Looking for a Looking for a sustainable sustainable architectural style architectural style in Phnom Penhin Phnom Penh

Thomas KolnbergerThomas KolnbergerJunior researcher, MA (University of Vienna), PhD-cand.Junior researcher, MA (University of Vienna), PhD-cand.University of LuxembourgUniversity of LuxembourgFLSHASEFLSHASE Faculté des Lettres, des Sciences Humaines, des Faculté des Lettres, des Sciences Humaines, des Arts et des Sciences de l'Education)Arts et des Sciences de l'Education)Research Unit IPSEResearch Unit IPSE Identités, Politiques, Sociétés, EspaceIdentités, Politiques, Sociétés, EspaceRoute de DiekirchRoute de DiekirchL-7220 Walferdange, LuxembourgL-7220 Walferdange, Luxembourgthomas.kolnberger@uni.luthomas.kolnberger@uni.lu

“It has reached the point where, in thirty or so years, those art historians who succeed us, will be able to add to our two paragraphs, only a third entitled `The Disappearance of Cambodian Art under Foreign Influence´” – Greorge Groslier, Ecole des Arts cambodgiens, Musée Albert Sarraut, Direction des Arts cambodgiens (1930)

“a certain degeneration, a beginning of decadence´ in `the motifs of the most recent art´: `the influence of the West, and models of deplorable taste introduced by cinema, illustrated magazines, and trinkets in the market, had made themselves felt amongst artisans used to transmitting from father to son, by tradition, ancestral motifs in which the art of Angkor was reflected´.”- Henri Marchal "Curator of Angkor" / EFEO (1910)

“mixed style of Chinese, Japanese, and of European forms” and `copyists of the European´- Francois Baudoin, The Resident Superior of the Camb. Protectorate, (1920s)

… are the Khmer / Cambodians only `copyists´: `cut & paste only?´

Architecture & Urban Planning

from `below´grass-rooted

Material `as behaviour´

Architecture & Urban Planning

from `above´

Reality of City life and

Urbanarchitecture

Reality of City life andUrbanarchitecture

The objective reality of history:Some snapshots and streetscapes in Phnom Penh 2009

Layers of HistoryLayers of Change

=Layers of different

Needs?

… after the Independence:H.R.H. Sihanouk & Sangkum Riastr Reyum

(another `international´style in Cambodia after Indian, Chinese or French Colonial style as adaption?)

… new face(s) of buildings: new facades (esthetic) or new veneers (technical)?

uncontrolled growthand change

or

adaption to differentcircumstances andneeds?

Social housing as`stockpiling´ of people…?

stockpiling of people II: the real estate market and foreign investment?(units in co-owned buildings above the ground floor for foreigners)

Villa-stylestockpiledwith a `ChineseShophouse´…

retro-looks…but where to?

… the metamorphosis of style and functional adoptions are thriving…

Why citing `Angkor´???

Architecture & Urban Planning

from `below´grass-rooted

Material `as behaviour´

Architecture & Urban Planning

from `above´

Reality of City life and

Urbanarchitecture

15th century plan 1866 plan 1914

Urban development of Phnom Penh

plan 1920 plan 1926 plan 1968

plan 1867

plan 1928Source: Phnom Penh Then and Now, Michel Igout - 1993

sleepingposition

sun

North South?

Classification of styles: some suggestions from the real estate market