A High-density and Urbanised Phnom Penh

• 15 May 2019
• Local News
• 6384 Views

Many new office, residential and mixed-used developments are being built in Phnom Penh and one thing is guaranteed with all this development – a higher density urban centre for the city.

For the city planners in Phnom Penh, attention needs to be given to the quality of infrastructure, and plans need to be made and implemented to ensure that there is a balance between the ever-increasing density of the built environment – from the increasing number of high-rise buildings in the city, the higher density of population living in Phnom Penh – and the impact that it will have on the quality of life for the public. This would include things like green spaces, safe and convenient pedestrian walkways, and regulations to ensure that Phnom Penh has the quality of life aspects that other cities in the region have created. Poor air quality, heat gain due to concrete and pavement surface areas, and pedestrian safety on the sidewalks are all part of quality of life issues that we experience every day in Phnom Penh and need to be solved most urgently. For example, cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore, both have adequate walkways to provide a convenient and safe way for people to walk. More importantly, these walkways can reduce the dependency on vehicles.

As Phnom Penh becomes denser, traffic congestion will undoubtedly grow. Increasing regulations on both new and existing vehicle emissions can vastly improve the air quality of the city. Furthermore, building mass transit systems is necessary to encourage people to walk more as they can take the trains and continue their journeys on foot. The public development initiatives of building mass transit systems can lead to convenient and safe ways for people to move around without danger from vehicular traffic and reduce pollution, while people can use trains to get to their destination areas.

Another big part of creating a Phnom Penh with a high quality of life is ensuring that enough green space is planned, to support the number of people living in the city. Green space is needed for people to relax and exercise, which is crucial for the health and well-being of a city. Phnom Penh is rated as one of the lowest green areas per capita in the ASEAN region. However, green space is perhaps the most difficult to provide in any city, as it means using land for a non-revenue generating purpose and at the same time, requires lots of maintenance. Through proper planning, green space land must be allocated where available. Turning vacant space or factories for example, into public parks would greatly increase the per capita of green space of Phnom Penh. Afterall, the authorities have to create healthy sites to ensure that they can attract and retain the best talent needed in Phnom Penh, in order to drive the economy forward.

• Analysis
• Urbanization and Architect