ARCHITECTURE

1. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS) ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM
[ ARC 2224 ]
PROJECT 1 ( PART 2 )
THEORIZING ARCHITECTURE
NAME: YASEEN SYED
STUDENT ID: 0309021
LECTURER: MR LAM SHEN FEI

2. “Generators of City Diversity”
The largest integrated urban development project in the history of Malaysia, combining the
development of government institutions, commercial, residential, public amenities and
infrastructure.Putrajaya is also the Federal Government Administrative Centre which was
developed during 1995.Using advanced technology and services ,Putrajaya is known to be the
first “City in a Garden Intelligent city”.
Being a city of posterity,it is planned with urban quality of life in mind and sustainable
development relating to the basics of good town planning.It is a city with a clear identity and
character rooted in local culture and tradition,and reflects timeless architecture and urban
design.
Urban theorist and writer Jane Jacobs, revolutionized the way we look at cities. Her influential
book The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) argued that urban renewal did not
respect the needs of most city-dwellers.
Through her life, she fought to alter the way in which city development was approached. By
arguing that cities were living beings and ecosystems, she advocated ideas such as "mixed
use" development and bottom-up planning. Furthermore, her harsh criticisms of "slum clearing"
and "high-rise housing" projects were instrumental in discrediting these once universally
supported planning practices.
Based on Jacob’s theory of “Generators of City Diversity”,she clarifies on how four main factors
can contribute to a city’s diversification:
Need for Primary Mixed Uses:”The more different types the better”.
Need for Small Blocks: "Most blocks must be short,that is, streets and opportunities to turn
corners must be frequent."
Need for Aged Buildings: "The district must mingle buildings that vary in age and condition,
including a good proportion of old ones."
Need for Sufficient Concentration of People from different social classes: "The district
must have a sufficiently dense concentration of people, for whatever purpose they may be
there.”
Putrajaya Precinct 16 offers its residents various types of buildings.Each neighbourhood has a
center and an edge. The Alamanda Mall consists of eateries, sports facilities, meeting places,
shops,banks and other utilities.Since this draws different kinds of people to that location,diverse
activities should be happening all the time. The connections made by these diverse groups of
people form new innovations.
All the building blocks in Precinct 16 are far apart,thus making the precinct less diversified. To
improve these factors,gardens and permeable fencing preferred (landscape treatments: hedges,
shrubs, trees) can be used to connect buildings that are far apart,thus allowing people to
interact with each other in the process,as they walk across.The gardens may promote activities
and therefore attract people to mingle,thus forming a dense concentration of people. Even the

3. streams that are used to divide the parks may be made functional,to reduce the gap between
people using the park on each side of the stream.
Since more people would be walking in between the shorter streets,enterprises may consider
opening their business’ in these locations. (Refer to images 1 , 1.1 , 1.2 respectively)
The use of older buildings will help attract people of a lower social status,and will help yield
more business types.Along with this different types of housing(condominiums to bungalows)
should be considered for all sections of society to encourage social integration.Thus adding to
the concentration of people. (Refer to image 2 , 2.1 ,2.2 respectively).