Build4People

How can evaluation support transdisciplinary research and projects in realising their full potential? In our view, evaluation is far more than just a final, quantitative assessment of project outcomes – it is a key tool for continuously reflecting on processes, strengthening collaboration and fostering shared learning.

Within the Build4People project, the team from Otto-von-Guericke University Madgeburg, represented by Dr. Anke Blöbaum and Neele Worthmann, therefore supports our implementation process not only through a summative evaluation but also through a formative process evaluation. In other words: We focus not only on the implementation of our developed products but also on the quality of collaboration, communication and coordination within our international and interdisciplinary team.

Particularly in transdisciplinary projects, where different specialist disciplines, cultures and perspectives come together, such an ongoing evaluation lays the groundwork for recognising challenges at an early stage, identifying weaknesses in internal communication, jointly developing structures and adjusting as the project progresses, thereby providing sustainable support for the project’s success and implementation. Examining one’s own structures and internal communication is not merely a pleasant exercise; it requires additional effort from all project members beyond their normal project work, the openness to address one’s own mistakes, trust in project partners, and the flexibility to deviate from established plans in order to support the achievement of the shared project goal.

To provide targeted support for these development processes, Otto-von-Guericke University Madgeburg regularly carries out standardised quantitative surveys on key aspects of internal project collaboration – both before and after joint project activities. All in all, the survey consisted of 36 closed and three open questions. The insights gained were then reflected upon within the team and served as a valuable basis for the continuous development of working methods, communication structures and cooperation processes.

We are looking forward to taking this process further; it is an important learning experience for the whole Build4People team and contributes to understanding how evaluation, as a tool for learning and development, can support transdisciplinary research and sustainable transformation.

Build4People would like to sincerely thank Dr. Anke Blöbaum and Neele Worthmann for their dedicated efforts to prepare and to conduct the survey, to summarize and to visualize the empirical and finally, to organize the joint internal reflection meetings.

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Build4People is very much thrilled to announce the publication of the third B4P Visual Utopias Clip to foster inclusive urban transformation of the public place in front of Phnom Penh Post Office

Phnom Penh‘s Post Office is one of the capital city’s most iconic buildings and the public place in front of it surrounded by a homogeneous and aesthetically appealing ensemble of buildings from the French colonial is currently mostly used as a parking space for cars.

Build4People is highly convinced that this site offers a great potential for inclusive urban transformation increasing the overall public space quality and contributing to a higher perceived quality of urban life, not only for the citizens of Phnom Penh, but also for domestic and international tourists.

The design introduces a raised pedestrian crossing, wider sidewalks, shadowing by canopies and small trees, sidewalk cafés, and small urban amenities such as several benches or waste bins. By reorganizing the space and improving accessibility, the proposal aims to create a safer, more welcoming environment for all users, during daytime and during nighttime.

Inspired by the German artist Jan Kamensky’s Visual Utopias, exhibited at CityLAB Berlin, among others, Build4People together with the association of WAE (Women in Architecture and Engineering) have facilitated the development of visual utopias for Phnom Penh, aiming to create narratives and to use them as a state-of-the-art communication tool to foster inclusive and gender-sensitive urban transformation.

The third clip of our B4P Visual Utopias Clip series got technically supported by The Gentry Hub which is a Cambodian architecture news and media platform. It provides up-to-date information on architecture videos, news, competitions, and projects for architecture professionals. Their website features articles, interviews, and reviews on architecture and design, as well as a database of projects and architects.

Graphic Animator:

Vathana Meng [mengvathana1@gmail.com], born in Kandal province of Cambodia, is a creative visual editor at The Gentry Hub. As architecture graduate from Paragon International University, Vathana blends design expertise with video storytelling to promote sustainable architecture and thriving communities. His mission is to inspire beautiful, eco-friendly spaces for both today and the future.

Overall Guidance:

Sokunlanita May [lanitamaysokun@gmail.com], Founder of WAE, Women in Architecture and Engineering, which is a cooperation partner of Build4People during Implementation phase

#Build4People
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#inclusiveurbantransformation
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Build4People is thrilled about announce about the publication of a brief video clip documenting the first B4P Transition Manufactory 2026 process. It is the follow-up format of B4P Ecocity Transition Lab series undertaken in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 with the city government of Phnom Penh together with major local property developer companies, various universities, and CIUS – Cambodian Institute for Urban Studies as local facilitator.

The B4P Transition Manufactory 2026 #1 follows a living lab approach, involving multiple stakeholders to initiate a visioning process to create a clear, inspiring, and shared image of an alternative sustainable urban future.

The urban site we worked on during the B4P TM 2026 is Mekong Key Riverfront City, a 200-ha-development along Mekong River opposite Koh Norea developed by TP Moral Group. It is at an early planning stage which will hopefully allow for sustainability interventions from side of Build4People.

By means of the first B4P Transition Manufactory 2026 we are furthermore bringing in the Twin Transformation strategy by combing digital and sustainability approaches. We did trainings in the use of digital urban planning tools and wanted to develop step by step a dynamic urban digital model following the principles of our B4P Transformation Toolbox sustainability neighbourhood evaluation criteria.

Adding to technical digital design solutions we used the opportunity of the B4P Transition Manufactory 2026 to develop visual utopias of inclusive urban transformation in partnership with WAE (women in architecture and engineering), and to explore potentials of AI to visualize urban dynamics in partnership with the Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology (CADT), CityLAB Berlin and the GIZ founded Digital Transformation Center (DTC).

During the final Presentation Conference, the comprehensive results of different working groups were presented. The participating students received official Certificates of Appreciation to honour their dedicated and engaged work. After the presentation part, a Letter of Intent was exchanged between the Build4People representative and the CEO of TP Moral Group.

The whole Build4People team would like to express its deep gratitude to all participants of this exciting and inspiring collective endeavour, particularly the engaged students of six participating institutions of higher education, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia, Norton University, Royal University of Fine Arts, Western University, and Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology. Our special thanks go to Steven Petit, creative director of OMGEVING, based in Ho Chi Minh City, who support us in regard of the development of blue-green infrastructure solutions.

The outputs of the B4P TM Presentation Conference will get further refined over the next months until the 2nd B4P Transition Manufactory, due to December 2026.

On 15 June 2026, Prof. Dr. Lutz Katzschner, co-founder of INKEK, the Institute for Climate and Energy Concepts, Germany, and retired professor from University of Kassel, Germany, presented on Urban Climate at the Department of Geography and Land Management of the Royal University of Phnom Penh. He did this as Visiting Professor based on his previous role as leader of the Build4People Work Package “Urban Climate”.

Attendants were students of the Bachelor and Master Degrees guided by Assistant Professor Dr. Bunleng Se as part of his course on urban climate.

During the lecture Prof. Katzschner introduced about basic principles of climate-proof urban design.

He also presented the first urban climate map of Phnom Penh, developed by INKEK, the Institute of Climate and Energy Concepts, during the Build4People RD Phase.

Beside the presentation on urban climate, Geography sutdents were assigned to join in urban climatope design with the purposes of micro-climate measurement based on climatope map and instructed to conduct interviews the local population on their perceptions on thermal comfort in select locations using the B4P-RUPP Thermal Comfort App and weather measurement instruments.

Build4People is very grateful to Prof. Dr. Lutz Katzschner to continue his efforts to teach about the relevance of urban climate.

His stay as a Visiting Professor at Royal University of Phnom Penh got funded through the Johann Gottfried Herder-Programm of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) of the German Federal government.