Unlocking urban regeneration projects: A case study of Royal Railway Station in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Abstract

Drawing on theories that encourage compact urban patterns and propose walkable and transit-oriented developments, the article argues that the creation of calibrated pilot projects embedded in the neighborhood grain have the potential to stimulate cultural changes and promote practices that encourage the conceptualization of more sustainable and equitable cities in Southeast Asia. In this context, the article presents the case of the renovation of the old railway station terminal in Phnom Penh (the capital of Cambodia). The building is located in an area that forms a central node in the overall urban structure and could serve as a driving force for the activities of the emerging Central Business District, insisting on the western edge of the historic European quarter designed during the French Protectorate period in the early 20th century. Although small in scale, this initial regeneration and conversion of the building into a place capable of hosting more diverse activities can be seen as the first phase of a larger multimodal hub that, combined with a public park, would provide the city with the vital green infrastructure needed to support recent transformations, taking into account not only public interests but also the various private stakeholders.