In the past 2 decades, an old building in the city of Phnom Penh deteriorated and fell behind in terms of development. The White Building – also known as the Budin Building – is located in Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh. Most of the people in the city regard it as one of the oldest buildings there. It was constructed in the 1960s and still stands strongly in the middle of the city .
Everyone’s been keeping their eyes on it and asking what will happen to the old building.
According to Radio France International, the White building will be rebuilt with a total investment cost of $80 million. This is a project by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction in cooperation with the Japanese Arakawa company. This partnership comes after concerns that the dilapidated White Building may affect the health and the safety of the people living there. So, the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction decided to to rebuild it with the help of the Japanese company.
On Thursday, 27th of October, 2016, the master plan of the project was presented at the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, with the participation of the representatives of the White Building Community, the civil society, and other organizations that will be involved in the reconstruction.
In the meeting, His Excellency Chea Sophara – the Senior Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction – has expressed confidence that the project will change the lives of people living in the area.
The new White Building project will be 21-storeys high. 3 floors will be dedicated for parking and another floor will be dedicated for merchandise shops. The new building will also include 5 floors for accommodations. The 9th story up to the topmost level is dedicated for the Japanese investment.
If the residents agree with the proposal of the Ministry, the new White Building will be constructed over the course of the next 4 years.
The White Building is one of the oldest buildings in Phnom Penh. It was constructed in Sangkum Reastr Niyum and was considered as apartment hall. The building was designed by the Khmer architect Lu Ban Hap in collaboration with Russian architect Vladimir Bodiansky. The White Building was inaugurated in the year 1963.
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