Panama: Bridge of Life
By Juan Carlos Martinez
Much is said about Panama's amazing biodiversity. According to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama has more than 30,000 species between animals and plants. Scientists also believe that the formation collected about the Isthmus of Panama is one of the most important geologic events to happen on Earth in the last 60 million years. It is a tiny space of land which when it rose from the depths of the sea changed climates and landscapes simply by altering how water moved and flowed. The Atlantic became saltier, Europe became warmer through the creating of the Gulf Stream just to mention a few climatic and atmospheric changes. In addition to this the isthmus created a bridge through which species migrated from the North to the South and vice versa creating the biodiversity we have in both American continents, in fact it was the bridge of life.
To celebrate this biodiversity the Biodiversity Museum is being built. It is called the Bridge of Life because its aim is to make one aware that Panama plays a unique role itself as the "Bridge of Life". Thus to pay tribute the Museum it is being built in Panama, a biodiversity gem, and the building itself is being referenced as a work of art. Designed by world famous architect Frank Gehry, this spectacular building in and of itself is getting closer to completion.
 |
| The Bridge of Life - Model photo courtesy FOGA |
The Bridge of Life is being built in Amador at the beginning of the Causeway on the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. It is a building designed to be seen from afar and enjoyed. The roof is made of colored panels resembling handkerchiefs waving in the wind. The actual idea is that they resemble the leaves of trees which which overlap and allow sunlight to filter through them. The beams for this roof were custom made in Panama however the actual panels were made in Thailand.
The museum building is going to be set amidst a lush botanical garden being planned by Edwina von Gal a renowned landscape artist from the US. Ms. von Gal has designed gardens for personalities such as Calvin Klein, Maddona and Ralph Lauren. She is currently learning about Panamanian native species as the plan is to plant only native species in the botanical gardens of the museum. These gardens will be an additional learning and display space. The problem Edwina von Gal has to deal with is that Panama being a bridge has many species that were brought in by animals, people, water currents and not all are native to the isthmus. With help from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute she is attaining her goal.
The botanical gardens will be the visitor's introduction to the museum and it was designed by Frank Gehry's office as an extension of the museum structure. The gardens will have walkways, a frog pond, 287 native plants all within two hectares.
The museum will have galleries plus the botanical gardens. The galleries are: the Biodiversity Gallery, Panamarama, the Bridge Arises, the Great Exchange, the Web of Life, Oceans Divided, Panama is the Museum.
The museum is expected to open at the end 2011 or early 2012 however they are having planned tours as the construction itself is a sight that must be seen. The bio museum site has a form you can fill in to request a date for touring the museum, www.biomuseopanama.org
For more Quick Takes |
