Despite these positives however, skepticism over the selection of ZHA will undoubtedly persist — this is a firm that has recently carried out works for regimes with appalling human right records. The Hydar Aliyev center in Azerbaijan, whilst an undeniably stunning piece of sculptural modernism, was constructed against a backdrop of controversy, with many residents being forcibly evicted to make way for the landmark. ZHA also received criticism for turning a blind eye to the conditions of workers constructing the World Cup stadium in Qatar.
Add to this the fact that the current Cambodian government has direct links to the Khmer Rouge regime responsible for the atrocities of the 1970s, and the project is unable to avoid accusations of hypocrisy. Chhang has responded to such skepticism, defending the choice of ZHA for the commission:
“You don’t choose an architect because of who they have worked with before. Architecture can be a tool to change the vision of a corrupted system. A painter can’t do that, but an architect can.”