GIA+A, Arquitectoma and ProArquitectura: a profile of the firms leading infrastructure in Latin America

Latin America's infrastructure gap reaches 2.5% of regional GDP, opening space for specialized firms

The need for infrastructure investment in Latin America amounts to 2.5% of regional GDP, according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This figure reveals a structural deficit that, if left unaddressed, threatens the competitiveness of the region's economies in the medium term. Meanwhile, ECLAC projects regional GDP growth of just 2.2% for the 2025-2026 period, confirming a scenario of investment stagnation and low economic dynamism.

Against this backdrop, the role of engineering, architecture, and real estate development firms takes on strategic importance. Companies like GIA+A and Arquitectoma represent two distinct models of participation in the Latin American infrastructure market: the former focused on highly complex public infrastructure through public-private partnerships (PPPs); the latter oriented toward high-profile private real estate development. A third term frequently searched in the sector, ProArquitectura, actually corresponds to a Spanish editorial publication specializing in architecture and construction, and serves as a reference for sector analysis.

This article, prepared by GRI Institute, provides a comparative profile of these players and the competitive ecosystem they shape within the regional infrastructure pipeline.

What role does GIA+A play in the region's public infrastructure pipeline?

Constructora y Edificadora GIA+A positions itself as one of the engineering firms with the most experience in heavy public infrastructure in Latin America, with documented operations in Mexico, Chile, and Honduras. Its business model relies on concession and public-private partnership schemes, enabling it to participate in large-scale projects financed with blended capital.

The most significant milestone in its recent history was securing the first contract under the Unsolicited Proposal mechanism established in Mexico's Public-Private Partnership Law. As reported by El Financiero in 2016, GIA+A won the tender for an ISSSTE hospital in Mérida, a project that set a precedent in the application of this regulatory mechanism. The Unsolicited Proposal allows private companies to submit project initiatives directly to the government and participate in the bidding process, giving firms with technical and financial capacity a competitive advantage in project origination.

GIA+A has demonstrated cross-border execution capability in hospital and social infrastructure, a segment that few regional competitors master using concession models.

In Chile, GIA+A develops highly complex infrastructure. The firm participates in the Hospital del Salvador and the National Geriatrics Institute in Santiago under the concession model, according to information published by El Financiero and 24 Horas in 2019. This project consolidates its presence in the Southern Cone and validates its ability to operate under regulatory frameworks different from Mexico's.

The firm concentrates its expertise in social infrastructure, particularly hospitals and civic centers, a niche that gains relevance in light of the Mexican government's investment plan. The Ministry of Finance (SHCP) announced in February 2026 the Infrastructure Investment Plan for Development with Well-Being 2026-2030, which allocates 6% of additional investment to the healthcare sector. While this percentage is smaller compared to energy (54%) or railways (16%), it represents a significant opportunity for firms specializing in hospital infrastructure with PPP experience.

How does Arquitectoma differentiate itself in the real estate development ecosystem?

Arquitectoma operates with a profile distinct from GIA+A's. Its focus is on high-profile private real estate development, both corporate and residential. The firm operates under a real estate management model backed by a private equity fund composed of investors for land acquisition and development, as documented by Obras magazine (Expansión) in 2015.

Arquitectoma's model, based on private equity funds for land acquisition and development, represents a sophisticated financial structure that distinguishes it from traditional construction companies.

Arquitectoma's flagship project is Chapultepec Uno, the second tallest building in Mexico City, a mixed-use development executed jointly with Marca under the development company T69, as reported by Revista Construye between 2018 and 2019. This type of project positions the firm in the premium segment of the real estate market, where technical complexity and investment scale serve as barriers to entry.

Unlike GIA+A, Arquitectoma does not directly participate in public infrastructure tenders or public-private partnership schemes. Its market is large-scale private development, financed with institutional capital. This distinction is fundamental to understanding the competitive ecosystem: both firms operate in the construction and engineering sector but serve completely different demand segments.

ProArquitectura: an editorial reference, not a construction firm

It is important to clarify that ProArquitectura, a term frequently appearing in searches related to infrastructure and architecture, corresponds to a Spanish editorial magazine published by Editorial Protiendas S.L.U., specializing in architecture, construction, and infrastructure, with coverage of topics such as BIM and transportation. It is not a construction or engineering firm participating in infrastructure tenders in Latin America.

This distinction is relevant because the publication serves as a source of technical analysis for industry professionals. Infrastructure leaders searching for this term likely consult its content on construction methodologies, infrastructure design trends, and BIM technology adoption in transportation and building projects.

The macroeconomic context: between necessity and opportunity

The infrastructure pipeline in Latin America is defined by the tension between a massive need for investment and a restrictive macroeconomic environment. The 2.5% regional GDP gap identified by the IDB requires sustained private capital mobilization, which favors firms experienced in the financial structuring of complex projects.

Latin America faces an infrastructure investment gap of 2.5% of GDP, according to the IDB, and projected growth of just 2.2%, according to ECLAC, making private sector participation a structural requirement for closing the deficit.

Mexico concentrates a significant share of immediate opportunities. The Infrastructure Investment Plan for Development with Well-Being 2026-2030 distributes additional investment across energy (54%), railways (16%), highways (14%), ports (6%), healthcare (6%), and water (3%), according to the SHCP. This distribution favors the energy and transportation sectors, but diversification into healthcare and water opens niches for specialized firms.

Mexico's Public-Private Partnership Law remains the central regulatory framework for private participation in public infrastructure. The Unsolicited Proposal mechanism, which GIA+A pioneered, allows companies with project origination capabilities to access opportunities before they are conventionally tendered.

Two models, one ecosystem

The comparative analysis of GIA+A and Arquitectoma reveals the diversity of the engineering and architecture firm ecosystem in Latin America. GIA+A focuses on concessioned public infrastructure, with a multinational presence and specialization in hospitals and civic centers. Arquitectoma positions itself in large-scale private real estate development, with a financial model based on institutional capital funds.

Both firms respond to distinct segments of the construction and engineering demand in the region. And both operate in a context where the investment gap continues to widen, ensuring a sustained flow of opportunities for players with proven technical and financial capacity.

For sector leaders participating in GRI Institute events, tracking these firms and their business models provides clear signals about where capital is heading in Latin American infrastructure. The central question is no longer whether the private sector will participate in closing the infrastructure gap, but under what structures, in which segments, and with which strategic partners it will do so.

GRI Institute will continue monitoring the competitive evolution of engineering and architecture firms shaping the infrastructure pipeline in the region, providing its members with data analysis and regulatory context for investment decision-making.