Tulum Hosts First Caribbean Architecture Biennial

TULUM, Mexico — Tulum has been officially confirmed as the host city for the First Caribbean International Architecture Biennial, an event aimed at consolidating the municipality's status as a reference point for architectural innovation, sustainability, and regional culture. The project was formally presented in the city with the participation of the presidents of the five colleges of architects from Quintana Roo, who have united for the first time in a global-scale initiative.

Architect Manuel Alfonso Barrero Gutiérrez, president of the Colectivo de Arquitectos de la Riviera Maya, announced that the biennial's award ceremony will be held on November 21 at the Conrad Hilton hotel convention center in Tulum, setting a historic precedent for the profession in the Mexican Caribbean.

"This biennial is a declaration of principles. From Tulum, we want to project the Caribbean as a territory where architecture dialogues with memory, landscape, and social transformation," stated Barrero during his presentation.

Unprecedented Collaboration

The organizing committee is comprised of representatives from the colleges of architects of Tulum, Chetumal, Cancún, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen, led by architects Guadalupe Portilla and Berenice Ortiz, along with architects Alfonso Muruato and Jorge Canut. They all agreed that the selection of Tulum as the host city responds to its role as a global reference for sustainable tourism and contextual architecture.

Architect Guadalupe Portilla, president of the Colegio de Arquitectos de Tulum, emphasized the significance of the municipality hosting this international event.

"It is an unprecedented event. Quintana Roo has much to offer the country and the world in terms of architecture, from regional materials to the dialogue between Mayan tradition and contemporary design," she declared.

International Scope and Timeline

The biennial will feature participation from delegations of 17 countries, following an invitation extended to the Panamerican Federation of Architects' Associations.

Portilla explained that project registration will remain open until October 21, while the jury's deliberation will take place on October 30. Among the specialists evaluating the works are the former presidents of the International Union of Architects, José Luis Cortés and Sara Torredo, as well as the vice president of the Panamerican Federation.

She highlighted that the competition not only seeks to award large structures but also to showcase proposals that often remain outside the media spotlight.

"We want the world to see the architecture of the Mexican Caribbean and its relationship with the natural environment. This forum will allow us to discover works that remain hidden, from popular housing to sustainable projects and tourist infrastructure," she added.

The presentation event concluded with a message of professional unity and commitment to the Caribbean identity from Manuel Alfonso Barrero.

"Tulum will not only be the host; it will be the heart of a new collective vision," he concluded.