CAF announced the architectural design for its new headquarters for the Northern region, in Panama City

The jury of the International Public Contest of Architectural Ideas for CAF's Northern Region Headquarters, in Panama City, selected the winning proposal among 21 designs presented by contestants from eight countries.  

The chosen design belongs to MALLOL & MALLOL ARQUITECTOS, a Panamanian firm, in charge of architects Ignacio Mallol Tamayo and Ignacio Mallol Azcarraga.

The jury chose this proposal for its formal approach, which finds a strong, powerful, and comprehensive answer to the criteria and aspirations required by CAF with respect to sustainability, urban quality, and architectural and functional quality. 

The winning design stood out for its singular architectural design, sobriety, and structural innovation, while at the same time integrating harmoniously to the urban context.  

From a sustainability point of view, the proposal seeks to minimize the environmental impact of the construction through efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and space. 

The descriptive memory of the winning project reveals that "the core of the proposal suggests the creation of a public space given to Panamanian citizens. There will be a roofed square with abundant natural light but protected from solar radiation and rain. There will be a large public space, higher than the street level to separate from traffic, which is intense in the area, where different cultural activities organized by CAF will take place".

The cultural spaces include an Art Gallery, as in CAF's main headquarters in Caracas and other regional and national offices, as well as the construction of an auditorium for different activities that promote the cultural and artistic environment in the city.

Form an architectural quality point of view, the proposal highlights "the unprecedented opportunity to generate public spaces with the capacity to transform the urban environment of Panama City". 

The location of the plot stands out for its connection with the community, and prioritizes the feasibility of transforming it into a sustainable space "located in the down town area of the city. Combining a large green roof, the absence of parking spaces at the street level, and facilities such as a space for bicycles, it is a good example of intelligent urbanism, and a candidate for good ratings in the LEED credits for Sustainable Sites". 

The construction project of the new CAF Headquarters for the Northern Region will be located in a 3,100 m2 plot between Avenida Ricardo Arango and Calle 56 of the Obarrio Urbanization, in the district of Bella Vista.

The jury that evaluated the proposals, presented anonymously in a closed envelope, was presided by Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia, CAF's Executive Vice-President, together with Jaime Caycedo, CAF's Corporate Director of Infrastructure, Logistics, and Administration, and architects Jose Guillermo Frontado, Elisa Silva, Mary Carmen Boullosa, and Raisa Banfield, with architect Miguel Angel Barrera acting as secretary. 

The members of the jury considered three proposals as the ones that best complied with the evaluation criteria established in the contest's basis and deserved an award. 

The second place in the contest was awarded to the design presented by Consorcio Eskew Dumez Ripple - architect Hector Palacios, in charge of architects Jose Alvarez and Hector Palacios Saldaña.

The third place was awarded to the firm TAPIA + WATSON ARQUITECTOS, with Rafael Watson Felipe and David Tapia Gonzalez as main architects.