Ecuador Selects “Estratos Vivos” Design For New National Museum

Ecuador has selected “Estratos Vivos” as the winning design for the new National Museum of Ecuador.

The Winning Proposal

The winning team is SANAA + A0-CPA-JHS. The proposal describes the museum as a set of overlapping layers that connect history, culture, and landscape.

The design uses horizontal forms to represent layers of time, with patios and vertical voids connecting the building's levels.

How It Was Chosen

The final score combined 85% technical-jury evaluation and 15% citizen voting. The winning proposal received 81.7 points.

The three finalist teams were B720 Arquitectura and LERA, SANAA + A0-CPA-JHS, and Mario Cucinella Architects.

A separate update said 50,681 citizens participated in the vote.

Why It Matters

This is a national culture project, but it is also a Quito public-space story. The proposal connects the museum to La Carolina through gardens, circular plazas, terraces, and open areas.

What This Means For Expats

If you live in or visit Quito, the museum project is one to watch. It could become a major cultural anchor in the capital rather than just another government building.