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Project Summary
Genocide is no stranger to the world’s history. The
Genocide of Cambodian people by the Khmer Rouge
regime from 1975-1979 claimed the lives of approxi-
mately 1.7 to 2.4 million people, about thirty percent of
the entire Cambodian population at that time. This stag-
gering number makes the genocide in Cambodia one
of the most devastating genocides hint recent history.
Reflecting back on the tragedy, many people were
left confused, hurt and in disbelief that something so
gruesome can happen. Some survivors want the world
to know about these tragedies against humanity and
spend the rest of their lives searching for the answers
to why and how the genocide went without notice or
response. Others choose to stay silent, afraid of even
the thought of reliving the nightmares.
After years of research and discovery, the Docu-
mentation Center of Cambodia (DCCAM) seeks to
provide a permanent place for collective and personal
healing as well as a place to teach future generations
so that a tragedy of this magnitude and importance will
never happen again.1
The Sleuk Rith Institute will be
designed as a place for teaching, research and healing
and will consist of a research library, performance
theater and genocide memorial as a vessel for healing.
The institute then represents a permanent stand
against genocide in Cambodia and around the world.
This project investigates how architecture
can become the container for healing and bring a sort
of resolution to such tragedies as the Cambodian
genocide? This event is one that is hard to compre-
hend. It’s so difficult in fact; many Cambodians do not
believe it happened. How can something so tragic go
without notice until it was too late? But then again,
what happened is in the past and the only thing left
to do is deal with the aftermath of it all. This leads
the focus onto the survivors and the broader scope of
genocide where healing and memory become the most
important things to strive for.
Year Zero and Four Year Plan
April 17, 1975 came to be known as year zero.
On this day, Pol Pot wanted to start a new nation
under the Four Year Plan in which Cambodians were
to triple the country’s agricultural production. 2
To meet
these impossible demands the Khmer Rouge forced
ARCHITECTURE AND GENOCIDE
A Vessel of Healing and Memory in the Aftermath of the Cambodian Genocide
Sopheak Pho
“To those who died, we remember; to those who survived, we
hear you; to future generations, let us never forget. For the survivor
who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the
dead and for the living. He has no right to deprive future generations
of a past that belongs to our collective memory.To forget would be
not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to
killing them a second time.”
ElieWiesel, Night
1
“Documentation Center of Cambodia - Home.” Documentation Center of Cambodia - Home. Web. Spring 2012. <http://www.
dccam.org/>.
2
Smith, Icy. Manhattan Beach: East West Discovery, 2010. Print.

2. 2 | Pho
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
1960
1960
1954: April 26 – July 2
Geneva Conference:
withdraw from Cambo
nam and Laos.
1954
The Khmer Rogue, a c
munist guerrilla grou
formed secretly.
1960 - S
father d
hanouk
head of
1940 195019301920
1925: May 19
Pol Pot is born
as Saloth Sar.
1950
Cambodian communists
join forces with Vietnam-
ese against French colo-
nialism.
1926: Apr 13
Nuon Chea is
born as Lau
Ben Kon
1924: Oct 24
Leng Sary is
born
1931: Jul 27
Khieu Samphan
is born
Cambodian
- mobilizatio
scale politica
- through th
revolutionari
could be form
agrarian so
- rural society
dependent f
paid worker
- farming as a
the ideal soci
- People own
production a
ment of the e
- Self sufficien
dependent in
social policie
49-78,000,000
23,000,000
12,000,000
8,000,000
2,400,000
800,000
1,200,000
5,000,000
19201200
12 Century AD
Angkor Wat is built by King Suryavarman II in early
12th century as the state temple and capital city.
everyone from the city to the country side. For four
years after the hostile takeover, the entire country was
isolated from the rest of the world only left to work
on rice fields, dig ditches, build riverbanks and plow
fields. Everyone worked from dawn to midnight with
little or no food. Because of the harsh work condi-
tions and the lack of food many of the Cambodians
died to starvation, fatigue, and brutal beatings. Due to
the mass deaths and killings, the bodies were taken to
mass graves in the country side later to be named the
“killing fields.”
As part of Pol Pot’s master plan, nearly Cambo-
dia’s entire infrastructure was destroyed including
schools, banks, post offices, religious structures,
and other institutions to make way for prisons. One
significant building to note is the secret Tuol Sleng High
School which was turned into the S-21 prison camp,
where people were detained before being taken to the
“killing field” of Choeung Ek where over 20,000 people
were executed. The scale of the killings were alarming
and by genocide end killing fields were scattered all
across Cambodia’s landscape and to this day new
killing fields are still being discovered.
