On 09 March 2026, there was the kick-off event of the so-called B4P Transition Manufactory 2026 #1 (B4P TM), the most significant transformative format of Build4People at the Phnom Penh Smart City Hub, located at historic heart of Phnom Penh, Wat Phnom. 🚀🚀🚀
The B4P TM 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 like OCIC, various universities and CIUS Cambodian Institute for Urban Studies as local facilitator.
It also 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.
By means of the first B4P TM 2026 we are furthermore bringing in the Twin Transformation strategy by combing digital and sustainability approaches. We do trainings in the use of digital urban planning tools and want 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 use the opportunity of the B4P TM 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).
Actually, there was a huge interest of local students to join the B4P TM which we were not able to fully satisfy. However, we would like to take the opportunity to express our deep gratitude to all six participating universities, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Royal University of Agriculture, Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia, Norton University, Royal University of Fine Arts, and Western University.
The urban site we work 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.
Build4People is particularly glad, that the renowned landscaper designer Steven Petit, Creative Director of the OMGEVING office in Ho Chi Minh City joined the B4P TM during the first days to bring in his great expertise in the field of sponge city development and the application of nature-based solutions.
The first results from the B4P Transition Manufactory 2026 will get presented in front of leading representatives from Phnom Penh Capital Hall and TP Moral Group at Phnom Penh City Hall on 13 March 2026.
End of November 2026, we envisage for a second B4P Transition Manufactory and the time in-between will be used to further optimize our digital urban model and to validate our sustainability criteria in cooperation with Phnom Phnom Penh Capital Hall and the Cambodian Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction.
