The Man Who Built Cambodia

Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium, which Vann Molyvann regards as his crowning architectural achievement. Photo supplied

At 90, architect Vann Molyvann no longer cuts the figure that a man of his stature deserves. In an early scene in The Man Who Built Cambodia, a documentary premiering tonight at the French Institute, he shuffles toward a shrine, wearing not his characteristic blue-collared shirt and suspenders, but short sleeves and a pair of track pants. He folds his hands into a sampeah.

Yet he is a formidable interviewee, says director Christopher Rompré. “He doesn’t ever go where you think he’s going to go, and he won’t repeat something,” he says.

The 37-minute film, the first to focus on Molyvann’s life and legacy, brings a man long absent from the public sphere into an intimate conversation with his audience. Rompré and producer Haig Balian began the project nearly three years ago with a grant from the Asia Foundation, conducting lengthy interviews with the architect in his home – first in Phnom Penh, and then in Siem Reap, where he moved in 2014.

When it comes to speaking about the philosophy of his architecture, Molyvann is more comfortable in French. He lived in Switzerland for two decades, and studied in Paris, where he encountered modern architecture, and took especially to the work of Le Corbusier, whose influence is evident in his designs around Phnom Penh.

Vann Molyvann, in one of the scenes from the new documentary about his life. Photo supplied

How To Be Resilient To Everyday Stress

Photo: http://upliftconnect.com/release-the-stress/

September is the month when our busy lives kick into high gear again. The lazy days of August have given way to packing school lunches, swapping sandals for sweaters, and increasingly frustrating commutes. On top of that, there’s more pressure at work, where renewed focus on business and performance goals often steps up after the summer lull.

Times of transition by their nature can present us with new situations or problems to solve. And that can bring on the stress. Though we can’t eliminate every situation or event in our life that makes us anxious, we can learn to manage our response to them, says Andrew Shatté, Ph.D., meQuilibrium’s Chief Science Officer.

The key is cultivating awareness: first, by identifying the situation or trigger for our stress, and then nailing down and challenging the negative thoughts that are at the root of our unpleasant emotions. This strategy allows us to face our stress—and live our life—with more resilience, even when there’s a lot going on. Here’s how:

1. Recognize your triggers and symptoms. Feeling stressed? Take note of the situation or event that triggered it. For example, maybe you were late picking up your child from a new-friend play date because you got held up at work. “Write down at least one emotion you felt: was it guilt, anxiety, shame? These emotions are your early warning sign that your stress response has been triggered,” says Shatté.