Thomas Kolnberger
Between swampy
backwaters and „golden“
riverside(s):
the water frontiers of Phnom Penh, Cambodia in historical perspective
The waterfront The water frontier
Phnom Palace
Independence Monument
6 km
H y p o t h e s e s
Two land-water interfaces: the waterfront (riversides) & the waterfrontier (river hinterland)
The riverside of Phnom Penh is the pivotal strip in Cambodia‘s (modern) history Phnom Penh = `primitive port city´ (Hoyle)
original accumulation of political power:
People‘s Republic of
Cambodia 1979-89
original accumulation of capital:
State of Cambodia &
UNTAC
(UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia)1989 - 1991/92
NGO Area 1990s
NGO
Area
2000s
The `inner waterfrontier´: filling up swamps and lakes by `polderisation´
Before
World War I 1920s
1930s
The hinterland of the waterfront:
then & now
White building 1960s Grey building 1960s
showside of colonialism and independence then property-led development now
landfilling
1990s
recent developments: forced evictions for `golden riversides´
experimental ground
for
real estate
developers
Thomas Kolnberger
Thank you!
16th cent. 1866 1867 1914
1920 1926 1928 1968
The Phnom (hill) The waterfront The waterfrontier
Back up-slides
Kingdom of Cambodia (today) Surface: 181.035 km²
Inhab.: ~ 14,08 Mio. (2009)
Capital Phnom Penh Surface: 289 km²
Inhab.: ~ 2 Mio. (2006)
original accumulation of political power:
People‘s Republic of
Cambodia 1979-89
Overview
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
chronology
socioeconomic sociopolitical
context
Phnom Penh
NO-Monsun
SW-Monsun
Phnom Penh
Mek ong
Tonle Sap
Tonle Bassac
