audio, stills, text and or video: Go to zReportage.com to see more - Phnom Penh's historic White Building is crumbing, dilapidated, rundown and facing demolition. Behind the peeling faÂŤade of the notorious public building, together with the prostitutes and drug addicts, there is a bustling community of 2,500 Cambodians. Known among locals as the Bodeng - it has a reputation for being a slum and a haven for drug addicts. Peek inside the doors and meet the residents, though, and a whole new picture emerges of a close-knit community of mostly artists and performers. Under King Sihanouk's vision and leadership, Phnom Penh underwent a tremendous transformation during late 1950s and 60s, with an abundance of newly built public infrastructure, and monuments. Among the response was the White Building project, which lay on reclaimed land along the Bassac River. Designed by Cambodian architect Lu Ban Hap and Russian architect Vladimir Bodiansky in 1963, the White Building comprised of 468 apartments, and was the first attempt to offer modern urban lifestyle to lower income Cambodians. The White Building has survived a civil war, a foreign occupation, and the merciless drive of redevelopment in modern Phnom Penh. Its prime location in the rapidly developing city means many residents now fear for its future..
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Oct 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - A mural over the stairs depicts Phnom Penh and the Mekong river. The multiple apartment block was built to house artists and low-income workers in the time of Cambodian urbanization in the early '60s, has been a place of creativity, inspiration and extremes, but is now stigmatized by poverty, crime, drugs and prostitution.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Feb 26, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Beneath the dilapidated exterior of The White Building is a buzzing community of 2,500 people and the shops, cafes and beauty salons that serve them.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Feb 27, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - A mural over the stairs depicts a jungle scene.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Feb 27, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Female residents take the opportunity to catch their breath at the end of the day and come together to socialize at the in-house beauty parlor on the ground floor, where many smarten up before a night out, and others prepare for work.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Oct 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The stairways and corridors create a communal haven where children move around freely in an environment of trust.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 6, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The doors to the apartments stay open, and the corridors belong to everyone.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Feb 26, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The five solid, concrete stairways are the beating heart of the six blocks that make up the White Building.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Feb 28, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - After nightfall the stairways and corridors of Block 1 become a cradle for heroin addicts and other shady characters, creating a menacing atmosphere.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Oct 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - A woman watches TV in her dark but cool apartment, avoiding the blistering heat and humidity outside.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 3, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - A woman sits in one of the corridors waiting to sell her goods from her shop.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 6, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - A mural over the stairs depicts a jungle scene.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 5, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - A woman takes a nap on the roof top of the White Building.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Feb 27, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The painted walls and ceilings, decaying murals from days past and radiant graffiti by recent creators, serve as a testament that this building has always housed artists since its construction in the early '60s.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 5, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The five solid, concrete stairways are the beating heart of the six blocks that make up the White Building, where residents gather to work, play and rest.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 6, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Poverty leaves little room for pride. In the hours just before sunrise, locals look through the garbage, to find anything useful or valuable.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 4, 2015 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The white building, home to more than 2,500 residents; sits on prime, central Phnom Penh real estate. The question everyone is asking is how long will it survive.
© Tariq Zaidi/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
