The Best Architecture in Phnom Penh

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Kung-fu Hillbilly
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The Best Architecture in Phnom Penh

Post by Kung-fu Hillbilly »

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Chinese House in Phnom Penh | © Karloff

Over the years the capital has built up impressive feats of modern architecture, sending Cambodia into a new era of cultural identity.

MARISSA
27 JULY 2018

"Today, Chinese House stands as one of the capital’s most stylish restaurants and bars, overlooking the Tonle Sap River. Built in 1904 as the home of wealthy merchant trader Tan Bunpa, it served as a trading post at a time when the capital was undergoing rapid modernisation. The last decade has seen it restored back to its former glory, with the lofty building’s upstairs serving delicious fusion fine-dining meals in the evening, while the downstairs serves as a bar, with a tropical terrace as outdoor space."

"This is another Van Molyvann masterpiece that was completed in 1972 as a teacher training college. Again, carefully designed to ensure air and light flows throughout the structures, the buildings contain elevated spaces with carefully placed daylight and cross-ventilation to eliminate the need for AC. The site’s plan and use of elevated walkways draw their influence from Angkor Wat. Today, it forms part of the Royal University of Phnom Penh, where a variety of languages are taught."

"Neighbouring the Post Office is Van’s Restaurant – an elegant French restaurant that is a stalwart on the city’s dining scene. Acting as the headquarters of Indochina Bank, which was established in 1890 predominantly to serve Chinese merchants and the French, the building was sold to a private owner in 1960. Post-Khmer Rouge, it was used as the State Rural Development Bank, and in 2004 it was rented back to the children of the former private owner, and the French-Cambodian Van family has been running it ever since."

Full article https://theculturetrip.com/asia/cambodi ... -cambodia/
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John Bingham
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Re: The Best Architecture in Phnom Penh

Post by John Bingham »

Many of Phnom Penh's most cherished buildings were destroyed under the Khmer Rouge...
This is a gross exaggeration, hardly any were destroyed. The National Bank had its corner blown up and the cathedral and a few churches disappeared but I can't think of any other notable ones.
Silence, exile, and cunning.
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