Dubai americana...

In addition to several other large-scale construction projects underway in Panama City, Panama, there is the formidable Torre Planetarium (Planetarium Tower), a residential project in the tony Costa del Este neighbourhood of the Panamanian capital. Although its name implies otherwise, homeowners will have two towers to choose from: one of 92 floors, the other of 82 - those suffering from vertigo need not apply. In addition to the luxurious living spaces on offer, each tower will contain 10 floors of common areas and services, as well as panoramic terraces.

Designed by Panamanian firm Mallol & Mallol in 2005, the tower is scheduled for completion and opening in 2010. Distinguishing it from the mass of other luxurious residences in the area is the "tocho Mallol," which is the use of a black and white colour scheme that is typical of the firm's previous work. (http://www.mallolimallol.com/) Another quirk of the design is the choice to connect the otherwise separate towers via walkways at 4 different points. The distinction continues, in a more competitive sense, as Torre Planetarium will help establish Panama as number 4 on the list of Latin American countries with the tallest skyscrapers; indeed, Panama City has the second highest concentration of skyscrapers in all of Latin America. (Berrocal)

The hyper-modern style of the building is quite representative of Mallol & Mallol's work, as the group's philosophy is "...to combine the client's needs with an architecture that employs bold, creative and efficient innovations." (http://www.mallolimallol.com/) A testament to the firm's success is its presence on 3 continents, with offices in Italy, Switzerland, Colombia, the United States and Costa Rica.

As well as being the most recent example of Mallol & Mallol's creative prowess, the Torre Planetarium is yet one more manifestation of the economic and construction boom that Panama is experiencing. The country has made itself a very friendly place to do business, with well-regulated banks and a stamp of approval from the G7 club of rich countries. (The Economist 46) Capital - both human and financial - is flowing into Panama thanks to North American and European retirees and Colombian and Venezuelan emigres. (Ibid.) The increase in population is such that it has been predicted that by 2020 the number of inhabitants in this booming Central American metropolis will be almost equal to total number of inhabitants in the entire country. (Arcia)

Needless to say, this rapid increase in development and population has caused some concern among the residents of Panama City. According to journalist Esteban Delgado, the city is highly congested "...given that the population, construction and number of vehicles are increasing much faster than the building of roads and public parking spaces." (Delgado) This lack of urban planning inevitably impacts the quality of and access to important services and infrastructure, particularly for those who have to travel very long distances to get to work or school, thus exacerbating the problems of congestion and pollution. (Arcia) Although there is much public discussion of these issues, political and developmental leaders are calling for a studied approach that will benefit everyone concerned. "We cannot go against the development of the country, we simply have to improve the urban infrastructure [...] in order to be able to continue the building projects," says José Batista, director of Urban Development for the Panamanian government.

Mr. Batista is not the only one to be optimistic about the opportunities for urban innovation inherent in Panama City's construction boom. In fact, many see the current situation as an important step forward, a step that is taking humanity into a new phase of urban and social development defined by a globalised world. Juan Pablo Nardi has credited the boom with bringing a more globalised lifestyle to Panama City and seems to equate this with progress and cosmopolitanism. (Design México 63). This view is certainly shared by the Spanish-based design group CiudadCity, a self-described think-tank promoting urban development from an architectural and design perspective and that is involved with many of the projects coming to fruition in Panama City. For CiudadCity, globalisation is a positive force that brings with it new perspectives via the international economy, thus supporting innovation as cities around the world strive to attract money and people. (http://www.ciudadcity.net/)

Apparently, the goal for many of those involved in Panama City's boom is to create a modern, cosmopolitan urbanism that is based upon the mixture of cultures, sustainability, democracy and quality of life. (Ibid.) These values are being espoused by the Panamanian government in its efforts to attract ever more foreign investment and brain power; in addition to economic incentives, the country's cultural achievements and environmental uniqueness are being emphasised in the hopes that Panama's profile on the international scene will be raised. As utopian (or dubious, depending on your perspective) as it all sounds, there does seem to be a sincere desire to explore new avenues of development while improving quality of life. The evidence: Costa del Este, the chic home of the Torre Planetarium, was once referred to as "the dump," as it used to be a landfill. (Delgado)

So despite the widespread discomfort with the effects of globalisation, it is obvious that the matter is not so black and white. True, many of the apartments in Torre Planetarium will be inhabited by foreigners - in fact, the website for the building contains photos with people who are quite obviously not locals. However, there are critical voices that will hopefully bring a little more balance to whatever development plan is pursued. One such voice is Ernesto Orillac, coordinator for tourism in the Chamber of Commerce of Panama; according to him: "At this time we want this unprecedented investment to produce an improvement in the quality of life of all Panamanians, for which more investment in education will be needed so that all of our citizens will have access to the benefits of development." (Delgado)

Whatever one's perspective, it is important to remember that urban development in a globalised era is a process, one which necessitates experimentation and a sense of openness. As CiudadCity puts it on their website: "Because today, with the disappearance of the cultural and economic circumstances that produced the traditional, modern city, our current reality bears little resemblance to this traditional way of constructing the city, as well as to live in it." (http://www.ciudadcity.net/)

Sources

Arcia, José. "Nuevas fronteras capitalinas." La Prensa (2009): Website: http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2009/10/05/hoy/panorama/1945249.asp 5 noviembre 2009.

Berrocal, Rafael E. "Panamá, un país de rascacielos." La Prensa (2005): Website: http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2005/11/20/hoy/negocios/407490.html noviembre 2009.

Delgado, Esteban. "Panamá está en un “boom” de edificios en construcción." Listin Diario (2008): Webiste: http://www.listin.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=63214 Nov. 2009.

Nardi, Juan Pablo. "Panamá El nuevo corazón del diseño y la arquitectura de América Latina." Design México (2009): 62-71. Print.

"Shades of Grey." The Economist (2009): 46-48. Print.


CiudadCity Website: http://www.ciudadcity.net/pagina_inicio/empresa/filosofia.jsp?menu=1 Nov. 2009

Mallol & Mallol Website: http://www.mallolimallol.com/# Nov. 2009

Torre Planetarium Website: http://www.torreplanetarium.com/el-edificio.aspx?language=es-PA Nov. 2009