SUMMARY:
Cambodia’s “old airport” refers to the former Phnom Penh International Airport, known historically as Pochentong Airport, which served as the capital’s main gateway for nearly 70 years before closing on September 8, 2025, replaced by the new Techo International Airport. Built in the 1950s, it witnessed Cambodia’s entire modern history, from Royal era to war, genocide, and reconstruction, and now the site, near the city center, will be repurposed by the government, possibly as a park or public facility, after serving as a vital link and symbol of Cambodia’s growth.
THE COMPETITION:
800 Candidates (all Cambodians)
250 Teams
45 Qualified Teams and First Selection: Top 45
Second Selection: Top 10 (December 23, 2025)
Finalists: (…………)
QML ARCHITECT:
Tith Satchavong
Roat Viksal
Leang Chanthy
Lim Vansoliza
[អបអរសាទរបេក្ខភាពទាំង១០ក្រុមរបស់ការប្រកួតប្រជែងស្នាដៃស្ថាបត្យកម្ម
«ពោធិ៍ចិនតុងកើតឡើងវិញ ការបម្លែងអាកាសយានដ្ឋានភ្នំពេញចាស់ឱ្យក្លាយជាទីក្រុងអេប៉ុង »]
តាមរយៈការវាយតម្លៃទៅលើគម្រោងរបស់បេក្ខភាពទាំង៤៦ក្រុមដែលបានធ្វើបទបង្ហាញកាលពីថ្ងៃសៅរ៍សប្តាហ៍មុន គណៈកម្មការបានសម្រេចជ្រើសរើសបេក្ខភាព១០ក្រុម ដោយផ្អែកទៅលើខ្លឹមសារនៃការធ្វើបទបង្ហាញ គំនិតច្នៃប្រឌិត និងសក្តានុពលនៃគម្រោងដើម្បីបន្តទៅកាន់វគ្គបន្ទាប់នៃកម្មវិធីប្រកួត។ ចំពោះបេក្ខភាពដទៃទៀតដែលពុំបានបន្តកម្មវិធីក៏សូមចូលរួមសោកស្តាយ និងថ្លែងអំណរគុណចំពោះការខិតខំប្រឹងប្រែង និងការយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ក្នុងការបំពេញការងារ ដោយសារតែចំនួនបេក្ខភាពដែលត្រូវជ្រើសរើសមានកំណត់ ជាហេតុធ្វើឲ្យគណៈកម្មការអាចជ្រើសរើសបានត្រឹមតែ១០ក្រុមប៉ុណ្ណោះដើម្បីបន្ត។
សម្រាប់ព័ត៌មានលម្អិត៖ https://t.me/architectsassociationkhmer
“Pochentong Reborn: Hardscape-to-Landscape Cambodia’s
Transformation of a Historic Landmark through Green Infrastructure Engineering”
“Pochentong Reborn: Hardscape-to-Landscape Transformation through Green Infrastructure Engineering”, an initiative to transform the former Pochentong International Airport into a Sponge City garden. This proposal applies the core principles of water-sensitive urban design (WSUD), colloquially called “Sponge City” modeling by allowing the landscape to naturally absorb, store, filter, and release rainwater. The former airfield will become permeable promenades with green corridors, where rainwater infiltrates through bioswales, rain gardens, and porous pavements. A large portion of airfield zones will be reshaped into wetlands, retention lakes, and restored floodplains that mitigate stormwater while supporting biodiversity and wildlife. The proposal will also enhance urban biodiversity and improve several other environmental and social problems, such as reducing pollution levels and creating recreational spaces and encouraging exchange between people.
Our three systems guide the masterplan: “The Green Loop” traces the perimeter of the old airport, stitching together new forests, meadows, and recreational paths. “The Blue Spine” expands the existing central runway’s water management system into a linear water corridor with seasonal ponds and public plazas that safely channel or store flood waters during heavy rain. “The Sponge Nodes” are designed to absorb, store, filter and slowly release rainwater by integrating with permeable promenade, community wetlands, cultural pavilions, urban farms, and educational landscapes that demonstrate water cycles in action.
The reinvention of the Pochentong Airport is more than the development of an advanced hydrological system that supports the local environment and urban/rural communities; it is a people-centered urban design concept that will set the standard for future development projects. The Shaded green spaces concept will reduce the urban heat island, while opening up public spaces, play areas, sports fields, and cultural gardens for year-round public use. We believe that our project offers a pioneering model that caters to the needs of sustainable future urban development with the importance of climate resilience, preserving biodiversity and Cambodia’s sacred heritage. Cambodia can set the standard for sustainable urban development by transforming a historic landmark within water-sensitive urban design that supports not only the capital and local community but the environment and the country’s heritage for future generations.
The Queen Mother’s Library Architect: QML ARCHITECT (December 8, 2025)