Italian Architect in Mexico

Two completed interior and residential projects on Mexico's Caribbean coast — Viva Spirale in Playa del Carmen and Viva Aqva in Xpu-Há — anchor Antonio Rutilio's work in Mexico, in the same Riviera Maya region that includes Tulum.

Built Work on the Riviera Maya

Antonio Rutilio has completed two projects on Mexico's Caribbean coast: Viva Spirale in Playa del Carmen and Viva Aqva in Xpu-Há, both within the Riviera Maya corridor that runs from Cancún down through Playa del Carmen to Tulum. This is limestone coastline — cenotes, mangrove, dense jungle right up to the sand — and it sets real constraints on how a building sits on its site.

Designing on Limestone and Jungle

The Yucatán peninsula sits on porous limestone bedrock, which affects everything from foundation strategy to how rainwater is handled on site — there's no river drainage, so water either soaks into the rock or has to be managed on the surface. Both Viva Spirale and Viva Aqva work with this rather than against it: raised structures that limit ground disturbance, deep overhangs against the near-vertical midday sun typical this close to the Tropic of Cancer, and material choices — stone, plaster, timber screening — that hold up against humidity and salt air without heavy maintenance.

Where This Fits

• Private villas and residences on the Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen, Xpu-Ha, Tulum, Akumal)
• Interior design for existing or new-build properties
• Boutique hospitality and short-let investment properties
• Coordination with local architects and contractors for permitting and construction

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Antonio Rutilio built in Mexico?
Yes — Viva Spirale in Playa del Carmen and Viva Aqva in Xpu-Há are both completed projects on the Riviera Maya.

Does the studio work outside the Riviera Maya, e.g. Mexico City or Los Cabos?
The built work to date is on the Caribbean coast; other regions would be evaluated case by case, alongside a locally licensed architect for permitting.

What makes Yucatán construction different from a typical tropical build?
The limestone bedrock and lack of surface rivers mean water management and foundation strategy are handled differently than on volcanic or alluvial tropical sites.

Start a Project on the Riviera Maya

Contact the studio to discuss a villa, interior design or hospitality project in Mexico. See also the studio's work in the Tulum area and across the Dominican Republic and wider Caribbean.