自由論題［投稿論文：研究論文］

Historic Cityscape Characteristics
in the City Center of Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
Viewed from the Perspective of Local Market andShophouse Distribution

マーケットとショップハウスの分布から考察する
プノンペンの中心市街地の歴史的都市景観の特性
Tadamori Fujisawa

Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University
Associate Professor, Graduate Program in Environmental Design, Institute of International
Culture, Showa Women’s University

藤澤 忠盛
慶應義塾大学大学院政策・メディア研究科後期博士課程
昭和女子大学環境デザイン学部環境デザイン学科同国際文化研究所准教授
Correspondence to: tadamori@swu.ac.jp

Toshihide Kuzuhara

Associate Professor, School of Design, Tokyo University of Technology

葛原 俊秀
東京工科大学デザイン学部准教授

Abstract:

Urban development in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, has been poorly
planned, causing problems such as the demolition of historic buildings, as well
as loss of tourism resources and urban character. In Phnom Penh, where not only
modernization but also urban sprawl is progressing, local markets and shophouses areimportant elements in terms of urban development and cityscape, as they have been
constructed throughout the urban transition process that began during the Frenchcolonial period. This study aims to clarify the current status of local markets andshophouses, their relationship to the development and growth of the city, and theirrole in the day-to-day lives of Phnom Penh’s people.

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Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
カンボジアの首都プノンペンの都市開発は計画性に乏しく、歴史的建造物の取り壊し、観光資源や都市の風土性の喪失という問題が生じている。都市の近代化、拡大化が進むプノンペンにおいて、フランス統治時代からの都市の変遷の中で、マーケットとショップハウスは都市の発展と景観という点で重要な要素であると言える。本研究においては、マーケットとショップハウスの現状と都市の発展と成長との関係性、そして、プノンペンの人々の生活の中におけるそれらの役割を明らかにする。

Keywords: urban planning, market, shophouse

都市計画、マーケット、ショップハウス

1

Introduction

1.1

Study BackgroundIn recent years, Cambodia has experienced remarkable economic growth.

Cambodiaʼs gross domestic product (GDP) has not been as high as that of othermember states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), such as
Indonesia and Thailand. However, Cambodiaʼs real economic growth rate was in theseven percent range for six consecutive years from 2011 to 2016, which ranked firstamong the ASEAN states in 2018, making their economy one of the fastest-growing
in Asia1). In addition, the number of international tourists visiting Cambodia wassteadily increasing until 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak. With tourist attractions
such as the Angkor Wat ruins, Cambodia had the highest percentage of GDP fromtourism among ASEAN states in 20192). At the same time, Cambodia has experienced
rapid population growth. Particularly in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, thepopulation has more than doubled in about 20 years, from 1,113,000 in 1998 and
1,510,000 in 2008 to 2,282,000 in 20193). Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) estimates that the number will reach approximately 2,868,000 by 2035.
As a result of the fast economic and population growth, Phnom Penh is now
undergoing rapid urbanization. In the urban center of Phnom Penh, large-scale
developments are being pushed forward, such as Phnom Penh City Centre, where
green spaces and parks are being constructed, with oﬃces, retail shops, hotels, and
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自由論題

residential areas in the surrounding area, as well as Diamond City, which has beendeveloped around the artificial island in the Bassac River. Large commercial
complexes, including AEON MALL, stand in a row and the expansion of a casino forforeigners is underway in Diamond City (Fujisawa and Shimizu, 2022).
Phnom Penh once became deserted, when the Khmer Rouge captured the capitaland forced the urban residents to move to the countryside in 1975, which led to urban
decay. After the 1980s, the population returned to the city, but without the financial
resources to build new houses, people had no choice but to make effective use of theexisting buildings. They, therefore, began to live in historic buildings, such ascolonial buildings from the French colonial period and modern buildings with anarchitectural style unique to the tropics constructed after 1950, as well as inshophouses constructed for both business and living purposes. Thus, these buildings
from the French colonial period and onwards, including the shophouses, have becomea distinctive feature of the current historic cityscape in Phnom Penhʼs city center(Fujisawa and Shimizu, 2021).
However, in recent years, many of these buildings have been demolished due todeterioration and evictions associated with redevelopment. Phnom Penhʼs urban
development has been poorly planned, causing problems such as the demolition ofhistoric buildings, as well as the loss of tourism resources and urban character. Largescale commercial complexes are being built and other developments are underway,
but the indigenous characteristics of the local markets are also valuable assets interms of tourism resources, because they have long supported the daily lives ofPhnom Penhʼs residents and have been creating a lively atmosphere for the city.
Cityscapes featuring local markets and shophouses are considered to be urban
elements that should be protected in Phnom Penh, where urbanization is rapidly
progressing from the following three viewpoints: 1) conservation of historic
environments, 2) preservation of tourism resources to differentiate Phnom Penh fromother cities, and 3) preservation of local communities, that is, places for daily living.