Circumstances of Genocide
As a result of the genocide, many families were
dismantled, pieces of the culture, the arts, music, and
artifacts were destroyed, and survivors were scattered
throughout the world. My family did not escape this sad
Cambodian Historical Timeline: The events that lead to genocide and consequences after

3. Pho | 3
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
4 Years for Reign of Khmer Rouge
25% Entire Population Killed
80 Memorials Created
189 Prisons Discovered
380 Killing Fields
14,000 Killed in S-21 Prison
19,471 Mass grave sites found
425,000 Chinese civilians killed
2,400,000 Killed between 1975-1979
CAMBODIAN1980 1990
20
: French
odia, Viet-
com-
up is
1970 - Sihanouk is deposed in a coup
while abroad by prime minister Lon Nol
and followers. Sihanouk exiled to China.
Sihanouk’s
dies and Si-
k becomes
f state.
1969 - United States begin secret bombing
campaign against North Vietnamese forces
on Cambodian soil. Khmer Rouge uses
bombing as propaganda to gain supporters.
1975- Khmer Rouge forces led by Pol Pot de-
feats Lon Nol army and take control of Phnom
Penh on April 17, 1975. Cities were immedi-
ately evacuted, and the country is cut offfrom
outside world. Surrendered Lon Nol army
killed, and brutal killings of Buddhist monks,
ethnic minorities and educated class.
1979 - Vietnamese troops in-
vaded and overthrew Pol Pot
regime. Heng Samrin is President
and Hun Sen becomes Foreign
Minister. Genocide endsGENOCIDE
2000 20101970
1994 - Thousands of
Khmer Rouge guerrillas
surrender in government
amnesty.
1998 - Pol Pot dies in
his jungle hideout.
2005 - Tribu-
nal to try sur-
viving Khmer
Rouge leaders
gets approval
from U.N.
2010 - In Tribunal’s
first case, Kaing Gek
Eav (Duc) sen-
tenced to 35 years
2011 - Nuon
Chea, Leng Sary,
Khieu Samphan
tried for crimes
against human-
ity
n Maoism
on of the masses in large-
al movements
he actions of "dedicated
ies" a new social reality
med
ocialism:
y as superior to urban - in-
farmer as superior to the
a way of life that can shape
ial values.
n or in control of means of
and cooperative manage-
economy.
nt society that is entirely in-
n production, economy and
es
POPULATION OF CAM BODIA (millions)
POPULATION GROWTH OF CAMBODIA
fate and also ended up refugees during the aftermath of
the genocide. Growing up in a Cambodian household,
there has always been a huge cloud of unknowns about
what really happened. I always sensed that it was
something unbearable to even think about and was not
something that was talked about at all in conversation.
This sentiment is shared among many other survivors
who went through this gruesome genocide. Even
though this topic is never talked about, sorrow and
confusion still resonates from those involved, including
my parents, uncle and aunt whom shared the same
experiences.
During my childhood, I was carefree and did not
know that I myself was living through the aftermath of
the Cambodian genocide moving from refugee camp to
refugee camp before finally making it here to the United
States. My parents always did a good job of hiding the
truth and sheltering their kids from the darkness of the
events that took place before my siblings and I were
born. Now at the age of twenty-five, I think I am ready
to hear their story and other stories of survivors who
share the same sentiment of not being able to talk
about the events. It’s no longer about hiding the truth
but bringing it forward in a way that would be beneficial
to the survivors, people affected and also those who
do not know about it.
This makes story telling a crucial element to the
project which makes it important to understand various

4. 4 | Pho
forms of storytelling. The genocide affected a wide
range of people all sharing similar stories as well as
unique ones. Those affected range from survivors,
deceased victims as well as those who are far removed
from the genocide. As more and more survivors die
every day, it has become increasingly important to
further our understanding record the stories.
“Sleuk rith are dried leaves that Cambodian religious
leaders and scholars have used for centuries to
document history, disseminate knowledge, and preserve
culture during periods of harsh rule. They represent the
beauty of knowledge and the power of human persever-
ance during times of peril.”
-DCCAM
The Sleuk Rith Institute, as planned by DCCAM,
becomes an important outlet for story telling thus
healing and memory through the act of storytelling.
