Vann Molyvann’s National Theatre, demolished in 2008. HENG CHIVOAN

AN AUCTION and charity dinner will be held this Thursday to raise funds to help translate legendary Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann’s doctoral thesis into Khmer and English.

During the evening, at Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh, guests will be invited to take part in a silent auction of several authographed photographic prints of the architect’s finest buildings. These images have been selected from his private photo collection.

Translation costs for the scholarly thesis on the development of Southeast Asian cities are estimated about $US10,000.

Previous fundraisers have included a sale of prints at the recent Vann Molyvann Project exhibition at the French Cultural Centre.

This project encouraged young architecture students to measure, draw and document Vann Molyvann’s surviving buildings in Cambodia to provide a permanent record of his work.