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Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

1.2

Study Objective
In Phnom Penh, where not only modernization but also urban sprawl is

progressing, the markets and shophouses are distinctive elements that characterize thecityscape of Phnom Penh. This study aims to clarify the current status of these two
urban elements, their relationship to the development and growth of the city,
including the period of French colonial rule, and their role in the day-to-day lives ofPhnom Penhʼs people.
In addition to the fact that Cambodia is an emerging country, there was a civil
war in which most of the experts and scholars were massacred, resulting in very poor
documentation being available about how the city was originally formed and its
plans. Furthermore, the number of people with relevant knowledge is in decline. In
this study, therefore, it is important to dig up as much information as possible about
Phnom Penh through interviews and other means, and the goal is to leave suchinformation as a record for future generations.
1.3 Study Methodology

Fig. 1: Five districts located in Phnom Penh’s city center
Note: The figure was prepared by the author.
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For the study area, the following five districts were selected: Doun Penh, Prampir
Makara, Chamkar Mon, Boeng Keng Kang, and Toul Kok (Fig. 1). This is because
these districts can be regarded as Phnom Penhʼs central urban area. A previous studyof shophouses (Wakita and Shiraishi, 2007; Shiraishi et al., 2020) covered only apart of the Doun Penh district4). However, the above-mentioned five districts are thecurrent urban center of Phnom Penh because they are the most densely populated
Khans (districts; the largest administrative unit in Phnom Penh). Furthermore, theurban formation centering on the five districts, as it is now, took place around 1970
based on the city block formation plan carried out during the French colonial period(Ministère de la Culture département des affaires internationales, 1997), and evenafter the civil war in the late 1970s, these districts remained as the foundation for
Phnom Penhʼs urban development. We, therefore, selected the five districts also fromthe perspective of historic transformation. There are no previous studies conducted
on local markets and shophouses covering such a large target area, thus we speculatethat targeting a vast area will lead to a better understanding of the urban character ofPhnom Penh today.
In Phnom Penh, we conducted field surveys on markets and shophouses in theabove-mentioned five districts in cooperation with the Ministry of Land Management,
Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC), Royal University of Phnom Penh,
Royal University of Fine Arts, Norton University of Cambodia, and the generalincorporated association Social Compass. Nine major markets were selected andinterviews were conducted with the heads of each market and an officer from the
MLMUPC to find out information about the year of construction, size, andcharacteristics. In the field survey, we investigated the current distribution of theshophouses in the five districts by taking photographs of the shophouse-like buildings
with the help of survey collaborators and then using the photographs to judge if thesebuildings could be categorized as shophouses. In addition, questionnaires werecarried out to investigate local peopleʼs attitudes toward markets and shophouses incooperation with the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

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Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

2

Urban transformation in Phnom Penh

Fig. 2: Map of the city block re-formation plan conducted in 1925
Source: Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC)

2.1

History of Phnom Penh
The history of Phnom Penh is said to date back to the 15th century. After Angkor

