Investor Guide, Buying, +1 more Investor Guide, Buying, Condo Sales
G.A.T.O Tower Location: Everything You Need to Know About Investing in BKK1
Discover the GATO Tower location profile on Norodom Boulevard and Street 334 in BKK1.
Investor Guide
Discover G.A.T.O Tower’s earthquake-resistant design and how its structural engineering addresses seismic and wind forces in BKK1, Phnom Penh.
As Phnom Penh’s skyline continues to grow, the engineering behind high-rise buildings is becoming just as important as their architecture, location and amenities.
For G.A.T.O Tower in BKK1, earthquake resistance has been considered as part of the building’s structural design. A dedicated seismic design workshop presented by the project’s engineering team provided a closer look at how the tower is being designed to respond to earthquake and wind forces.
The workshop was led by Dr. Angkeara Svay, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at LBL International and WISE by LBL, who holds a PhD specializing in Geotechnical and Earthquake Engineering.
Read more: G.A.T.O Tower Developer Profile
Cambodia is generally considered to have relatively low seismic activity compared with more earthquake-prone countries in the region. However, earthquakes occurring far beyond Cambodia can still cause noticeable movement in tall buildings.
This was demonstrated during the 7.7-magnitude Myanmar earthquake in March 2025. Although the earthquake originated more than 1,000 kilometres from Bangkok, high-rise buildings there experienced long-period swaying. Movement was also noticeable in some high-rise buildings in Phnom Penh, according to the workshop presentation.
For tall buildings, this makes structural design particularly important. Rather than attempting to eliminate all movement, engineers design buildings to manage forces and movement within established structural limits.
For G.A.T.O Tower, the engineering team reviewed several seismic hazard studies covering Cambodia before establishing the seismic conditions to be used in the tower’s structural design.
The project then incorporated seismic loading using Eurocode 8, an engineering standard for designing structures to resist earthquakes.
Importantly, earthquake forces are considered alongside another major challenge for high-rise buildings: strong winds.
According to LBL, G.A.T.O Tower’s structural elements—including their dimensions and reinforcement—have been designed to resist both seismic and wind loads.
This means earthquake resistance is integrated into the tower’s overall structural engineering rather than treated as a separate feature.
One of the key elements presented during the workshop is G.A.T.O Tower’s outrigger and belt truss system.
In simple terms, this system helps different parts of the tower work together when the building experiences sideways forces.
For a tall building, some movement under strong wind or seismic forces is expected. The purpose of the structural system is therefore to control that movement and keep it within the limits established by the engineers.
Structural modelling presented during the workshop showed that the tower’s calculated movement remained within the design criteria used by the engineering team. The analysis also considered floor-to-floor movement to help protect the building’s façade.
Earthquake-resistant design is not only about the main structure.
G.A.T.O Tower features a sophisticated façade, meaning the engineering team also needs to consider how movement could affect the exterior of the building.
According to the workshop, drift and deflection calculations were carried out with both occupant comfort and façade performance in mind.
The engineering team concluded that these factors have been assessed for both earthquake events and strong wind conditions.
This demonstrates how structural engineering, architecture and façade design need to work together in a modern high-rise.
The project is supported by LBL International and WISE by LBL, whose responsibilities include design development, architectural and MEP engineering, and façade engineering based on the master architect’s concept.
LBL has operated in Cambodia for more than 30 years and states that it has completed more than 400 projects across different sectors. Its experience includes hotels, offices, infrastructure, airports and high-rise developments.
Its high-rise experience presented during the workshop includes several major Phnom Penh developments, including Time Square 3, Time Square 5, Time Square 6, Time Square 7, Time Square 9 and Time Square 10.
For buyers and investors, much of the engineering behind a high-rise remains invisible once construction is complete.
The G.A.T.O Tower seismic design workshop provides a look behind the architecture and shows how structural safety is being considered during the project’s engineering process.
Most importantly, the workshop confirms that:
Rather than describing G.A.T.O Tower as “earthquake-proof,” these engineering measures show that earthquake resistance has been deliberately incorporated into the tower’s structural design.
As G.A.T.O Tower rises in BKK1, its architecture will be what people see from the outside. Behind it, however, is a structural system being engineered to respond to the forces that come with building higher.
Investor Guide, Buying, +1 more Investor Guide, Buying, Condo Sales
Discover the GATO Tower location profile on Norodom Boulevard and Street 334 in BKK1.
Buying, Condo Sales, +2 more Buying, Condo Sales, Investor Guide, Property Market news
Discover G.A.T.O Tower Phnom Penh, a 296-meter, 67-story luxury mixed-use landmark at Norodom Blvd & St. 334 in BKK1.
Construction Update
Read the G.A.T.O Tower construction update for September 2026. See the latest progress on concrete platforms, guide walls and jet grouting works in BKK1.