Like the other floating communities on the Tonle Sap Lake, Chong Kneas moves location with the seasonal water levels. The floating houses of the villages are of various sizes and types and move with the changing water levels. During the wet season, the residents of Chong Kneas cluster around the base of the elevated Phnom Kraom area while, during the dry season, a small inlet along the edge of the lake is favoured as an anchor point. Some of the floating houses are made of wood and have two levels. The construction materials are predominantly lightweight bamboo, mangrove, and wood poles, all of which are locally available. Some of the houses are built on platforms supported on stilts, while some are designed like rafts, which simply float when the water level rises. Others are designed as small boats, which reside permanently in the water, and which house the families and display the ingenious crafting skills of the locals. The exterior decorations of the structures reflect the imagination and the personality of the occupants. The buildings are simple timber post-and-beam structures. Exterior and interior non-load-bearing partitions are filled in with bamboo or light timber material. The flooring is made of timber plank or sheet. The roof structure is mostly bamboo leaf thatching, although corrugated metal applications can be seen as a replacement, and full length louvered windows provide much needed ventilation as a direct response to the tropical climate of the area. The village proper contains not only domestic enclosures, but also educational and recreational facilities. Most of the commercial and educational facilities display a form of permanence by utilizing timber plank exterior cladding, and corrugated metal and timber roofing materials. The commercial and retail activities are conducted in mobile stores, which float from house to house. Floating churches and mosques service the members belonging to the respective communities.
map opposite top: Tonle River leading to Tonle Sap Lake left: Aerial view of Chong Kneas from Phnom Kraom, Channel leading to Phnom Kraom, Chong Kneas on the flood plains of Tonle Sap Lake, dry season plans above: typical size and layout of a domestic dwelling below: Chong Kneas Main Street, village layout
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weather matters: On Site review 21
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