Italian Architect Panama

Antonio Rutilio's Panama work centers on the Aquamare PH 50B penthouse interior in Panama City — a project shaped by the same problem every high-rise apartment in the city eventually runs into: big windows, strong tropical light, and a skyline view that most interior schemes either ignore or overexpose.

A Penthouse, Not a Villa

Panama City's luxury market is dominated by vertical living — towers along the Cinta Costera and Punta Pacifica, not the beachfront villa plots more common in Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic. Designing for a penthouse means working within a fixed envelope: floor-to-ceiling glass already in place, a floor plate that can't move, and neighbours on every side. The Aquamare PH 50B project used a restrained material palette — natural stone, warm wood, and glass balustrades rather than solid partitions — to keep the apartment feeling open without losing the sense of privacy a penthouse client expects.

What Works, and What Doesn't, in a Tropical Tower

Direct equatorial light through unbroken glass is the main design problem in a Panama City penthouse: without control, rooms overheat and finishes fade. The response is usually a mix of sheer solar screening, deep-toned matte surfaces that don't reflect glare, and zoning the layout so the most-used rooms sit away from the harshest west-facing exposure. None of this is visible in a render — it only shows up once someone actually lives in the space, which is one reason interior design for a penthouse benefits from an architect's eye on the building envelope, not just a decorator's eye on furniture.

Working with Antonio Rutilio in Panama

• Interior design and renovation for apartments and penthouses
• Material and lighting strategy for tropical, glass-heavy towers
• Coordination with local contractors and suppliers in Panama City
• Remote design direction with scheduled site visits

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the studio have an office in Panama?
Yes: Vía Brasil 405, 12th floor, office E, Panama.

Is this Panama page about a villa or an apartment?
An apartment — specifically a penthouse interior renovation in Panama City. Antonio Rutilio's villa and resort work is concentrated in Bali, Indonesia and the Caribbean/Latin America region more broadly.

Can the studio take on a full building or villa project in Panama?
Yes, on a case-by-case basis, working with local architects and engineers for the parts of the process that require in-country licensing.

Contact the studio to discuss an interior design, renovation or design consultancy project in Panama. See also the studio's work in the Dominican Republic and Colombia.