Housing and Built Infrastructure

In Cambodia, a mean number of 5.1 people live in each household. In rural areas, housing construction can range from wood with cement stilts to bamboo and palm leaves depending on the family’s income.

In the unique hydrological system of the Tonle Sap region, communities have adopted different solutions to living on and around the water. Many villages remain close to the shore, moving several kilometres seasonally as the Tonle Sap expands and contracts.

Typically, there are three categories of buildings: stilted, portable land based and floating.

Stilted buildings are permanent and are typically raised up to five metres from the ground. During the wet season, the stilted buildings are surrounded by water and during the dry season, they become land based.

Portable land based buildings are typically raised on stilts one foot above the ground and are carried across the land as the lake water level rises and falls.

Floating buildings and boats are permanently on the water and move seasonally with the height of the lake. Buoyancy devices typically used for floating buildings consist of bamboo sticks, empty steel drums or plastic barrels.

Surprising arrays of buildings are present in floating villages including stores, repair shops, schools, churches and even gas stations. However, the construction quality varies widely and many of the poorer households live in small houses vulnerable to the frequent storms.

Climate change and its associated increase in violent storms is a articular concern in the near future. Also, as glaciers melt in the Himalayas, water levels in the Mekong River, and consequently in the Tonle Sap, could rise.