DCCAM plans to create the Sleuk Rith institute in
Phnom Penh the capital city of Cambodia near the
Royal University of Law and Economics and a former
prison.
Site Analysis
The site is located in Phnom Penh near the banks of
the Mekong River in southern central Cambodia. Phnom
Penh has been the national capital since the French
colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the
nation’s center of economics and industrial activities,
as well as the center of security, politics, economics,
cultural heritage, and diplomacy of Cambodia.
Specifically, the proposed site for the Sleuk
Rith Institute is a 500 feet by 500 feet plot of land
that is bounded by the Royal University of Law and
Economics to the north, institutional buildings to the
south, a commercial front to the west and residential
developments to the east. The site is a very flat site
bounded by palm trees and is occupied currently by an
elementary school which used to be used as a Khmer
Rouge prison during the Democratic Kampuchea era.
The site is also relatively flat and is fronted by a busy
highway, Monivong Blvd to the west which makes the
western part of the site a very important gateway to
the institute.
The significance of the movement for a central
entity to house the memory of the tragedy is that it goes
beyond what have been done so far, usually consisting
of smaller scale projects. Creating this center can help
bring more of a universal place for everyone to come
and heal, giving a face to the faceless and a voice to
the voiceless. The institute strives to do this with
three different programs that all get at different ways
to remember and tell a story.
Project Program
The program consists of a performance theater,
research library and genocide memorial. The three
programs represent three different ways to heal with
expression through the performance theater, education
through the research library, and a third way which is
harder to define which the act of remembering through
Above Left: User Profiles
Above Middle: Site Plan showing Surrounding Forces
Above Middle: Diagram of the Architecture of the Killing Fields
Below: Program Diagram
Above: Site Plan showing Existing Important Buildings
-the convergence back to the city
SLUEK RITH INSTITUTE | PROGRAM SUMMARY
Site: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Population: 2,234,566
Country Size: 68, 898 square miles
Province Size: 262 square miles
Location: 11.33 North and 104.55 E
Typology: Memorial/Research Library/Performance Theater
Square Footage of Site: 333,500 square feet
Client: Documentation Center of Cambodia
Civic Service Provided: Memorial/Research/Performance Center
10 20 30 40
Square Footages (1,000 ft )
50 60 70 80 905 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 10095
PERFROMANCE THEATER
RESEARCH LIBRARY
PRISON MUSEUM/PATH
EXTERIOR COURTYARDS
Kep
Svay
Rieng
Sihanoukville
Koh Kong
Battambang
Takeo
Kampong
Cham
Phnom Penh
Siem Reap
Sursat
Kampong
Chhnang
Kampong
Thom
Prey
Veng
0 ft 500 ft 1000 ft 1500 ft 0 500 1500
20MINUTERIDETOCHEOUNGEKFORBURIAL
1
M
ILE
2
M
ILES
1
2
3
4
WAT PHNOM
SACRED TEMPLE
TUOL SLENG
MEMORIAL MUSEUM
KNOTTED REVOLVER
MONUMENT
National Highway 1
MonivongBlvd
PreahNorodomBlvd
CHEUONG EK
MEMORIAL
4
1
2
3
Users Feelings/
Attitudes
Needs Story
the couple
the widow
the descendent
the future
the visitor
50 & 57
87
25
elementary school age
varies
Veasna and Khuon were just teen-
agers when they becames victims
of genocide and experienced very
similar events that shaped their
lives today. After the genocide
they became husband and wife
who were refugees of the geno-
cide and finally made it to the
United States to start a new life
with each other and their kids.
Theeda was 50 years of age when
she was forced into hard labor in
rural Cambodia. Much like many of
her friends during that time, she
lost her family including, husband,
children and grandchildren to star-
vation, exhaustion and brutal
killing. She went through the rest
of her life very empty inside and
wanted nothing more than to
forget the event ever happened.
She is hopeful that she can over-
come the event and move on with
her life but even until now, she is
finding it hard to heal.
A Place for story telling
Different mode of expression
Perform her poetry she wrote
as a way to cope
DirectAffectIndirectAffectInterested
As a child he grew up many of the
refugee camps scattered around
neighboring Thailand were he was
able to live a carefree childhoos
without much knowledge of what
really happened before he was
born. It wasn’t until after he made
his way to the United States
where he became aware that
something dark happened to his
parents generation. Now he is
ready to go back to his roots and
dig deeper into what happened.
