S. (2000). Privately Owned Public Space: The New York City

Experience. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Kostof, S. (1991). The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings through History.

London: Bulonch Press.

Lefebvre, H. (1991). The production of Space. Oxford: Blackwell.

New Urbanism. (2011). Congress for the New Urbanism. Retrieved

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Sixteenth report of Session. (2002) [PDF file]. . Tall buildings: Report and

Proceedings of the House of Commons Transport, Local Government and the Regions

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Tschumi, Bernard. (1994). The Manhattan Transcript. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Varnelis, K. (2008). Introduction Networkd Ecologies: The Infrastructural

City,Networked Ecologies in Los Angeles. Barcelona: Actar

Venturi, Robert. (1996). Iconography and Electronics Upon a Generic Architecture: A

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致谢/ Acknowledgements

126

致谢/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There are many people without with this thesis would not been possible. First

and foremost I would like to acknowledge my deepest appreciation to Prof. Zhang Li

for sharing his generous idea and offered invaluable assistance, support and guidance

that would make it possible for the successful completion of my thesis. I would also

like to thank my Studio Professors; Prof. Li Xiao Dong, Prof. Alex Tzonis, Prof. Amy

Lelyveld, Prof. Ron Henderson, Prof. Zou Tao, Prof. Zhang Yue, and Prof. Thomas

Herzog. Your teachings have been a valuable knowledge during the course of my

postgraduate studies.

Special thanks go to, my colleagues at EPMA 2010 for sharing the same

dreams & offering continuous support. Special mention to Irwan Soektikno for being a

close mentor, giving advices, and for being always available. Also, thanks to Hua Xiao

Bing and Jason Wang for being supportive friends during my study.

I would like to convey thanks to my friends Dilan Huang, Wilson Wong,

Yulius Susanto, and Juano Ongkowidjojo for technical support. For the authors of the

books I referenced, thank you for being source of inspirations for learning. Also,

thanks to good people in Microsoft, Adobe, and Google for providing excellent

software that assist me in the completion of my design. To my “sisters”, Stella

Gunawan, Karina Purnomo, and Stephanie Sulistian, thank you for providing me with

refreshing distraction.

I want to express my love and gratitude to my parents, Fennadi Jahja and Lim

Yu Jam, and my brother, Patrick Jahja for their understanding and endless love and

support during my education. Special thanks to special someone, Carlous Wikarsa for

the unceasing support and all the comfort. At last, thanks to Tsinghua University for

providing an outstanding learning field.

声明/Personal Statement

127

声明/Personal Statement

本人郑重声明：所呈交的学位论文，是本人在导师指导下，独立进行研

究工作所取得的成果。尽我所知，除文中已经注明引用的内容外，本学位论文

的研究成果不包含任何他人享有著作权的内容。对本论文所涉及的研究工作做

出贡献的其他个人和集体，均已在文中以明确方式表明。

The author asseverates: this thesis was prepared solely by myself under instruction

of my thesis advisor. To my knowledge, except for documents cited in the thesis, the

research results do not contain any achievements of any others who have claimed

copyrights. To contributions made by relevant individuals and organizations in the

completion of the thesis, I have clearly acknowledged all their efforts.

签名：日期：

Signature: Date:

Resume

128

RESUME

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

Full Name: First Name: Stephanie Last Name: Jahja

Gender: Female

Nationality: Indonesia

Date of Birth: 06/05/1988

EDUCATION:

2010- Present: Professional Master Degree in Architecture at Tsinghua University,

Beijing

2006- 2010: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Architecture at University of Washington,

Seattle, USA

WORKING EXPERIENCE:

Jun 2011- August 2011: PTI Architects (Jakarta), Indonesia [Internship]

Jul 2009- Sept 2009: PT Harba Primaperkasa, Jakarta, Indonesia [Internship]

August 2007- Sept 2007: HMP Architects Jakarta, Indonesia [Internship]

habitable edge: architecure for contemporary lifestyle at historical wangfujing area

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