Natural light as a driving force in the Atrio Mall commercial space
Northeast of Panama City, outside its historic centre but with excellent transport connections, lies Costa del Este, an urban development area characterized by high planning standards in terms of infrastructure, street layout, green spaces and public facilities.
At the heart of this area is Atrio Mall, a newly built shopping and leisure centre. Located on a site with height restrictions, the building has been designed with four underground parking levels and four floors of retail spaces, topped by a distinctive fifth level housing the complex’s main attractions: cinemas and restaurants.
A large atrium occupies the central area of the building, vertically connecting the different levels.
Atrio Mall Panama project type
In this type of building, the most highly valued retail units, due to their greater profitability, are those located on the ground floor, where access and circulation are easier for customers. The project design team, Arango +, therefore implemented a strategy to encourage users to move towards the upper floors, helping to increase their commercial potential. As part of this approach, a second ground-floor level was created 5 metres above street level, featuring spacious circulation areas and excellent connections to the other floors.
Secondly, particular importance was given to vertical circulation, with lifts and escalators strategically positioned throughout the floor plan to facilitate customer movement. Finally, to further enhance this vertical commercial flow, natural light becomes a key feature, entering through a large skylight that crowns the central atrium.
More details about Atrio Mall
The construction process continues to support these objectives, maximizing the distribution of natural light through the selection of smooth finishes and light or metallic tones that reflect and diffuse daylight from different angles.
Comenza’s GlassFit SV-1301 railing system, featuring stainless steel supports and handrails with tempered glass panels, has been installed both at the building entrances and throughout the circulation areas surrounding the central atrium. It plays a key role in the architects’ design, helping to distribute and enhance natural light while complementing the other selected finishes. Its maximum transparency and carefully designed minimal joints between glass panels make the system almost imperceptible to users, enhancing the desired cross-views and visual connections between floors and retail spaces. This makes it a key element in a project where mobility is a fundamental principle, both commercially and spatially.
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