As the second generation after the
onslaught by the Khmer Rouge on
the Cambodian people, they are
far removed from the events, but
are still very affected. Now being
the first generation where this part
of history will be taught to them in
school, it will be their future duty
to learn and teach about the trag-
edy so something like this will not
happen. The kids will be the future
and because of their parents and
grand parents generations’ pers-
erverance they are able to live and
play a part in unfolding the story.
A vessel to carry out their
duty as survivors to tell the
story of what happended and
how they survived.
A place to learn about his
heritage and history of his
homeland.
A place that can teach them
about the history of where
they live.
A place to learn about
another culture and history of
a foreign country not much
know about.
Sadness
Disbelief
Confused
Duty to tell story
Anger
Curious
Anxious
Sadness
Curiousity
Innocence
Curious
Simpathetic
As outsiders of the event, they are
very interested in learning about
the genocide, especially wanting
to learn about what led to the
events They also realize that there
are parallels between this geno-
cide and others, including the
genocide a in Germany of the
Jews. As outisders they bring an
unbiased outside perspective on
such events as this and can look
at it with different eyes.
0
500
1000
1500
CommorcialPressure
FromWest
ResidentialPresure
FromEast
Instutional Pressure
From North
Instutional/Residential
Pressure From North
10-15 ft
3 ft
10-1 ft
3 ft
10-15 ft
10-15
ft
100-400 Victims/Grave Unit

5. Pho | 5
Above: Angkor Wat Path Diagrams: Siem Riep, Cambodia
Below: Lakewood Cemetary Mausoleum: Minneapolis, MN
Above: Hiroshima A-Bomb Memorial Museum: Hiroshima, Japan
Middle: Holocaust Memorial Museum: Berlin, Germany
A Sanctuary built as the Sacred holding grounds for Vishnu.
Every day the civilians of the Angkor Wat Temple City would
take turns serving the Great God and King. The King of that
period was seen as the God who overlooks the country and
ensures prosperity. Every morning priests would awaken the
God, bath him, clothe him and feed him. Then in the afternoon
the God would be feed once more and then again fed for
supper and changed to get ready for the night. Ensuring the
happiness of the God/King goes hand in hand with ensuring
the propsperity of the nation.
Not Gathering Grounds: Home for the Gods
1st Terrace (14 feet higher than 2nd Terrace)
2nd Terrace (22 feet higher than 1st Terrace)
3rd Terrace (45 feet higher than 2nd Terrace)
ASCENSIONTOSACRED|LEVELSOFDIFFICULTY
ASCENSIONTOSACRED|#PEOPLEALLOWED
A
LIBRARY
LIBRARY
LIBRARY
LIBRARY
3rd Gallery
1st Gallery
2nd Gallery
Central Sanctuary (represetning central peak of Mount Meru)
LIBRARY
Cruciform
Platform
THE SACRED | LEVELS OF PRIVACY IN SACRED TEMPLEGALLERIES | ARCHITECTURE AS STORY TELLING
VISITOR
ENTERS WALK ALONG
GALLERIES AND
READS LOOK AT
STORIES ON THE
WALLS
ASCENDS TO
THE SECOND
TERRACE INTO
2ND GALLERY
WALK ALONG
GALLERY 2 AND
LOOK AT STORIES
ASCENDS THE
UNBELIEBABLY
STEEP STEPS TO
THE THIRD TERRACE
Vista to
A-Bomb Dome
Vista to
East Park View
Vista to
Carnial North
The Holocaust Void cuts
through the zigzagging plan of
the new building and creates a
space that embodies absence. It
is a straight line whose impen-
etrability becomes the central
focus around which exhibitions
are organized. In order to move
from one side of the museum to
the other, visitors must cross
one of the 60 bridges that open
onto this void.
introspection and reflection is. The entire square
footage of the programed spaces equals about 130,000
square feet. The performance theater is about 50,000
square feet whereas the research library is 45,000
square feet and memorial museum is 35,000 square.
Not included in the programmed square footages are
100,000 square feet of exterior courtyards that will
be designed by local landscape architects and could
consist of monuments and memorials to reflect the
Cambodian genocide.
