Tulum · Riviera Maya
The studio
Design · Budget · Build
One studio, from the first sketch to the final handover.
PGA – Progetti Globali di Architettura is an architecture and construction studio based in Tulum, Mexico, working across the Riviera Maya. Founded by architect and developer Roberto Carli, the studio integrates architectural design, budgeting, and construction supervision to deliver long-lasting, context-responsive architecture adapted to tropical environments.
20+
Years of experience
12 months
Average time to completion
On time
Delivery track record
100%
Design and construction in-house
Every construction project faces outside factors: rainy and hurricane seasons, permit timing, material lead times and payment milestones. We plan for them from day one with a realistic schedule, weather buffers, materials ordered in advance and weekly progress reports. When something outside our control shifts the timeline, you hear it from us early, together with a recovery plan, so there are no surprises at handover.
The architect
Founder, Lead Architect & Developer
Roberto Carli founded PGA – Progetti Globali di Architettura to close the gap between drawing and building in the Riviera Maya. He is the reference point for clients who want one architect accountable for design, budget and construction from first sketch to handover.
Trained in the Italian architectural tradition and building for more than 20 years, Roberto leads every PGA commission personally. He draws the project, prices it, negotiates with local suppliers, and supervises the site — so the building that gets delivered is the building that was designed.
That integrated model is why developers, hoteliers and foreign owners across Tulum, Playa del Carmen and El Cuyo come to PGA: architecture that is technically resolved for the tropics, and construction that is managed by the person who designed it.
Why architect-led construction
The Riviera Maya punishes generic construction. Karst limestone, a cenote-fed aquifer, salt air, hurricane season and year-round humidity decide whether a building lasts five years or fifty. PGA designs and builds for those conditions specifically.
Foundations in Tulum sit on fractured limestone with voids and cavities. We survey, adapt foundation design, and resolve structure before pricing — not after excavation surprises the budget.
The subterranean water system beneath the Riviera Maya requires responsible wastewater treatment, sealed systems and careful site drainage. We specify solutions that protect the aquifer and satisfy environmental review.
Roof anchoring, reinforced concrete structure, openings and glazing are engineered for Caribbean wind loads, coordinated with structural engineers as part of the design, not as an afterthought.
Tropical hardwoods must be properly cured, metals selected for corrosion resistance, and finishes chosen to survive humidity. Material specification is where tropical buildings are won or lost.
Chukum, local Yucatán stone, exposed concrete and handmade ceramics give Riviera Maya architecture its character. We work directly with the regional workshops and craftspeople who execute them.
Licencia de construcción, environmental clearances and municipal approvals in Tulum follow their own rhythm. We structure the permit path into the programme so construction is not stopped by paperwork.
Capabilities & methodology
One studio from first sketch to final handover
Context-driven architecture for villas, residences and hospitality projects in Tulum and the Riviera Maya — from concept and 3D visualisation to full construction drawings, designed for the tropical climate, local materials and the permit process.
General contracting and construction management with on-site supervision, cost control and a single point of responsibility. Whether you already have an architect or want ours, PGA delivers the construction — budgeting, procurement, execution and project management, groundbreaking to handover.
Boutique hotels, condominiums, restaurants and mixed-use developments planned around operations, guest experience and investor returns.
Solar energy, wastewater treatment, rainwater management and hurricane-rated engineering integrated from the start, for buildings that perform in the Quintana Roo climate.
What we do
PGA guides foreign investors through legal structures, building permits, design, and construction in Tulum, full support from concept to delivery.
PGA leads boutique hotel and commercial development in Tulum, integrated design, permits, and construction management by Roberto Carli.
PGA guides clients through building permits, environmental approvals, and legal structures for construction in Tulum and Quintana Roo, Mexico.
PGA manages professional renovations in Tulum & Riviera Maya, structural remodels to interior upgrades, architect-led and fully supervised by Roberto Carli
PGA is a full-service construction company in Tulum. Roberto Carli manages every phase, budgeting, scheduling, on-site supervision, and delivery.
PGA delivers architectural design in Tulum & Riviera Maya — spatial planning, tropical materials, and construction documents by Roberto Carli.
PGA offers interior design in Tulum & Riviera Maya — tropical materials, spatial logic, and refined finishes for villas, hotels, and commercial spaces.
Selected work
For sale
Where we build
PGA works throughout Quintana Roo and the wider Yucatán Peninsula, with the densest experience in Tulum's principal development zones.
Common questions
Construction cost in Tulum and the Riviera Maya depends on structure, finish level and site conditions, and is typically quoted per square metre. PGA prepares a detailed, itemised construction budget before work begins — covering structure, installations, finishes, permits and supervision — so the number you approve is the number the project is built to.
Yes. Foreign buyers can build and own property in Quintana Roo, generally through a bank trust (fideicomiso) or a Mexican corporation because the region sits within the restricted zone. PGA coordinates the legal structuring, permits and construction so foreign owners can build without being on site.
A private villa typically runs 10–18 months from permit approval to handover, and a boutique hotel or condominium longer, depending on scale. Rainy season, material lead times and municipal review all affect the programme, which is why PGA builds a realistic phasing schedule before breaking ground.
When the architect also builds, there is no gap between the design intent and the site. Budgets are grounded in real construction costs from the first sketch, change orders drop, and there is one party accountable for the result — instead of an architect and a contractor blaming each other.
Yes. Besides full design and construction, PGA works as the construction partner for independent architects in Tulum and the Riviera Maya — building from their plans and handling budgeting, procurement, on-site execution and project management, while the architect keeps creative direction.
Yes. PGA manages building permits and legal structuring for construction in Tulum, including municipal licensing, environmental requirements and the documentation foreign owners need, as part of the full architecture and construction service.
Roberto Carli is the architect and developer who founded PGA – Progetti Globali di Architettura in Tulum. He leads every project personally as both designer and construction manager, with more than 20 years of experience, building across Tulum and the Riviera Maya.
Journal
Get in touch
If you have any suggestion or desire for cooperation, feel free to contact us via our contact details or contact form.
