A Study on Recovery of Urban Landscape Identity and New Khmer Architecture Abandoned Since 1970s

초록

Recovering urban landscape identity and Khmer Modern Architecture leads to reconstruct urban identity of abandoned Cambodia due to repeated civil wars and socio-political instability. This paper focuses on how to recovery urban landscape while at the same time, maintaining the original identity in association with conservation of Khmer Modern Architecture in Bodenh and Bassac district in Phnom Penh city. In Bodenh and Bassac district, located in the land periodically penetrated through the history, White Building, Grey Building, and National Theatre are the evidences for Khmer Modern Architecture and to be a core study to this paper. The purposes of the study are, firstly displaying and analyzing the history and current conditions of these buildings and Phnom Penh city, secondly contributing recovery and conservation strategies applied by several cities in Asia and Europe, and thirdly distributing applied concepts for rebuilding urban landscape identity in Bodenh and Bassac district. Then the paper emphasizes on the value of conservation Khmer Modern Architecture in the period of new Phnom Penh civilization by addressing the disaster of losing its identity and historical note. This paper will be one significant key to provide a crucial pathway not only for urban landscape identity recovery and reconstruction in that site but also for the whole country especially in this developing period of Phnom Penh city in the 21st century. Keywords: Recovery, Urban Landscape, New Khmer Architecture, Identity, New Phnom Penh