Sleuk Rith Institute Design Strategies and Process
Precedents and Inspirations
Precedents played an important role in the design
decisions of the project and just started a lot of the
development. Some precedents of note are ones that
looked at the path as the main element that organized
the plan. At Angkor Wat, the path was about story-
telling and the journey to the scared space on the
top of the temple complex. The Hiroshima A-bomb
Memorial looked at the path as framing a view to the
most important element in the site which was the
A-bomb building that survived the atomic bomb. The
Jewish Holocaust Museum in Berlin, Germany looked
at the path as the connector to the most important
spaces in the building and looked at the idea of the
void as respecting the silence. After looking at the
precedent models were used to explore the path in the
Sleuk Rith Institute. Lakewood Cemetery Mausoleum
also become important later on in the process as a way
to divide the spaces within the museum and delineate
between what is path and what the path separates and
connects.
Exploring the Path through Models
An exploration of quick models looked at the
different ways path is dealt with within a plan. Through
modeling a planning scheme that came out of the itera-
tions feature a fundamental path that cuts through the
entire site that is underground where light is still able
to pass through the spaces below. The act of digging
into the ground and bring light into the earth created
a strong motif of the excavation of the earth in order
to shed more light and knowledge on the events and
consequences of the genocide between 1975 and
1979. Much of the plan and the rest of the investiga-

6. 6 | Pho
tion was derived from the 11th diagrammatic model
which help propel the project to its current state.
Exploring the Above and Below Conditions
Some diagrammatic renderings helped explore
the above versus below conditions of the path. These
renderings were very telling in the way people experi-
enced the spaces above and below the path. It also
paved way to the way the plan came to be organized.
The diagrammatic renderings were helpful in under-
standing the how light can pass through and be
brought down to the path below in the underground
exhibits. From this the fundamental arrangement of the
rooms and the location of the museum in respect to
the performance theater and research library became
realized.
The Path as the Organizer in Sleuk Rith Institute
After the explorations with the precedents, models
and diagrammatic renders the final plan of the Sleuk
Rith Institute features a path that is the fundamental
element that the rest of the plan is organized from. The
path organizes the plan in three different ways. The first
is that it connects the Performance Theater to the west
with the Research Library and Prison Museum to the
east. Secondly the path splits the active, communal
spaces to the north with the introspective, individual
spaces to the south. Thirdly the path splits the spaces
Above: Sketch of Underground lighting
Below: Birds Eye view of Sleuk Rith Institute
Above: Sketch of Undergroudn Lighting: Light Conditions into Ground

7. Pho | 7
Above: Sketch of Undergroudn Lighting: Light Conditions into Ground Above: Diagrams showing Organization of the Path
Below: Diagram Section of the Programs
that are open to the sky to the north versus the spaces
that are of the earth to the south. With these orga-
nizational strategies, visitors are given the option to
experience the journey of healing in different ways
and thus are able to choose how they deal with the
tragedy. This provides more of a universal way to heal
and can fulfill the needs of both the individuals who
actively strive to tell the world about what happened
versus those who are more interested in respecting
the silence and chose another form of introspective
expression.
Experience of the Users
Visitor would enter the institute to the west on
THEATER AND LIBRARY
EARTH VS. SKY
INDIVIDUAL VS. COMMUNAL

8. 8 | Pho
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ថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសសសសថថថថថថថថដដដដដថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសសសសថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថដដដដដដដដសាសាសា
ថថដដសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថដដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសថថថថដដដដថថថសាសាសាសា
ដដដដថថថថដដសថថដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថដដដសាសាសា
ថសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថ ដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដថាថាថាថាថាថាថាសសសសសដដដដថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដថថថថដដដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថកកកកកលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលា
ញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញដដដដដដដកកកកកកកកលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញា
កកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថថថថថញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញ
សាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថដសា
ថដថាសដាថថថថដដដដសសថាថាសសដដដថថដដសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថ ដដដសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថដដដដដសាសាសាសា
ថថថថដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថសាសាសា
