Australian Author Darryl Collins Dies in Cambodia
AKP Phnom Penh, April 26, 2023 --
Australian author Darryl Collins, who co-authored two groundbreaking books on Cambodia's architectural heritage, died in Siem Reap on Wednesday, a friend said. He was 76.

Collins first came to Cambodia in 1994 as part of an Australian government grant to revitalise the National Museum in Phnom Penh.

After a year and a half, he briefly returned to Australia, resigned from his position at the National Gallery in Canberra, and returned to Cambodia and the museum in 1996.

Between 1998 and 2002, Collins lectured at the Department of Archaeology at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh.

Over the next two years, he worked as a part-time advisor to the Department of Culture and Research at the APSARA National Authority in Siem Reap.

Between 2004 and 2013, he served as the National Museum staff manager for inventory and database projects which digitally recorded and photographed the museum’s entire collection.

For his first book on Cambodian architecture — “Building Cambodia: New Khmer Architecture 1953-1970”, published in 2006 — Collins collaborated with British architect Helen Grant Ross.

His second book — “Cambodian Wooden Houses: 1,500 Years of Khmer Heritage”, published last year — was a joint project with Cambodian architect Hok Sokol, who also helped research the first publication.

H.E. Chea Sophara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, praised the second book as a “rich document that showcases the history, evolution as well as techniques, traditions and elaborate motifs developed by Khmer workers of wood over the past fifteen centuries.”

Writing in the book’s preface, he said it was “crucial” for Cambodians — especially younger generations — “to ensure they understand, and appreciate the need for preserving their heritage.

“In addition, my wish is that this book will become a useful resource for appreciation, exploration and research in the ASEAN region as well as throughout the world,” the Deputy Prime Minister wrote.

Collins left Phnom Penh in 2006 after buying a wooden house on Koh Pi Island in the Mekong River in Kampong Cham province and transporting it to Siem Reap where it was rebuilt near Wat Damnak. He conserved another two wooden houses which now stand on the outskirts of Siem Reap.
By Sao Da
AKP


RIP

https://angkordatabase.asia/authors/darryl-collins

Cambodian Wooden Houses, 1,500 Years of Khmer Heritage
by Darryl Leon Collins & Sokol Hok
A central element of Cambodian culture, traditions and art, the wooden house is a link connecting Ancient Angkor and modern Cambodia.

This splendid book reflects not only fifteen years of in-depth research on Khmer architecture, ancient and modern, but also a personal involvement, since the authors directly experienced the process of dismantling, transporting and re-building a period countryside house from Kompong Cham to Siem Reap. Two others were moved from Aranh and Kralanh.

A comprehensive manual for architects and builders, the richly illustrated publication details the phases and techniques of construction, the species of wood corresponding to specific parts of the house, and what makes the traditional Khmer house perfectly adapted to the climatic context. The Royal Palace architects have brought in their expertise, and in total 10 architect firms and institutions sponsored the book: ArchCam, Group Four, re:edge, cbvh, Five Arc Architect, Heritage Watch, Borey Angkor Landmark Banteay Srey, Norton University, and VISPAN.

But as always in Cambodia, techniques and know-how go hand in hand with a rich array of oral traditions, religious symbolism, legends and superstitions. It starts with the dedication of any new house project to Pisnuka, the mythical master architect of Angkor Wat. Nowhere better than in the building of a wooden house do Buddhist precepts and rural traditions interact and enrich themselves.

What makes the ritualistic aspects of the building process particularly fascinating -- and a real challenge for researchers! -- is that, contrary to the long tradition of Indic architectural treatises, building symbolism in Cambodia remains transmitted mouth-to-ear down to generations of builders, who often don't see the point in expliciting them to the ones who are not in the know.

To the exhaustive documentation used by the authors, we shall just add the following complements:

Ien Sioen's Treatise on Modern Architecture, established in 1954 and later edited by Madeleine Giteau, gives us precious information on traditional wooden house techniques at the eve of Cambodian independence.

Botanist Pauline Dy-Phon has established a complete list of wood species used in Cambodian architecture, with their names in Khmer, in transliteration, in English and French, and in the scientific Latin classification.

The ceremony for the completion of a Cambodian traditional house, ការឡើងផ្ទះ (laeng pteah, literally "climbing to the house"), briefly mentioned pp.155-156, is a beautiful moment involving the neighbors, the local pagoda with the 'achar" and monks, the blessing of the pillows like in the wedding ceremony when a couple is involved, and a feast thrown within the recourses of the family.
https://angkordatabase.asia/books/cambo ... r-heritage

You might also like to read:

Treasures of Khmer Culture-The National Museum of Cambodia
Kent Davis April 19, 2010 Heritage Preservation

“Treasures of Khmer Culture-The National Museum of Cambodia” by Darryl Collins
(First published in 2005, this article reprint appears here with the author’s kind permission)

George Groslier designed the distinctive National Museum of Cambodia building as a tribute to traditional Khmer architecture. © National Museum of Cambodia
Link to article: https://www.devata.org/treasures-of-khm ... -cambodia/

About the author:
Darryl Collins

Darryl Collins first came to Cambodia in early 1994, to work with staff at the National Museum of Cambodia as one of a group of specialised museum staff and architects, who came to assist with a project funded by the Australian Government between 1993 and 1995. Darryl has remained in Cambodia ever since, lecturing at the Royal University of Fine Arts (Department of Archaeology) and as a co-member of a team of three in ARK Research (researching and publishing Building Cambodia: ‘New Khmer Architecture’: 1953-1970).

For five years he lectured at the Department of Archaeology, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh. In mid-2004 he completed a 1-year consultancy with the Department of Culture and Research, the APSARA Authority, Siem Reap and he spends his spare time writing and researching art, architectural and cultural topics.

In late 2004, Darryl returned once more to part-time work at the National Museum, Phnom Penh as manager for the Collection Inventory Project that will, over a period of some 5 years register works of art and transfer early French records of the museum onto a purpose-designed database.

In 2010, Darryl accepted a position on the Board of Directors of Heritage Watch International, an international organization based in Cambodia that is devoted to protecting and preserving Cambodian heritage and antiquities.

Darryl resides in Siem Reap in an antique home he restored while studying traditional Cambodian houses. To visit Darryl’s home and read more about his work please visit http://www.darryl-siemreap.com/

An Australian Who Worked to Restore Cambodian Culture Dies at 76
The passing of Darryl Collins is seen as “a great loss” for Cambodia.
By Luke Hunt
May 01, 2023

The Australian author Darryl Collins spent almost three decades documenting Cambodia’s cultural heritage and working to restore this country’s museums after the many years of war. He died at home in Siem Reap on Wednesday. He was 76.

His latest book “Cambodian Wooden Houses: 1,500 Years of Khmer Heritage” was described as “crucial” by Deputy Prime Minister Chea Sophara “especially [for] younger generations – to ensure they understand, and appreciate the need for preserving their heritage.”

Friends and those who worked with Collins said he would be sadly missed.

“Collins was widely admired for his work,” said long-time friend Helen Jarvis. Messages of sadness overwhelmed by appreciation of his contributions to Cambodia have continued to pour in since the news of his death several days ago.
Diplomat Brief

“Also widely applauded are his practical achievements in lovingly restoring and reviving old houses – from the popular Chinese House in Phnom Penh to the fine wooden examples that he moved from various places to his home in Siem Reap,” she added.
Full article: https://thediplomat.com/2023/05/an-aust ... ies-at-76/