Asian Transformations in Action - Api-fellowships.org

218 COLLAGES OF BETTERMENTwork, to study; (2) economic—the need to pursueeconomic activities such as selling, buying, barteringand trading; (3) leisure—activities that contributeto ease and relaxation; (4) socio-cultural—enjoyingthe cultural assets along streets, whether intangible ortangible, such as street performances; (5) social—theneed to be with others such as meeting in a restaurantand chatting with a friend; and (6) personal needs—for example, to provide an outlet for one’s personalexpression.Street user behavior is complex and composed oftwo aspects, namely: movement and non-movement.Walking is considered movement behavior; someexamples of non-movement are waiting and resting.The concept of non-movement within Asian streetsgrew out of the realization that in order to providesustainable spaces, it is necessary to consider themultitude of behaviors exhibited by pedestrians as wellas other street users.The presence of a diverse group of street userscontributes to street liveliness. Asian pedestrians do notdifferentiate between public and private space, usingthe communal space as an extension of their livingarea, a venue for commerce and exchange and a placeto socialize. Also, there is a direct correlation betweenwalking and non-movement spaces. An area thatattracts high pedestrian volume usually has a greatertendency for non-movement activities. As such, theopportunity to increase sidewalk sustainability requiresthe reconsideration of non-movement activities in thedesign of such space.Non-movement conceptThe concept of non-movement, forwarded by Mateo-Babiano and Ieda (2005), has emerged theoreticallybased on the premise that streets serve not only asdistribution but also as communication networks.The latter refers to streets serving as a venue for thesocialization and interaction of inhabitants. It is furtherargued that non-movement space played a significantrole in the evolution of Asian space. Thus, it is withinthis premise that the perceived non-movement behaviorof Asian pedestrians is examined.To further examine this concept, the study collectedpedestrian diaries on September 2006 in Bandung;out of the 200 forms given out only 33 respondents or16.5 percent of the sample returned the forms. Thus,preliminary results do not allow generalizations. Therespondents were requested to record their daily walkingactivities starting from the time they left their residence.The average number of daily walk trips an individualunderwent in a day was six. Also, the results showed thatthose taking more than six trips in a day spent a longertime outside per walking trip. Since the study was takenduring the Ramadhan period, the distribution of dailywalking activity patterns of pedestrians, both movementand non-movement activities, did not reflect the regularpattern of pedestrian behavior. It is common duringthis period to start the day as early as three o’clock inthe morning.The study of non-movement behavior provides us withthe knowledge that Asian space is temporally-dictated.As such, it requires flexibility so as to accommodatevarious activities that are conducted at different timesof the day. For example, a tofu (tahu) vendor whosells his product in the mornings and stations himselfin front of the community commercial center mayoccupy the same space which in the late afternoonserves as neighborhood playground for the childrenand could be the venue for musical performances inthe evenings. The temporal segregation of activitiesand the vertical quality of Asian space should be oneof the main considerations in sidewalk design. As anexample, pocket-sized activity spaces should be placedstrategically along the sidewalk path. The space shouldbe versatile enough to accommodate a multitude ofactivities. The seemingly disorganized spatial qualityof Asian space is one of its unique characteristics thatis not encountered in most parts of Europe or theUnited States. Based on previous studies, the apparentdisarray actually contains a measurable hidden order(Rodin and Rodina 2000). Diversity comes fromthe influence of the forest environment wherein thecacophony of sounds, sights, smells, tastes and touchescan be experienced simultaneously within the Asianstreet space. The perception is further demonstratedby the presence of food vendors. The variety of foodsold in Indonesian street shops (warungs) and thePhilippine traditional restaurant (turo-turo) bringsforth a combination of visual, olfactory and gustatorysensations which compel passersby to taste their flavors.In most Southeast Asian cities, vending has becomean institution in itself, albeit informally. The presentapproach calling for their total removal from the streetshas never been effective and, therefore, can never bea favorable end solution. Furthermore, the pedestriansurvey shows the important role street vendors play notonly in economic terms but also at the cultural level. Acompromise between vending and regulating should bearrived at so as to define the locations most appropriatefor such activities as well as improving the aestheticquality of their presence. Regulation may take the formof permit issuance to allow certain complementaryAsian Transformations in ActionThe Work of the 2006/2007 API Fellows