Exploring Punta del Este, the southern hemisphere’s hub for art and relaxation
Punta del Este offers everything, from party to relaxation; all enveloped in idyllic countryside and a rich cultural offering.
Uruguay’s Punta del Este is a playground for the whole region during the southern hemisphere’s summer months (November-March) offering allure that stretches far beyond the endless beaches and lagoons that extend along its coast. Here, marvels abound, from the city’s high-rises to the fishing village of Jose Ignacio, and the late Rafael Viñoly-designed circular bridge over Laguna Garzon. Each season, this opulent stretch of coastline positions itself firmer on the radar of a sophisticated set of global citizens lucky enough to be able to live anywhere. Its reputation as a safe haven of natural beauty was helped by a relaxed attitude to travel during the pandemic and some serious investments in art and architecture which added a well deserved depth to Punta’s rep’ for polo and parties; all of which have helped seduce a cultured, year-round crowd to the ‘Hamptons of the Americas.’
PUNTA DEL ESTE: A CULTURAL TOUR
Fasano Las Piedras
Sao Paulo-based architect Isay Weinfeld laid the foundations of Fasano’s first international venture abroad with twenty brutalist bungalows built for the luxury Brazilian hospitality brand that opened shop in Uruguay in 2010. Estudio Obra Prima lead architect Carolina Proto took the reins from Weinfeld with the opening of a hotel extension and restaurant, La Locanda, in 2016. Since then she’s been commissioned to design nearly all of the 17 private residences nestled into the eucalyptus forests that surround the links golf course at the heart of the 480 hectare country club. Proto’s designs for the private residences combine solid, sandstone rock with exposed concrete and hardwood cabins hidden in the forest. This year, she added a stylish 19th hole to the course, and a beach club with a private runway that has accentuated Fasano’s allure with loyal Brazilian fans and international visitors alike. Unlike the rest of Punta del Este, the hotel, spa and the eponymous Italian restaurant on which the Fasano empire has been built, stay open all year round.
MACA / Contemporary Art Museum
Placed in Pablo Atchugarry’s sweeping sculpture gardens, the ocean liner-esque Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Atchugarry (MACA) is a world class collaboration between the renowned Uruguayan artist and his architect and compatriot, Carlos Ott. Opened in 2022, the museum’s five exhibition halls have bolstered Punta del Este’s artistic ambitions, luring glamorous collectors from neighbouring Brazil and Argentina to touch down in their helicopters for sunset soirees and open-air concerts in a spectacular setting. Free to all, this cultural destination offers plenty of art to admire with ambitious itinerant exhibitions and a permanent collection that includes works by Richard Anuszkiewicz, Carmelo Arden Quin, Pablo Atchugarry, José Pedro Costigliolo, Carlos Cruz Diez, Sandú Darié, Jorge Eielson and Wifredo Lam.
fundacionpabloatchugarrymiami.com/maca
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