PANAMA TOWER

Meaningful design ideas often originate from unusual client’s requests, as in this concept for the design and construction of a 200 meters tall residential building located in the center of Panama City, Panama.
The design, committed by a local Jewish community, was based on the creation of ”Sukkas” balconies. In Judaism, Sukkot is considered a joyous occasion and is referred to in Hebrew as Z’man Simchateinu (the time of our rejoicing), and the sukkah itself symbolizes the fragility and transience of life and one’s dependence on God. Therefore the sukkah is created adding balconies to the façade of the building, balconies deep enough to allow for eating/drinking/praying.
A popular social activity which involves people visiting each other’s Sukkas has become known as “Sukkah hopping”. Food is laid out so that participants will be able to recite the various required blessings.
This requirement drove the design idea for this building, where the grid of the façade is dynamically interrupted by balconies of various length and position at each building level.
Strategically positioned Sukkas protrude deeper from the façade and are positioned to allow for the view of open sky on each of them. Read more