Thom fell when Ayutthaya invaded Angkor in 1431, King Ponhea Yat of the Khmer
Empire relocated his royal capital to Bassin (currently Konpong Cham Province) tosettle in a safer place. Later, the royal capital was established at the location of thecurrent capital where the Mekong River joins the Tonle Sap River and splits into theBassac and Mekong Rivers. In 1834, many parts of Cambodia were under threat fromneighboring countries, and warfare spread to Phnom Penh. In 1863, King Norodom
Sihanouk signed a ʻtreaty of friendship, commerce and French protectionʼ to preventthe invasion of neighboring Thailand, and in 1866 the royal capital was moved from
Oudong back to Phnom Penh, where the capital is today.
Through the 1880s, the population of Phnom Penh gradually increased, resulting
in a serious housing shortage. The major transformation in urban planning during thereign of King Norodom was the construction of shophouses in response to the
housing shortage and the subsequent emergence of clear districts. More than 100
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shophouses had already been built by 1872, followed by the construction of over 200
shophouses5).
In 1911, educational institutions such as College Sisowath, an orphanage, and auniversity of the protectorate were constructed, and, by 1914, the eastern part of thepresent-day Doun Penh district was almost completely formed. In 1923, the French
Indochina Urban Development Board was formed in Hanoi, and its first chairman,
the French architect Ernest Hébrard, undertook a large-scale re-formation of the city
blocks. Fig.2 is a map of the city block re-formation plan drawn up by Hébrard. His
plan implemented in 1925 indicates that he was trying to expand the urban area to thenorth and south by introducing radial roads centered on the newly planned Central
Market. The Central Market project meant that the Vietnamese quarter had to be
relocated to the west of the Khmer quarter, which was located in the south. Thus,
during this period, the urban area gradually expanded to the west and south.
After Norodom abdicated the throne in 1953 to form the Sangkum and become
Prime Minister, urban planning and development of Phnom Penh became a national
project and flourished while involving foreign and domestic architects, including
Vann Molyvann. Regarding modern architecture, some buildings constructed in thedevelopment projects led by Norodom still remain today. In connection with modern
movements, such as independence from the colonial ruler and modernization, they
are now highly recognized as modern buildings with a unique tropical architectural
style called New Khmer Architecture.
When Hébrard carried out the city block re-formation from the 1920s to the
1960s after independence, new shophouses were constructed in many parts of the city
for the following reasons: the deterioration of the first wave of shophouses
constructed in the early colonial period; population growth; and urban expansion. Of
these new shophouses, the ones constructed particularly from the 1950s to 1960s arereferred to as the second wave of shophouses.
Phnom Penh once became deserted when the Khmer Rouge captured the capitalin 1975. However, in 1979, Vietnamese troops invaded Phnom Penh, overthrowing
the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, and the urban population gradually returned to10Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

normal. But because of the Khmer Rougeʼs control of the city and the civil war, manyof the less durable buildings, such as wooden houses, had fallen into disrepair. On theother hand, concrete shophouses and villas constructed during the colonial period
remained in good condition, and people who returned to Phnom Penh began to residein the Doun Penh area, around Wat Phnom in particular.
2.2

The current cityscape in Phnom Penh
In the northern part of the Doun Penh district, where Wat Phnom is located,

many colonial buildings remain, and the Central Post Office, a typical colonialbuilding, is still in use. Many other colonial buildings around Wat Phnom have beenused for state facilities such as the National Archives and the National Library of
Cambodia. However, many of the buildings in the vicinity, such as the police stationand the bank, are becoming dilapidated and abandoned.
As a result of the field survey, 18 surviving colonial buildings, including the postoﬃce, and 10 New Khmer architecture buildings, including the Olympic Stadium,
were identified in the five districts covered by this study. As for shophouses, none ofthem from the first wave construction period seem to exist, but there is a large
number of shophouses from the second wave construction and those newly built
since then. We contacted the MLMUPC, but could not obtain information on theexact number of shophouses. However, given the large number and the history of thecityʼs transformation, shophouses can be regarded as one of the key elements ofPhnom Penhʼs historic cityscape besides the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, temples,colonial architecture and New Khmer architecture buildings.