ដដដដដដថាថាថាថាថាថាសសសសសសសដដដដដថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដថថថដដដសសសសសសថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថកកកកកលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលា
ញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញដដដដដដដដដកកកកកកកកលលលលលលលសសសសសសថថថថថថញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកកកកលលលលលលលលលលលលសសសសសសសដដញញថថថញាញា
កលសសសសសសសសសសសសដ
ថថ
ថ
ថថសាសាញ
សាសា
សាសា
ថថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថដដដដដដថាថាថាថាសដាថថដសសសសថាថាថាថាសដថថថដដដដសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថ ដដសាសា
ថថថថដដសាសា
ថថថដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថសាសា
ដថាសសដដថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដថថដសសសសថថថថថថថថថថថកកកកកកកលាលា
ញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញដដដដដកកកលលលលលលលលលលសសសសសថថថថថញញញញញកកកកកកកលលលលលលលលលលសសសសសសសសសសដដញញញញថញាញាញាញា
កលលសសដដថថថថថថថថញញញញញញញញញញ
សាសា
ដសសស
ថថថថដដដដថាថាថាថាថាថាដដដដថាថាថាថាថា
សសសសសសសសសដដថថថថសសដាដាដាដាដាថថថថថថថថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដថថសដាថសា
ដថថសាសា
ដដដដថថថថថដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាសសហហញញញកកកកកថថថថ
ដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាថាសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថសសសសសសសសសសសសសដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថថសសសសសសដាដាដាដាដាដាដាថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថថថដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាសសសសសសសហហហហហហហញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកកកកថថថថថថថថថថ
ដដសសសសសសសសសថាថាសសដដថថសសដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាថថថថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដថថសសដាដាថថសាសា
ដថថសា
ដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាដាសសហហហហហហហហហញញញកកកថថថថ
ដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថសសសសសសសសសដាដាដាដាដាដាដាថថថថថថដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសថថថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដថថថថថថថថដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា ថថថថថសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថថថថញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកកកកសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដថថថថថថថថកកកកកកកកកកកសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលា
ថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញា
សសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដដដដដដដកកកកកកកកកកកកកញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញថថថថថកកកកកញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដកកកកកកថថថថញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកកកលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលា
សសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថថញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលលសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសស
ថថ
ដ
ដដដដដថថថដដដដដដដដសាសាសាសាសាសាសសសសសសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដាថដសថសា
ដថដសា
ថដសា
ថថថដសា
ថថថថដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា ថថថថថសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដថថថថថថញញញញញញញកកកកកកកសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដថថថថថកកកកកកកសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដដដដហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហកកកកកកកកកកកកសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលា
ថថញញញញញដដដដដដដដដដដដដកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកញញថថថថថថថថថថញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញា
សសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដកកញញថថកកញញសាសាសាសា
ដដកកថថញញញញកលាលា
សសសដដដដដដដដដដដញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកថថថថថថថថញញញញញញញញញញញញកកកកកលលល
ញញញកកសសសស
ថ
កកកកកថ
ដដ
ដដ
ថថ
ដដដសាសាសាសសាសា
សាសាសាសាសាសា
ថថថដាដាដាដាដាដាថថថថថថថថថថដដដដដដដដដថថថថថថថដដ
ដដដដដដដសសថសាសាសា
ដថដសា
ថដសា
ថដសា
ថដសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា ថថសាសា
ដថញញញញកកកកសាសាសាសា
ដដដដថថថកកកសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសាសា
ដដដដដដដដដដដដដហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហហកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកកសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញញដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដដសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសសកកកកកកកកកកកលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលាលា
ថថថថថថថញញញញដដកញញញថថថថថថថថថញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញាញា
សសសដកញថកកញញសា
ដកថញកលាលា
សសដដញញកថថញញកលលលលលលលលសសសសស
ថថ
STRUCTURAL ORDER: PATHWAY CONDITION
Above: Section Perspective Cutting through Path from West to East
Below: Photo Strip of Important Events
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
1960
1954
The Khmer Rogue, a c
munist guerrilla grou
formed secretly.
1925: May 19
Pol Pot is born
as Saloth Sar.
join forces with Vietnam-
ese against French colo-
nialism.
1931: Jul 27
Khieu Samphan
is born
Cambodian
- mobilizatio
scale politica
- through th
revolutionari
could be form
agrarian so
- rural society
dependent f
paid worker
- farming as a
the ideal soci
- People own
production a
ment of the e
- Self sufficien
dependent in
social policie
49-78,000,000
23,000,000
12,000,000
8,000,000
2,400,000
800,000
1,200,000
5,000,000
12 Century AD
Angkor Wat is built by King Suryavarman II in early
12th century as the state temple and capital city.

