Phum Baitang – which means ‘village’ in Khmer – is located on a 7-hectare site in an area with little urban development. The site was planned to accommodate 40 suites to disappear within lushly landscaped gardens, which then ‘open up’ at the heart of the resort, giving way to a traditional landscape of rice fields. The accommodation and public areas are organised around the fields, creating vast perspectives from all sides. This design choice enabled us to address the problem of rainwater drainage on land that is prone to flooding during the rainy season. We constructed the various buildings in deliberately dense clusters around this central rice field, allowing us to reduce the footprint of the developed areas.

The accommodation is designed as stand-alone pavilions on stilts, reminiscent of the traditional houses commonly found in the Cambodian countryside. The suites are organised as a single space with high-pitched ceilings. The large glass doors open up the view towards the generous living terraces or pools, creating a direct, strong contact with the landscape. The materials used – timber, bamboo, cotton, stone, renders, etc. – are voluntarily understated, with natural textures and colours being preferred. The architectural elements are taken from the local vernacular architecture. The shutters and the vertical or horizontal rhythm of the timber cladding create touches of Khmer references throughout. It gives the hotel a sense of belonging and a form of timelessness to the design instilled with a new definition of luxury.