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3

Survey of local markets in Phnom Penh

3.1

Literature review on local markets
Hirohata et al. (2007) focused only on the oldest local market in Phnom Penh

and conducted their study on the size of the market; distribution of stores; spatial
composition such as patterns of store units; and types of stores. No studies have been
conducted on markets serving as an urban element in Phnom Penh.
3.2

Interviews and field surveys of major local markets
Table 1: Year of establishment and number of stores in major markets
Note: This table was prepared by the author based on the interview results.
マーケット名称
Name of market

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

オールドマーケット
Old Market

セントラルマーケット
Central Market

ロシアンマーケット
Tuoltompoung Market
オルセーマーケット
Orussey Market

ドウムコーマーケット
Doeurm Kor Market
カプコーマーケット
Kabko Market

カンダールマーケット
Kandal Market

ボンケンコンマーケット
Boeng Keng Kang Market
トゥールコックマーケット
Tuolkock Market

屋根と台の
屋根だけ
創設年
店舗数
ある屋台
ある屋台
Year of
Number of stores Stalls with a roof Stalls only withestablishment
and a table(s)a roof1892 年

914

-

118

1937 年

3,280

-

-

1953 年

1,374

-

-

1960 年

6,211

-

-

1982 年

825--

1987 年

165

77

21

1989 年

874

582

-

1991 年

1,411

161

-

2002 年

456

328

116

For the nine major markets, we conducted interviews with the head of eachmarket to clarify the year of construction; the number of stores; and thecharacteristics. Table 1 summarizes the interview results. The locations of the markets
interviewed are shown in Fig 1 (1 to 9).

12Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Fig. 3 shows photographs of the inside of each market. Old Market in the Doun
Penh district (Fig. 3-1) is a market with the longest history of more than 130 years, as
its name suggests. Central Market (Fig. 3-2) and Orussey Market (Fig. 3-4) were
found to have an outstanding number of stores. Moreover, in addition to the normal
store style, two other store operating styles were identified: stalls with a roof and atable(s); and stalls only with a roof. Many markets offer a complete range of daily
necessities, and stores selling jewelry, beauty and nail salons are also common.

Fig.3: Inside major markets
Note: This figure was prepared by the author through fieldwork.
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Central Market is characterized by a cross-shaped building extending from thedome in the center. The market offers food, household goods, kitchenware, electricalappliances, clothes, jewelry, silverware, souvenirs such as wooden/stone carvings andBuddhist statues, baguettes, and everything else essential for daily life, with gold andjewelry stores, money exchange booths, food stalls, Chinese businesses, andrestaurants on the outside of the building. A wide range of visitors, from locals totourists, are making use of this market.
Orussey Market is a huge market located in a three-story building and has thelargest number of stores and goods in Phnom Penh, with the first floor sellinghousehold goods, electronic goods, CDs, DVDs, crockery, bedding, craft products,
games, calculators, watches, radios, toys and food, and the second and third ﬂoors
selling clothing, sundries and accessories. This market may not be suitable for tourists
and has been used mainly by local people and commercial buyers.
Russian Market (Fig. 3-3) is a medium-sized, single-story market, and like theother markets, it offers a full range of daily necessities, but there are many stores
selling clothing, motorbike parts, tools, do-it-yourself (DIY) products and souvenirs
in particular. The market is popular among tourists as well as locals including
foreigners who live in the city. The stores are crowded with housewives and people
on their way home from work, but the price range is a little higher than the goods inother markets because many tourists and foreigners shop at this market.
In addition, Kandal Market located on Riverside has many beauty-related stores,
including hair, nail, facial and eyebrow salons, while Boeng Keng Kang Market has
many foods and daily necessity stores. Boeng Keng Kang Market, in particular, has
the best second-hand clothing stores, as well as a wide range of hair salons andcosmetic stores, and it is crowded with young Cambodians because of its location.
Each market in Phnom Penh has a certain tendency of visitors among locals, young
people, foreigners living in the city, tourists and traders, but all markets offer a wide
range of goods, including food, crafts, beauty products, souvenirs and more.

