A mile inland from southeastern Uruguay’s Atlantic coast, in the Maldonado town of La Barra, a learning center for children aged 3 to 12 sits amid an evergreen forest. Dubbed la Flor and designed by Pedro Livni and Rafael Solano of livni+, and Diego Arraigada, the learning center forms an integral part of Portal Bosque, a nonprofit, all-ages cultural club conceived to foster creativity and community.
The idea for Portal Bosque arose during the pandemic, when more than 30 Argentinean entrepreneurs and their families resettled in Uruguay’s Punta del Este, a region popular for its seaside resorts and abundant cultural offerings—at least during the summer months of November to February. During the off-season, the émigré families found educational and recreational opportunities lacking, especially for school-age children. This prompted new residents Mariquel Waingarten and Matías Woloski to conceptualize Portal Bosque and its multidisciplinary programming that unites nature, technology, and the arts. Waingarten and Woloski planned the complex for an initial membership of 100 families, who pay dues for access to facilities including a café, a greenhouse for botanical exploration, and an outdoor biopool. Non-members may purchase tickets to theater performances, outdoor concerts, and other events.
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