FROM THE “PARIS OF THE EAST” TO MODERN PHNOM PENH: COLONIAL LEGACIES IN CAMBODIAN URBAN PLANNING

Authors

Jin Ke, Southeast Asia Studies, Universitas IndonesiaFollow
Ade Solihat, Southeast Asia Studies, Universitas IndonesiaFollow

Abstract

Phnom Penh was once known as the “Paris of the East,” serving as a major urban center in Indochina during the French colonial period. Colonial authorities shaped the city through functional zoning, planned street networks, and European-style architecture, all of which reflected hierarchies of power embedded in urban space. Despite the extensive destruction caused by the Khmer Rouge regime and subsequent postwar reconstruction, traces of colonial urban planning and architectural heritage remain clearly visible in the contemporary development of Phnom Penh. This study adopts a literature-based approach combined with historical analysis, spatial analysis, and architectural case studies to examine how colonial legacies have been preserved, transformed, or disrupted in the process of modern urban development. The findings indicate that key road axes and several colonial-era buildings have been retained or adaptively reused, particularly for tourism and commercial purposes. At the same time, market-oriented modernization has contributed to displacement, land-use conversion, and the widening of social inequalities within the city. As a result, the image of Phnom Penh as the “Paris of the East” has gradually faded, while elements of colonial heritage are being reappropriated as cultural assets, instruments of city branding, and symbols of new social status. This study argues that colonial legacies should be reconsidered not merely as remnants of the past, but as active components in an ongoing dialogue shaping a more inclusive urban identity for the future.

Bahasa Abstract

Phnom Penh pernah dikenal sebagai "Paris dari Timur", menjadikannya pusat penting dalam wilayah Indochina selama masa kolonial Prancis. Pemerintah kolonial membentuk wajah kota melalui pembagian zona, jalur jalan yang terencana, serta gaya arsitektur bergaya Eropa yang mencerminkan hierarki kekuasaan dalam ruang kota. Setelah mengalami kehancuran akibat rezim Khmer Merah dan masa rekonstruksi pascaperang, jejak tata kota kolonial dan bangunan peninggalannya masih terlihat jelas dalam perkembangan kota Phnom Penh masa kini. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan studi pustaka yang dikombinasikan dengan analisis sejarah, tata ruang, dan studi kasus arsitektur untuk memahami bagaimana warisan kolonial itu bertahan, berubah, atau terputus dalam proses pembangunan kota modern. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa sumbu jalan dan beberapa bangunan era kolonial tetap dipertahankan atau dialihfungsikan untuk kepentingan pariwisata dan komersial. Namun, proses modernisasi yang berorientasi pasar turut mendorong penggusuran, alih fungsi lahan, dan memperlebar kesenjangan sosial dalam kota. Imaji “Paris dari Timur” perlahan memudar, sementara elemen warisan kolonial justru dimanfaatkan kembali sebagai aset budaya, citra kota, dan simbol status sosial baru. Penelitian ini menekankan pentingnya memaknai ulang warisan kolonial bukan sekadar sebagai peninggalan masa lalu, melainkan sebagai bagian dari dialog aktif dalam membentuk identitas kota yang lebih inklusif di masa depan.

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Recommended Citation

Ke, Jin and Solihat, Ade (2026) "FROM THE “PARIS OF THE EAST” TO MODERN PHNOM PENH: COLONIAL LEGACIES IN CAMBODIAN URBAN PLANNING," International Review of Humanities Studies: Vol. 11: No. 1, Article 17.
DOI: 10.7454/irhs.v11i1.1455
Available at: https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/irhs/vol11/iss1/17