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Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

3.3

Questionnaire survey on people’s attitudes toward local markets
To find out about peopleʼs attitudes toward local markets, a questionnaire survey

was conducted in cooperation with the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
There were 100 respondents. The ratio of male to female survey respondents
was 1:1, with 85% of the respondents aged between 21 to 29 years being the mostcommon (the average age of Cambodian citizens was 23.9 years). Answers were on a
five-point scale: agree, somewhat agree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat
disagree and disagree. We requested the cooperation of Ms. Loch Leaksmy, Head of
the Japanese Language Department at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, andconducted the questionnaire survey targeting students and faculty members of theRoyal University of Phnom Penh. Explanations of the method, purpose, andimportance of the survey were given to the subjects in advance. Students, faculty
members, and staff of the Royal University of Phnom Penh are basically residents ofPhnom Penh. The questionnaire was conducted using Google Forms to ensure
anonymity and certainty of aggregation, although those who did not have access to acomputer or cell phone were unable to respond.
Fig. 4 shows the questionnaire results. In addition, we conducted interviews with
our survey collaborators, such as professors at the Royal University of Phnom Penh,and found that their attitudes were similar to the results obtained from thequestionnaire.
We found that the markets have been very common and essential to the daily
lives of people in Phnom Penh and many of them have thought that the markets are a
distinctive feature of the city.
3.4

Travelers’ interest survey on local markets
A questionnaire survey was conducted targeting individuals arriving at thearrival lobby of Phnom Penh International Airport in 2018. There were 100
respondents, and the questionnaire was partly descriptive. After obtaining permission
from the officials of Phnom Penh International Airport, the first author and three
students of the Japanese language department of the Royal University of Phnom
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自由論題

Penh conducted the survey.
Fig.5 shows the questionnaire results. The results revealed a high level ofinterest in markets among tourists.
Furthermore, the ASEAN Travel Awareness Survey conducted by the ASEANJapan Centre (2021) reported that the satisfying factors among individuals who havevisited Cambodia were ʻscenery/atmosphereʼ (41.4%) and ʻinteraction/contact withlocalsʼ (17.1%), implying that tourists are potentially interested in visiting markets forthe reason of interacting with locals and getting in touch with the local atmosphere.

Fig.4: Questionnaire results from the survey on people’s attitudes toward local markets
Note: This figure was prepared by the author based on the questionnaire results.

Fig.5: Questionnaire results from the survey on travelers to Phnom Penh
Note: This figure was prepared by the author based on the questionnaire survey.

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Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

3.5

Urban transformation and local markets

Fig. 6: Urban transformation and markets
Note: The author used the reference material “Phnom Penh développement urbain etpatrimoine” (Ministère de la Culture département des affaires internationals, 1997)
and indicated locations of markets by year.

With the consent of the Cambodian authorities, the French Ministry of Culture
conducted a study on Phnom Penhʼs architectural heritage and urban areas andrevealed Phnom Penhʼs urban transformation from 1890 onwards. By comparing
their study results with the construction year of each market, we found that Phnom
Penh has been developed and expanded in line with the marketsʼ establishment. Fig.
6 shows the cityʼs transformation and the markets 6).
After the construction of Old Market in 1892 (1 in Fig. 6), city block formation
took place in the northern part of the Doun Penh district centering on Old Market
during the years 1910 to 1922. After the construction of Central Market in 1937 (2 inFig. 6), the urban area developed and expanded radially centering on Central Market,
which can be seen on the maps after 1943 in Fig 6. Also, after the construction of
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自由論題

