The third annual Cambodia Architect and Décor Expo 2018 kicked off to promising start (Thursday, May 24), bringing together about 150 local and international companies in the three-day exhibition.
The event, organised by ICVeX Co Ltd and backed by the Cambodian Society of Architects, is being held at the spacious Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Centre, in the new township of Koh Pich in Phnom Penh.
The event organiser expects about 4,500 people to attend the event where architect and home décor companies from Cambodia, Thailand, China, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Italy, and Taiwan are displaying their products.
According to ICVeX general manager, Chinakit Viphavakit, the number of companies participating in the event has grown since 2016 with Italy, Vietnam and S. Korea making their presence felt for the first time.
He said CSA supported ICVeX by distributing information to its partners, members, local suppliers and contractors, professionals and students. Cambodia, he said, has been growing by leaps and bound over the last 15 years and the capital, Phnom Penh, in particular, has had significant growth and development in the construction and building sector.
With Cambodia’s GDP expected to expand by 6.9% in 2018 and 6.8% in 2019, the architecture and interior industry in the Kingdom is expected to enjoy a vibrant and bright future. A total of 3,418 projects was approved in 2017, the combined value of approved investments in the construction sector increased by 22% year-on-year (y-o-y) to $6.8 billion where 82% of them were residential projects.
“It is not only growth in residential buildings but also in commercial buildings, factories and office space. With an improved lifestyle, people are demanding quality,” Viphavakit said, adding the expo provided the platform for architects, interior designers, property developers and building professionals to gather and exchange ideas on the latest innovations and trends in the sector.
Explaining the rationale behind this year’s theme “Design for Better Workplace and Living”” he said it was conceived based on the fact that Cambodia’s middle class was booming.
“Their lifestyle is changing and they want modernization, better living standards and more quality products,” he said, adding since most Cambodians were now spending long hours at their working place, the expo was designed to appeal to them with ideas on how to create an ideal designed workplace and living space for them.
He said the expo showcased building materials, from roof to floor solutions, and also products like indoor and outdoor furniture and decorations with interior designers on hand to provide consultancies and solutions to clients.
“It is a great opportunity for the people to visit the exhibition and see for themselves the latest in product innovations that are being offered by big brand names,” he said, adding entrance was free.
The World Bank has now classified Cambodia as lower middle income economy, and no longer low income.
The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction reckons the urban population will rise from 4.5 million people in 2014 (27.1 percent of the total population) to 7.92 million people in 2030.
The Cambodia Infrastructure report from business monitor international forecast construction sector to grow by 9.8% in 2017.
Viphavakit expects this year’s expo, which ends on May 26, to draw a bigger crowd than last year. The 2017 expo attracted some 3,500 people.