9. Pho | 9
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
4 Years for Reign of Khmer Rouge
25% Entire Population Killed
80 Memorials Created
189 Prisons Discovered
380 Killing Fields
14,000 Killed in S-21 Prison
19,471 Mass grave sites found
425,000 Chinese civilians killed
2,400,000 Killed between 1975-1979
com-
up is
1969 - United States begin secret bombing
campaign against North Vietnamese forces
on Cambodian soil. Khmer Rouge uses
bombing as propaganda to gain supporters.
regime. Heng Samrin is President
and Hun Sen becomes Foreign
Minister. Genocide endsGENOCIDE 1998 - Pol Pot dies in
his jungle hideout.
first case, Kaing Gek
Eav (Duc) sen-
tenced to 35 years
n Maoism
on of the masses in large-
al movements
he actions of "dedicated
ies" a new social reality
med
ocialism:
y as superior to urban - in-
farmer as superior to the
a way of life that can shape
ial values.
n or in control of means of
and cooperative manage-
economy.
nt society that is entirely in-
n production, economy and
es
POPULATION OF CAM BODIA (millions)
POPULATION GROWTH OF CAMBODIA

10. 10 | Pho
Above: Diagramatic Sections of the Path
Monivong Blvd and walk on the upper level of the path where they will find glass walls of encrypted writing of the
stories of what lead to the genocide and the events that foreshadows what will happen next. They then enter into
the Prison Museum where they will get a glimpse of the past and how buildings such as the one they are standing
in were used during the Khmer Rouge era. After that the visitors are guided below the path in which they arrive
from and will have the choice to explore rooms either to the north or the south; north being rooms that are filled
with artifacts uncovered and sounds of genocide, whereas the south will be more about how light comes into
the rooms and are empty and silent. The visitors will walk past three sets of these rooms each varying slightly in
the experience and end up in the lobby of the Performance Theater in which they have the choice of going to the
enclosed theater or make their way out to the amphitheater outside in the courtyard. The visitors can then end
their journey by heading to the library or back up to the site above where they can explore the exterior plazas/
courtyards to close out their journey.
In conclusion, they design for the Sleuk Rith Institute is one that allows for multiple ways to heal and keep
memory of a tragedy such as the Cambodian Genocide. It respects the people who actively voice the need to tell
the future generations of the tragedies against humanity but also provides the voiceless the opportunity to respect
the silence and find peace by respecting the empty silence. All in all architecture’s responsibility in this case is
not to prescribe the experience of the users, instead architecture must provide a way users can shape their own
experience and go about the journey to peace and memory in their own pace.

11. Pho | 11
Above: Movement Diagrams Showing Different Experiences Above: Image caption information.
Selected Bibliography
Ching, Frank, Mark Jarzombek, andVikramaditya Prakash.A
Global History of Architecture. Hoboken, NJ: J.Wiley &
Sons, 2007. Print.
Coe, Michael D.Angkor and the Khmer Civilization. NewYork:
Thames & Hudson, 2003. Print.
“Documentation Center of Cambodia - Home.”
Documentation Center of Cambodia - Home.Web. Spring
2012. <http://www.dccam.org/>.
Dumarçay, Jacques, Pascal Royère, and Michael Smithies.
Cambodian Architecture Eighth to Thirteenth Centuries.
Boston: Brill, 2001. Print.
Etcheson, Craig.After the Killing Fields: Lessons from the
Cambodian Genocide.Westport, CT: Praeger, 2005. Print.
Etcheson, Craig.After the Killing Fields: Lessons from the
Cambodian Genocide.Westport, CT: Praeger, 2005. Print.
Jacques, Claude.Ankor Cities and Temples.Thailand: River, 1997.
Print.
Kavanaugh, Robert. Facing Death,. Los Angeles: Nash Pub., 1973.
Print.
Ly, Kim Long.An Outline of Cambodian Architecture.Varanasi:
BharatiyaVidya Prakashan, 1967. Print.
Scarre, Christopher.The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient
World:The Great Monuments and How They Were Built.
London:Thames & Hudson, 1999. Print.
Sharp, Bruce.“Counting Hell.” :The Death Toll of the Khmer
Rouge Regime in Cambodia.Web. Spring 2012. <http://
www.mekong.net/cambodia/deaths.htm>.
Smith, Icy. Manhattan Beach: East West Discovery, 2010. Print.