How Panama Changed the World, Panama City, Panama

The colourful roof of Panama’s Biomuseo designed by the world-famous architect Frank Gehry rises above the horizon of the Amador Causeway. Located along the entrance of the Panama Canal, the causeway used to be owned by the USA and was left barren after Panama regained its territory on 31 December 1999. Frank Gehry’s Panamanian wife took part in the discussions about what to do with the land, and soon crucial decisions were made to build the extravagant Biomuseo.

Like with any others of Gehry’s designs we have seen, such as the Dancing House in Prague, the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao or the Tower 8 at Spruce Street Lower Manhattan, the design leaves some room for imagination. From the quiet terrace of the museum, the view on the botanical garden next to it, and on the ships entering the Panama Canal heading towards the bridge of the Americas represents the biodiversity of Panama and the linkage of South and North America.

As his first Latino American building, Gehry insisted on it having a strong meaning and tell a story: the Biomuseo describes the impact the creation of the Isthmus of Panama has had on the whole planet.

Early this morning, we enter following a group of schoolkids, as the museum is quite educational and interactive. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).