From military fort to center of knowledge

The City of Knowledge is a beautiful example of space transformation. What was once designed to lodge a military base is now a center of knowledge, entrepreneurship and innovation. Weapons were exchanged for technological development, battalion flags for banners of international organizations working for peace, troop barracks for classrooms.

This transformation took place as a result of Panama's recovery of its sovereignty over the Canal area. For 80 years before that, Clayton Fort housed American troops whose function was to protect the Canal.

Clayton was established by an executive order signed by American President Woodrow Wilson on December 30, 1919, following recommendations by a team led by Major-General Adelbert Cronkhite. The facilities were named Fort Clayton as a tribute to the memory of Colonel Bertram T. Clayton, who led the troops in the Canal Area between 1914 and 1917 and who died in French territory during World War II, on May 30, 1918.

The appearance and structure of the fort were the result of evolution in American architecture and military base design, because it combined the classical arrangement of military bases in the USA in the late 19th century with early 20th century urban design style. There was also a strong influence from the team of civilian architects set up by Colonel Goethals to ensure that the Canal Area was made up of what he called "beautiful communities". "American citizens living in the Panama Canal Area should live in beautiful communities, communities which would contribute to the quality of life of their residents", Goethals, the mythical chief engineer of the Canal project, had written.

Once the Torrijos-Carter treaties began to be enforced, Fort Clayton was gradually dismantled. Its main military unit, the 193rd Infantry Brigade, left the base on October 14, 1994. The final ceremony, which put an end to 80 years of military activity on Panamanian ground, was held on July 30, 1999. On that day, the US Army South command (USARSO) said goodbye to Clayton to move its headquarters to Puerto Rico. A new era started for Panama, one of development and knowledge-building in the old military facilities.

Today, 296 acres of that Fort Clayton are taken up by the City of Knowledge, and in the rest of the old fort there are family residences, educational activities take place, and various organizations have their offices in a biodiverse, public and open space.