Officials linked the building to Cambodia's economic success Cambodian officials have attended the official sales launch of the first-ever skyscraper in the capital, Phnom Penh.
The twin towers are to be 42 storeys high - almost three times higher than the current tallest building.
It is the first of three skyscrapers planned in the capital, where the skyline has been kept low - in part to avoid overshadowing royal palaces.
But the government has encouraged the new buildings as symbols of Cambodia's development after decades of conflict.
Although Gold Tower 42 is some way from completion, the launch of its show apartment and sales office attracted government ministers and overseas ambassadors.
The BBC's Guy De Launey, in Phnom Penh, said the launch gave a taste of the shape of things to come.
He said the solid, imposing, gold-faced structure would stand out from its neighbours on Norodom Boulevard - an area of yellow-washed, wooden-shuttered French colonial-era buildings.
But Phnom Penh is in the middle of a real-estate boom - and some residents hope that building up will bring the price of homes down.
"It's more affordable for people wanting to stay in town, and I think it's good. It's secure and they have all the facilities," one resident said.
But other locals worry about the effect tall buildings will have on the city's character
"The original Phnom Penh city [was developed to] be horizontal, not vertical," one resident said.
South Korean companies are building Gold Tower 42 and another even taller skyscraper near the Mekong River.
The twin towers are to be 42 storeys high - almost three times higher than the current tallest building.
It is the first of three skyscrapers planned in the capital, where the skyline has been kept low - in part to avoid overshadowing royal palaces.
But the government has encouraged the new buildings as symbols of Cambodia's development after decades of conflict.
Although Gold Tower 42 is some way from completion, the launch of its show apartment and sales office attracted government ministers and overseas ambassadors.
The BBC's Guy De Launey, in Phnom Penh, said the launch gave a taste of the shape of things to come.
He said the solid, imposing, gold-faced structure would stand out from its neighbours on Norodom Boulevard - an area of yellow-washed, wooden-shuttered French colonial-era buildings.
But Phnom Penh is in the middle of a real-estate boom - and some residents hope that building up will bring the price of homes down.
"It's more affordable for people wanting to stay in town, and I think it's good. It's secure and they have all the facilities," one resident said.
But other locals worry about the effect tall buildings will have on the city's character
"The original Phnom Penh city [was developed to] be horizontal, not vertical," one resident said.
South Korean companies are building Gold Tower 42 and another even taller skyscraper near the Mekong River.
15 comments:
Oh well! When Cambodia is running of out land and the only way to solve the shortage of land is to go up! Now Cambodia is selling land and tomorrow Cambodia will sell airspace!
Ah kwack may lie again! No such building going to build!
The buble going to blow!
The Cambodian airspace was already sold. No worry be sorrow.
This is good if the Company let CPP have the roof top for Sihanouk burial,so that way his dead bones will always be safe from public urination and above all else.
where the beaf?
Why would you want the roof top -- if you could have the whole Toul Krasang Compound.
Well, congratulations to Cambodia for having its first skyscraper (first for everything, I guess). I don't think it's going to overshadowing the royal palace. after all, Cambodia needs to move forward with the rest of the world, and the people of Cambodia can not go with a small interest in Phnom Penh, who wants to keep Phnom Penh and Cambodian people in the dark age. As much as Cambodians love their monarch, it's also time to modernize and move forward. Look at Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong and even prey nokor, they all have many skyscrapers in their cities. Cambodia should not be left behind. Glad to see more.
WE WANT TO SEE STABILITY IN THE COUNTRY FIRST BEFORE THESE SKYSCAPERS GO UP INTO THE CLOUD.
