ITSE Panama

The Instituto Técnico Superior Especializado (ITSE) aims to provide a model of participation and involvement in the supply of tertiary education to supply a pipeline of talents to meet Panama’s economy.

The campus is designed with high regards to sustainability, achieving juxtaposition between the architectural avant-garde, environment and the programme. The design considered the undulating terrain, the forested area and the existing river/creek within the site to minimise cutting of trees and earth.

The three schools, namely the School of Engineering & Technology, School of Hospitality & Tourism and School of Business, are geometrically looped harmoniously onto the site after considerations of the site constraints. This design allows the courtyard to be introduced as semi-private spaces for each school users and facilitate cross-ventilation. 

The central connecting spine serves as a large convergence area that binds the public and activity-generating areas such as the amphitheatre, cafeteria and sports hall and other amenities together as one vibrant campus. This activity zone stretches from the main drop-off porch across the existing creek, orchestrating the surrounding landscape cohesively, towards a future linkage to an upcoming train station.