Ecuador Selects 'Living Strata' Design for New National Museum After Public Contest

Ecuador has selected the winning design for its new National Museum, with the consortium SANAA-A0-CPA-JHS securing first place for their proposal titled “Estratos Vivos” (Living Strata). The project garnered a total of 81.7 points, a score calculated from a composite evaluation that weighted the technical jury's assessment at 85% and citizen voting at 15%, as announced by Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Roberto Luque.

Minister Luque explained the scoring methodology in a video shared on social media, highlighting how the combined approach led to the selection of “Estratos Vivos” from three finalist consortia. The architectural competition saw participation from 50,681 Ecuadorians who voted via a digital platform, alongside 10 architectural firms that progressed through various stages of the contest. The organization noted that the three finalist teams were distinguished by the technical quality of their proposals.

The path to selecting the museum's design was not without its challenges. The initial selection process was marred by internal controversies and public criticism, prompting the government to reopen the architectural competition. In this second phase, the government integrated citizen input into the decision-making process for the project, which aims to safeguard Ecuador's cultural memory.

Citizen participation was a key element in the revised process. The voting platform, initially scheduled to close on July 18, 2026, had its deadline extended by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport due to technical issues. This extension allowed more Ecuadorians to cast their votes until the morning of July 19. Minister Luque emphasized that the extended hours were intended to ensure everyone had an opportunity to participate. The final vote count was verified by a notary.