The Olympic National Stadium (Phnom Penh IV)
The National Olympic Stadium is located now in the heart of Phnom Penh city, Cambodia. Its capacity is up to 70,000 people. It is one of the finest architectures left before the civil war and included in the architect tour in Phnom Penh.
The football field - center of the stadium facing the west part
The stadium complex spreads out across a 300,000 m2 parcel to the west of central Phnom Penh (drone footage here), formerly a racetrack. It was built in 1962 by a well-known Cambodian architect, Mr. Vann Molyvann (1926-2017), who led a team of international architects and engineers designed the Complex. The construction was anticipated hosting the 1963 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia. Despite its name, the stadium has never hosted an Olympic Game. The Games never came to fruition, overshadowed by Jakarta’s GANEFO Games of the same year. The grand opening full video of grand opening of Olympic from minute 03:57)
The National Sports Complex was completed a year later in 1964 with so much recognition from International publications for its standout architectural achievements.
A multi-purpose stadium
The stadium has unlimited functions until before Covid-19 as for hosting various sports itself, for trade fairs, exhibitions, mega live concerts, conferences and meetings. In everyday life, local use the stadium as work-out station.
Features of the stadium
According to Mr. Vann, the stadium presents an Angkorian study in the manipulation of water and earth. It has specific purposes such as preventing the direct sun heat, with open air and ventilation and all lights. It also has different functions.
- In the west of the arena “an indoor stadium is sheltered under 4 overhanging flat roofs, each supported and drained by a single column at their center. Giant scuppers at the base of each column feed a moat, which in turn cools the seating above. Holes punched beneath the stadium’s seats turn three of its walls into light screens, making for soft lighting and cross-ventilation. Interlocking aluminum panels screen the otherwise exposed corners”. Here is where highly ranked officers and guests are sat.
- At the center, a massive birm forms an outdoor arena with seating for up to 70 000 amidst a landscape of canals and barays formed by soil displaced in its construction. Here is for players
- On top of the eastern side of the arena, three overhanging concrete roofs echo the roofs of the Indoor Stadium across the arena and provide shade for the Swimming Complex erected on the birm’s eastern slope. Here is more for the fans/watchers
Facility in the stadium (A design can be found here)
- A swimming pool
- Tennis courts
- Indoor stadium
- Outdoor stadium
- Game courts
- Volleyball courts
- Water
- Toilets
The stadium this day
- The current government allowed private investors to build big and tall buildings around the stadium as land become very expensive in the center of the city
- The new stadium called Morodok Techo (Google Map) is built outside of town and I believe soon, this will be demolished. Sadly, it seems to me that old buildings are being demolished one after one - for politic and economic purposes.
A group of middle people was doing aerobic at eastern part
Me, joining the mega event - I can't recall what was it! I led a group of students to join the event.
Past articles about Phnom Penh
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