An arresting stack of concrete forms, the Foro Boca concert hall in Boca del Río, Mexico, emerges from the riprap of the adjacent breakwater to rise solemnly from its prominent site, where the Jamapa River and the Gulf of Mexico converge. Designed by Mexico City’s Rojkind Arquitectos, the building not only cuts a dramatic figure, but, in its role as a community catalyst, it also aims to right the course of the area’s checkered history.

Boca del Río and the adjoining historic port of Veracruz have long been commercially significant and, recently, have also become a strategic zone for organized crime. In an effort to foster social cohesion and keep youths away from illegal activities, local authorities have devised numerous innovative initiatives, including starting a philharmonic orchestra with two main objectives: to provide high-quality concerts and offer music programs for children.