Russian Market in 1953 (3 in Fig. 6) and Orussey Market in 1960 (4 in Fig. 6), city
blocks were formed in the Chamkar Mon and Prampir Makara districts located in thesouthern and central areas of Phnom Penhʼs city center, respectively.
On the other hand, not many changes in the city block formation can be seen on
the maps between 1968 and 1994. According to interviews with professors at theRoyal University of Phnom Penh and with other research collaborators, we foundthat many areas became uninhabited and that the land was cleared due to a civil warthat occurred during this period.
In addition, we conducted interviews with Ms. Loch Leaksmy, head of theJapanese language department at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, as well aswith the heads of major markets selected for this study, except for the Toul Kok
Market. Furthermore, we conducted an interview with an oﬃcer from the MLMUPC.
In Cambodia, because the population census started in 1998 (the second one in 2008
and the third one in 2018), the detailed population status after 1982, when Doeurm
Kor Market opened, was unknown, but according to the MLMUPC, the population
was certainly smaller than that of today. As a result of our interview with the head ofeach market, we found that the decision on where to open a market has been madethrough discussions with the local government. However, in Cambodia, people
generally give top priority to living where there is a market and a temple (because
schools are situated in temples). In other words, markets are constructed, and as aresult of this, residents gather there for convenience. The markets constructed after
Doeurm Kor Market (5 in Fig. 6) in 1982 and Kaboko Market (6 in Fig. 6) in 1987
were, therefore, assumed to be deeply linked to the reconstruction and revival fromthe situation where many areas in the city became uninhabited and the land wascleared as mentioned above. This study revealed that the construction of markets led
to urbanization and city block formation in Phnom Penh, and urban growth took
place alongside the markets.
3.6

Discussion on the market survey results
Local markets were found to be still important in the daily lives of people in18

Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh even today and also highly attractive and appealing as cultural andtourism resources. Furthermore, the existence of markets has been an integral part of
the urban development process since 1890, when the city blocks, which serve as thefoundation of todayʼs Phnom Penh, began to be formed.

4

Survey of shophouses in Phnom Penh

4.1

Literature review and definitions of shophouses
The authors of previous studies about shophouses in Southeast Asia include thefollowing: Ando (1987) who identified the actual state of shophouse development in
Bangkok, Thailand, and discussed the significance of shophouses in the city centerand suburbs; Chong et al. (1998) who clarified the characteristics of shophouses in
Malaysia in terms of the legal system of urban planning and methods of development;
Wakita and Shiraishi (2007), who clarified the space organization of shophouses andthe city block formation in the Doun Penh district, the oldest developed area in
Phnom Penh; and Shiraishi et al. (2020) who clarified habitation characteristics ofcity blocks consisting of shophouses by examining the actual conditions of the living
space and household diversity, with a focus on patterns of inhabitantsʼ living inPhnom Penh.
Ando defined shophouses as a group of dwellings comprised of a ground ﬂoor
used for business and upper ﬂoors used as a residence, and units as having a narrowrectangular-shaped ﬂoor plan and being connected to other units. Chong et al. defined
shophouses as mid- to low-rise mixed-use buildings for both business and residence
that are ubiquitous in Southeast Asia, and they are an example of urban architecturethat supports working and living. Wakita and Shiraishi also defined shophouses asurban-type dwellings that integrate work and residence, where the ground floor isused as a shop and the second and higher floors as a residence, and they are
constructed in a narrow rectangular shape, sharing walls with the unit next door.
This study defines shophouses as mixed-use buildings with shops on the groundfloor and residential spaces on the second floor and above, which is a common
interpretation in previous studies.
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4.2

Distribution of shophouses
Our field survey was conducted to determine how densely and whereshophouses are distributed in the five targeted districts in central Phnom Penh. Fig 7
was created to show the distribution of shophouses. We highlighted areas on thestreets where >70%, 50-70%, and 20-50% of the total number of buildings wereshophouses in dark gray, gray, and light gray, respectively.

Fig.7: Distribution of shophouses in Phnom Penh’s city center
Note: This figure was prepared by the author.

In Phnom Penh, which is undergoing rapid urban development andmodernization, such as the Diamond City project, we found that many shophouses
still remain and that they are densely centered around the markets. There are 13
clusters of shophouses identified around the markets (marked by the dotted circles inFig. 7), and thus the distribution of shophouses is closely linked and unified with themarkets in Phnom Penhʼs city center. In particular, the areas around Old Market andCentral Market in the Doun Penh district as well as Orussey Market in the Plampi
Makara district can be described as shophouse-dense areas (Fig. 8). On the other
hand, contrary to the expectations of the residents we interviewed, many of the20Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

shophouses along main streets such as Monivong and Nordom streets have alreadydisappeared due to urban development.
Our interview survey also revealed that when large shopping centers, a modern
version of the local markets such as AEON MALL, were constructed, newshophouses were subsequently built to operate small businesses in the vicinity,
confirming the close relationship between markets and shophouses in Phnom Penh.