IF HUN SEN CREATED SOME FORM OF STABILITY, BELIEVE ME, THESE SKYSCAPERS WILL FILL UP WITH LOOTERS AND THIEVES
LET'S MAINTAIN YOUR NATIONAL SECURITY FIRST
OR MAYBE THE SKIRMISH WITH THAI ARMY IN PREAH VIHEAR IS IMMINENT. PERHAPS PEOPLE RISE UP AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT
OR THE US STOP THEIR IMPORTS FROM THE GARMENT FACTORIES, I SEE ECONOMIC CRISIS
WHAT IF NORTH KOREA LEAD DECIDED TO INITIATE THE ATTACK AGAINST THE DMZ, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE KOREAN TOURISTS
WHAT HAPPEN IF THE JAPENESE STOCK MARKET TAKES PERHAPS 60% PLUNGE, WHAT ABOUT AID TO CAMBODIA AND THEIR TOURISTS, THIS WILL CERTAINLY CREATE A ECONOMIC CHAOS AND PANIC THROUGHOUT CAMBODIA
We don't know for real. but I applaud development must go on. Cambodia is already lack behind the world. the phrase 'what if...' is a bad one to use. what if the sky is falling, what if we get run over by a car tomorrow, what if ... and so on; it doesn't have any solution to it. how much longer does cambodia afford to wait? I think Cambodia is lack of technology, not manpower and resources. so we need to be technological advance in our infrastructures, architectures and so on, so the people's standard of living can be raise as well. can't wait forever; that why I think is good to have different sectors, so one sector can keep moving forward, while another can slow down to think or what have you, but to suggest that the entire nation stop growing is very unlikely.
By the way, can anyone post that article I read online by the Bangkok Post and the Nation newspapers in thailand about the issue of Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple as Cambodia is also having our national interest in the preservation and development of the Preah Vihear area as well. Cambodia can not afford to continue to isolate our Preah Vihear Temple any longer. this is how we give the power to siem, who is every khmer opinion, should not have any saying on how Cambodia can or should develop or maintain our sacred Preah Vihear temple. yeah, it will be a huge issue for cambodia in regard to our ancient temple. don't forget to mention that cambodia also have our own national interest in regard to the Preah Vihear temple and surrounding areas.
I am agree with 2:52 Am and 5:20 AM, I am support this project 100% and I believe the new generation well agree it too.
Keep building upward and live our poor's Khmer land alone and why speading out anyway? So that you can waste more time traveling to work & from?
Barohet 520am,
Do stray too far there are lots of land mines out there and please also look nearby to see if Cambodia has enough food,medicine,shelter,healthcare for mass,and AK 47 for each and everyone alive soldier.
Preah Vihear and Khmers in highland are,no doubt,Khmers'.But where are we going from this little mind game done by Thai?
Ignore the bastards,and set up perimeter with keep out sign or violator will be shot on site...
by sharp shooter Hun Xen and his assistant Ong gia Sihanouk.
And what you say about the Koreas are true, then why are the Koreans are already building skyscrapers for the Vietnamese in prey nokor and hanoi. What you say about the koreans are true, just paranoia. I'm proud of the Koreans who aren't afraid to make huge investment in Cambodia. don't underestimate the koreans people; they see the cambodian market is similar to theirs in the beginning, when many investors were so pessimistic about their economic growth and vulnerability and so on. Just look now, the koreans are dubbed as one of the economic tigers in the region of Asia. So, they see Cambodia situation similar to theirs when they were just a fledgerling. So, please be optimistic about cambodia because only optimistic people have vision. So, please limit yourself and drag others to think like you. it's not working that way.
I am 7:44AM,I am Supporting you 3:57 AM.
I am looking to the future for my people and my Country for next generation.
I’m one of what you call the “new generation” or “young, upcoming generations” and I DISAGREE to building these things…for the meantime. The last thing I would want for Phnom Penh is to have it looking like any other Asian city, especially like Bangkok. These buildings are just going to pop out everywhere, unorganized, and uneven like a sore thumb. If they were smart about it, they should follow the model of Paris and have a section of the city with skyscrapers like “La Defense” of Paris…not Bangkok.
I fully agree with poster of Anonymous poster at 4:34 AM. Think of your people first. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be that materialistic to want a good image instead of focusing on other more important things. It’s like having a paycheck and using it to buy all the plasma screen TVs, DVDs, and iPOD imaginable without feeding your children first. Focus on yourself and then think of skyscrapers later. I have no problems with building the city up but you can’t forget the city has its own character. It was actually built horizontally for a purpose and that was because of TRADITION. Although I agree we should keep with traditions and to not make this a contradiction, we should follow the model of Paris to have skyscrapers in one section while making it all “modern” or whatever the hell materialistic people want to call it.
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