Bachelor of Science (Honours) in ArchitectureIn Adaptation (ARC 1133)

Exercise 2: Observing the Everyday

Names : Ong Jia Hui 0317752Ong Min Junn 0317767Tang Pei Kei 0318545

Lecturer : Ms Bashira Mohd Bahar

Chapter : 3

Site : E

While travelling along the road of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the portrayal of each city by Calvano Italo can be seen in multiple parts along the dense area of the city. By relating with both the city and the story itself, it becomes a point where surrealism meets reality, where actually each point of surrealism in the story is a problem of the reality.

According to Chapter 3 of Invisible Cities, the common social problem is the sense of selfishness where each person craves to achieve their own desire through various ways. It is depicted in ways where people would achieve the common goal together, yet without the love and care for one another and also to destroy other’s desire for the sake of building theirs.

Upon reaching the site, the city skyline that comprised of multiple typologies became the first sense of selfishness as each building was built without the respect of the surrounding buildings but just for the sake of each individual one. Apart from that, there were no considerations of safety with construction and the people. Each continued their daily agenda, ignoring the fact their lives are in danger. The people were clouded by their desire for wealth and hence hawkers continue selling while workers continued constructing. As such, buildings continued growing while the humanity in society diminished. This is proven by tall skyscrapers that aim to build the desire of wealth of those working in the city and hiding any of those that are not contributing to their desire.

With the growing city that forgets about the wellness and healthcare of the people, the environment becomes more toxic. Rules are set but not followed and resources are used extensively. Personal convenience overruled the health of the environment as it can be seen through the disposal of rubbish with improper manner and even turning a blind eye to a basic way of conserving nature: recycling. It becomes a place like that is portrayed in the City of Armilla where there is extensive use of resources without caring about what damage it may cause to others.

Not to forget the very essence of cities: the people itself. The society within cities has very little care for one another. These people grow to only care for themselves and as such, they work with others to achieve the common the goal but lack the care and love for each other. Spaces are densely packed to maximise the profit for each person and to allow more people to chase after their desire. These people continued their lives with their desire wealth which clouded them from the ever growing problem of cities: poverty. People and places that don’t make the cut are treated as eye sores and pushed aside.

After going through the city that we live nearby, it seems that the unrealistic part of a surrealist story is actually just a daily part of how the city works in real life.

The dense city shows the selfish act of people where hawkers persists to continue with their business while nearby buildings are under construction. Just within a narrow street, it portrays the selfish and

careless act for the sake of money, similarly reflected to the people of the City of Zobeide that is willing to chase after their own desire while jeopardising others.

Tang Pei Kei

Different building types can be observed within the city as each was built individually without the respect of adjacent and nearby buildings. The messy typology is the result of individualism, where each person craves their own desire and pursues with their own perception. This is reflected in the

buildings of the City of Zobeide where the people tore down existing buildings to build theirs based on their own imagination without the care of others.

Tang Pei Kei

High-rise buildings within great cities can be form of power but it can be a form of insecurity where they lack privacy and need for pride to create a larger city. As such, reflections from other

surrounding buildings became a mimic of each person’s life, making them insecure due to the selfishness of proving to be the best. This relates to the City of Valdrada where reflections cause

insecurity due to each own unlawful or disgrace act.

Tang Pei Kei

A recycling centre is meant to have its waste being sorted out by whomever that disposes of it. However, wastes are seen being thrown away in an uncategorized manner. Just like in the City of Chloe, the people are selfish enough to just do whatever that is convenient for their sake without

batting an eye to anything that does not concern them.

Ong Jia Hui

Greeneries are deemed important in many aspects. However, trees are being chopped off amidst the city to make way for the advancement of mankind. Humans tend to tear down anything that is in

their way just to satisfy their selfish needs such as in the City of Zobeide.

Ong Jia Hui

The building is spotted with an abundance of air conditioners despite being just seven-storey high. Such vast usage of air conditioners highly contributes to global warming which harms our earth. As such in the City of Armilla, our earth will be barren and devoid of life due to the selfish act of each

person to use resources extensively.

Ong Jia Hui

The idea of shops within shops challenges the usual perception of having a large space empty space within a shop and with the addition of how these spaces are rarely occupied defies the thoughts we

have about a dense city. The irony of the area is seemingly similar with the paradox of the City of Hypatia where the things we perceive may come in an opposite outcome.

Ong Min Junn

Poverty exists in each city no matter how great it can be. This is due to lack of concern from the people as each only desires to improve their life and to work with others with the common goal. As

such the act of helping becomes detrimental to their desire leading to poverty being an ignored problem of the city. Reflected in the City of Chloe, people will work with those whom only share the

common desire without the act of care and love.

Ong Min Junn

The dense area of the city portrays many lives through the eyes of each person that they chase after the desire of wealth without the sense of care and love for each other as their eyes gleam with cold

and lonely stares. This situation is similar to the City of Chloe that depicts about a great city but where the streets are filled strangers not caring about one another but yet strive to achieve a

common desire.

Ong Min Junn