Fig. 8: Clusters of shophouses around major markets
Note: This figure was prepared by the author through fieldwork.
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4.3

Questionnaire survey on people’s attitudes toward shophouses
Our attitude survey on shophouses through a questionnaire was conducted incooperation with the Royal University of Phnom Penh 7). Fig. 9 shows thequestionnaire results. The results indicate that people in Phnom Penh have thoughtthat shophouses are an essential part of daily life, even though they are not as
essential as markets, and that they have been one of the distinctive features(cityscape) of Phnom Penh.

Fig.9: Questionnaire results from the survey on people’s attitude toward shophouses
Note: This figure was prepared by the author based on the questionnaire survey.

4.4

Discussion on shophouse survey results
Shophouses have existed since before the 1890s and have firmly taken root as

part of cityscapes as well as the livelihood/culture of people in Phnom Penh. They
remain well preserved today, and many of them are located around the markets,
forming 13 shophouse clusters. Shophouses can be regarded as an important urban
element in Phnom Penhʼs urban transformation, and they are a very familiar sight for
Phnom Penhʼs residents.

5

Conclusion
The results of this study clarified the relationship between two elements thathave been characteristics of Phnom Penh: the markets, which have played an
important role in the urban development and expansion since the 1890s; and theshophouses, which have long been a part of Phnom Penhʼs cityscape. The clusters of22

Historic Cityscape Characteristics in the City Center of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

shophouses exist with the markets at their center. The results of this study also
revealed that the markets surrounded by the clusters of shophouses have been an
important urban function for the people of Phnom Penh, supporting their daily lives
and being part of the local community, as well as being an attractive urban element
for visitors to Phnom Penh.
They are in danger of being lost because the government and municipality havenot taken appropriate measures to preserve them in a rapidly developing city, and it isclear that urban development will be increasingly promoted in Phnom Penh in the
future. Therefore, from the perspectives of culture (lifestyle), tourism, and history,
the preservation/protection of the clusters of shophouses with the markets in thecenter is likely to become an important urban issue.
Acknowledgement
This research utilizes Keio Universityʼs “Mori Fund” and Showa Womenʼs Universityʼs“Research Grant” and “Project Budget”.

Endnotes
1)

2)
3)
4)

5)
6)

In 2018, Cambodiaʼs real GDP growth rate of 7.47% ranked first among ASEAN countries.
Second place went to Vietnam with 7.20%; in 2019, first place went to Vietnam with 7.15%
and second place went to Cambodia with 7.05% (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan,
Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, Regional Policy Division, 2021) .
Cambodiaʼs tourism industry accounted for 26.4% of the total GDP in 2019 (The Japan
Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Singapore, 2021).
City Population (https://www.citypopulation.de/)In the Doun Penh district, four- or six-story shophouses are common. Few shophouses
from the French colonial period can be found, while those constructed in the mid-1950s to
1960s, shortly after independence, and those constructed after the 1990s onwards are stillin existence. Compared to typical shophouses in other countries in South-East Asia, these
are characterized by not having balconies or courtyards, and most of the façades have amodern architectural design with no decorations (Wakita and Shiraishi, 2007; Shiraishi etal., 2020).
Large-scale construction of shophouses in Phnom Penh can be divided into two main
periods, and the construction from this period is regarded as the first wave, whileconstruction that occurred in the 1950s and 1960s is regarded as the second wave.
Ministère de la Culture département des affaires internationales (1997) shows that theDoun Penh district was completely formed between 1910 and 1937, followed by the

KEIO SFC JOURNAL Vol.23 No.1 2023

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自由論題

7)

expansion of Phnom Penhʼs urban area to the south, and then to the west after 1958.
This survey was conducted at the same time as the Questionnaire survey on peopleʼs
attitudes toward local markets (3.3), with the same number of respondents and with thesame method.

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