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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism The evolution of Khmer shophouses

Phnom Penh’s urban landscape experienced significant Haussmannian principles of urban block design with
transformations during the French Protectorate, which began the traditional Chinese shophouse form. This reflected
in 1863. After the 1890s, Western architectural elements a continued fusion of colonial and local architectural
became increasingly prevalent (Filippi, 2012; Guérin, 2011). practices, a characteristic unique to Cambodia. Yam &
However, the traditional Chinese shophouse demonstrated Ju (2016) categorized this particular shophouse typology
remarkable adaptability, responding to French colonial under the designation of “apartment-type shophouse.”
strategies while retaining its distinctive mixed-use character.
The urban planning rhetoric of the period often emphasized 4. Post-colonial social-populist
modernization through European urbanism, drawing transformations and modernist shophouse
from Camillo Sitte’s (1843 – 1903) ideas on picturesque city models
layouts (Blancot & Hetreau-Pottier, 1997) and the garden
city movement, which was promoted in Indochina by the Cambodia’s post-colonial period brought significant changes
French Society of Urban Planners (Doyle, 2012; Kolnberger, to the urban form of Phnom Penh. Following the country’s
2015; Phillips, 1977). Yet, Phnom Penh’s development during independence in 1953, rapid population growth led to
this period followed a more complex trajectory than strict increased demand for both housing and commercial spaces.
planning schemes would suggest. For instance, the 1925 Early urban planning efforts in the post-colonial era were
plan proposed by Ernest Hébrard (1875 – 1933), head of heavily influenced by modernist architectural principles,
the Indochina Architecture and Town Planning Service, particularly those advanced by the Congres Internationaux
is unquestionably significant in consolidating a vision d’Architecture Moderne Movement, alongside Soviet-inspired
of Cambodia’s capital subdivided into ethnically defined functionalism. These ideas were introduced to Cambodia by a
neighborhoods and functionally zoned districts. Nevertheless, new generation of architects returning from Paris, supported
this plan was indebted not only to Tony Garnier’s (1869 – 1948) by foreign consultants primarily from Russia, Japan, and
pioneering discourses on industrial cities for Lyon but also France (Ross & Collins, 2012). The planning approach of
to the spontaneous local processes of spatial appropriation this period typically emphasized the separation of residential,
(Kolnberger, 2014). This influence remains evident even administrative, commercial, and industrial zones. Prominent
when disregarding the geomantic organization of the north- infrastructure projects reflected the social-populist ideals
south and east-west street network that structures the Chinese promoted by Prince Norodom (1922 – 2012) (Silva, 2021),
quarter adjacent to the Royal Palace. marking a distinct departure from the mixed-use approach
characteristic of colonial-era shophouses. This shift was
During the late 19 and early 20 centuries, the evident in the construction of large, isolated compounds
th
th
shophouse continued to evolve into a hybrid typology that for social housing, public buildings, administrative palaces,
incorporated both Sino-Khmer elements and French stadiums, and universities (Lemarchands, 1997).
colonial design features. New spatial configurations allowed
for greater density and more flexible uses of space. This Despite these rationalizing urban tendencies, the
hybrid model proliferated in key areas of Phnom Penh, traditional shophouse typology persisted and continued
particularly around the Old Market, contributing to the to evolve. In the Orussey Market neighborhood, planners
creation of vibrant urban districts where commerce and introduced a new variation of the shophouse (Figure 5),
domestic life coexisted as integral parts of the community drawing on the mixed-use logic previously experimented
fabric (Hirohata et al., 2007). In Cambodia, the term with in the vicinity of the New Market. The area continues to
“shophouse” is currently used to describe all mixed-use be predominantly populated by a Sino-Khmer community,
building blocks, particularly those in communities and its distinctive urban fabric has largely remained intact
predominantly inhabited by people of Chinese origin (Yam until the present day.
& Ju, 2016; Fujisawa & Kuzuhara, 2023). However, its
internal organization has undergone a notable evolution
over time, with clear associations with various mixed-use
typologies prevalent in southern China. These include the
Zonary Bungalow (寿金寮; Shoujinliao) and the Arcade-
House (骑楼; Qilou), as identified by Han & Beisi (2015).
In the 1930s, French town planners in Phnom Penh
expanded upon market-centered urban design principles,
developing the commercial district around the New
Central Market (Figure 4). The grid system facilitated Figure 4. Central market area, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
the construction of shophouses that merged French Source: Photo by the author (2023).

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.5410