PANAMA RESIDENCE
PANAMA CITY PANAMA
2020
RENDERINGS
@adetellestudio
Perched along Panama Bay on the manmade Ocean Reef Island, this 6,000-square-foot residence occupies a engaging position within active the resort community of Coral Reef. Designed by Studio 8 Architecture, the apartment unfolds as a carefully calibrated balance between sociability and retreat—an international home shaped for gathering, hosting, and repose.
The clients, who divide their time between Panama and Miami, have collaborated with Studio 8 Architecture since the firm’s earliest years. That long-standing relationship established an ease of dialogue and a shared understanding of priorities. The brief was direct: an open, welcoming home oriented toward the expansive views of the bay and the vibrant resort life below, paired with a quieter, inward-facing family sanctuary.
The new-construction apartment brings together two adjacent residences—each originally served by its own private elevator—into a single, seamless home. Secured by the client early in the building’s design phase, the paired units gave Studio 8 Architecture the opportunity to shape a plan precisely attuned to the rhythms of contemporary living. Guests arrive via the primary elevator into a deliberately restrained receiving space, subtly defined by a simple wall that simultaneously anchors the bar on the other side.
Entertaining spaces line the bay-facing glass façade. Living, dining, and kitchen areas are visually connected yet subtly defined through material transitions and filtered boundaries. Full-height oak louvers soften the dining room, while an existing bar is repositioned to engage the view. The kitchen is generous and communal, designed equally for family gatherings and large-scale entertaining. Sliding glass doors open the interior to a deep balcony, extending the living space outward and blurring the line between inside and out.
Material restraint defines the palette throughout. In the powder room, a custom oak vanity meets a pair of travertine slabs that wrap the corner, forming a ledge for mirrors that extend to the ceiling. Mini Orb fixtures by Allied Maker provide soft, ambient light, reinforcing the room’s quiet precision.
The private wing of the apartment is intentionally subdued. The primary bedroom faces a calm residential street and is minimally detailed to encourage rest. In the bathroom, travertine-clad walls, reeded glass shower doors create a serene, ordered atmosphere. His-and-hers sinks are flanked by tall storage cabinets, while a wall of recessed mirrored medicine cabinets illuminated by Juniper’s Thin Linear Surface lights provide convenient concealed storage. An oak-clad walk-in closet in the adjoining roomis designed for shared use, generous yet composed.
A guest suite and the couple’s son’s suite complete the private quarters, the latter incorporating a secluded den. A wide corridor connects these rooms, with storage concealed behind flush wall panels—one discreetly leading to the laundry, staff suite, and service areas.
Stone floors and recessed baseboards run throughout the apartment, reinforcing a sense of continuity. Lighting is largely concealed—set into soffits along the glazed façade—allowing daylight and views to take precedence. An intentional selection of FLOS fixtures was used to accent the clients’ growing art collection, offering flexibility without visual intrusion.
The result is a home defined by clarity and calm—an interior that responds to its setting while remaining grounded in material honesty, spatial generosity, and enduring relationships.
Travertine slabs wrap the powder room corner, forming a ledge for mirrors that stretch to the ceilings punctured by mini orb sconces in a quietly sculptural gesture