ELDI 2024: Redefining Urban Growth
Publication date: June 2024.
On June 6th and 7th, at the JW Marriott in Panama City, Gómez Platero Architecture and Urbanism participated in the tenth edition of ELDI. This year’s event focused on redefining urban growth from multiple perspectives, bringing together over 250 attendees and 15 speakers from more than 15 countries, including developers, investment funds, architects, and other real estate professionals.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes.
Since 2023, Panama has experienced a real estate boom that has transformed its landscape, with a 7% increase in FDI according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Housing demand has surged by 10%, while coworking spaces have seen a 15% growth. Mixed-use developments have dominated recent demand, significantly revitalizing both the residential and commercial markets. Additionally, the luxury and hotel sectors have seen remarkable growth, with a 12% increase in the construction of new hotels and luxury complexes, driven by rising tourism and foreign investment. According to the Panama Tourism Authority, hotel occupancy has grown by 8%, and demand for luxury properties has increased by 14%, diversifying the real estate market and attracting both locals and international investors.
ELDI 2024 addressed key concepts of innovation, resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability, offering a platform to share and debate the vision of the World Economic Forum. The thematic pillars included City, Sustainability, Adaptive Reuse of Buildings, and Artificial Intelligence. Participants had the opportunity to explore these critical perspectives for the future growth of real estate projects and the Latin American economy.
As part of the event's talks and workshops program, on Thursday at 11:30 am, Santiago Pérez, Head of Business Development at the firm, presented "Urban Identity: Designing Spaces that Empower Communities." His talk focused on how design can reflect the unique culture and character of a community, fostering a sense of belonging and social cohesion.
On Friday at 11:30 am, Ricardo Fernandez, Regional Business Development Manager at GP, led a workshop titled "Sustainable Urban Development: Hybridization and Hyperflexibility." This workshop delved into the integration of mixed uses in urban spaces, promoting the adaptability and resilience of infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of society.
"The future of cities lies in the adaptive reuse of consolidated sectors, leveraging existing infrastructure and buildings. Sustainability is becoming increasingly crucial in urban and architectural projects. As for artificial intelligence, it is here to stay and will positively transform all aspects of our lives. Adapting to this change is essential to avoid being left behind," Fernandez reflected on the insights gathered from the various talks and presentations.
Parallel to the event, the Latin American Real Estate Development Awards (LADI) recognized achievements in design, planning, marketing, and development, with a special emphasis on innovation. The LADI awards ceremony took place on the afternoon of Thursday, June 6th, at the JW Marriott, and all ELDI 2024 participants were invited to submit their projects.
ELDI 2024 proved to be an essential platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange among leaders in the real estate industry, shaping the future of sustainable urban growth in Latin America. The event saw excellent attendance and reaffirmed its great potential for real estate networking.
