Portal Bosque Learning Center. La Barra, Uruguay, 2023

Education should not be confined to urban centers or designed solely for mass publics. The projects in this section highlight the critical shortage of educational facilities outside large urban areas, a significant issue across Latin America. The four schools in Araucanía, in the south of Chile, accomodate small groups of students of various ages from rural backgrounds, who often travel several miles to attend classes. Each school doubles as a communal center. Presented together they offer a typological exploration to transform halls or distribution spaces into lively indoor patios and multipurpose interiors. The materiality, dimensions, and thoughtful placement allow these spaces to function as playgrounds, cafeterias, classrooms, and venues for public gatherings, serving teachers, students and the broader community. Bosque Learning Center in La Barra, Uruguay, is a self-organized response from a non-profit organization to the lack of cultural and learning spaces in this seaside enclave. As a space for social and cultural gathering, the building places the forest at the heart of the learning experience. Translucent circular rooms, constructed with simple and sustainable materials, are organized around a central square space, opening and closing to the forest beyond. The design fosters a visual and perceptual connection with nature, enhancing organized and spontaneous forms of learning in, and from the forest.