The White Building - Phnom Penh, Kambodscha

The White Building of Phnom Penh: A story of fusion between a building and its people

"You don't only live there, it is part of your daily life, more like it actively takes part in your life", a resident of the White Building

Built in the 1970s following the design of Cambodia´s star architect Vann Molyvann, the White Building located on Sothearos Boulevard in downtown Phnom Penh has experienced ups and downs. Abandoned and unfinished during the Khmer Rouge period, it became a popular living place for various artists after the war and later on for Phnom Penh sex workers usually working in, or close to, the building. Now threatened from being evicted from their homes due to planned land development projects by the Cambodian government, the people of the White Building show no willingness to easily leave behind what has become more than their home.