The architectural world is abuzz with controversy following the announcement of the winning design for Ecuador’s new National Museum (MuNA) in Quito. The project, titled “Echoes of the Sun,” was jointly created by Madrid-based Studio Campo Baeza and Quito-based MAODA. The design was selected from a pool of 148 entries from over 20 countries, but not everyone is pleased with the outcome.
The debate began with criticism of the design’s minimalist approach, but it quickly escalated into questions about the competition’s transparency and governance. The controversy reached a fever pitch with the resignations of Ecuador’s Vice Minister of Culture and Heritage, Romina Muñoz, and MuNA Executive Director Carlos Eduardo Montalvo Puente. While the government has not officially linked these resignations to the competition, the timing has fueled speculation.
The Winning Design: A Monumental Vision
The “Echoes of the Sun” proposal envisions a monumental yet restrained cultural landmark adjacent to La Carolina Park in Quito. The building is strategically positioned to create a generous public plaza, connecting the museum with the city through landscaped gardens, water features, and shaded gathering spaces.
Inspired by Ecuador’s Andean landscape and pre-Columbian heritage, the design is described as a “box of light and shadow.” It incorporates courtyards and carved voids that filter daylight, drawing parallels to stepped pyramids, the Tolas of Cochasquí, and the Temple of the Sun at Ingapirca. The architects aim to create a contemporary civic monument that honors Ecuador’s historical relationship with light, topography, and public space.
The approximately 36,000-square-meter museum is organized into three primary zones: exhibition galleries to the south, a central circulation spine, and northern service and circulation cores. A sequence of themed courtyards, including Patio Sol de Oro, Patio Inti, and the Ingapirca Courtyard, culminates at the Quito Terrace, offering panoramic views across the city and the Andes.
The Path Forward Amidst Controversy
The new museum is planned as Ecuador’s principal institution for preserving, researching, and exhibiting the nation’s cultural heritage. With an estimated $100 million allocated for the next stages of development, the project represents a significant public investment. Beyond exhibition spaces, the museum will include conservation laboratories, research facilities, educational areas, and public amenities designed to support one of the country’s most significant cultural collections.
Despite the ongoing scrutiny, Campo Baeza and MAODA’s selection marks a significant milestone in the creation of a permanent home for Ecuador’s National Museum. As discussions surrounding the competition continue, attention is turning toward how the winning design will be developed into one of Quito’s most important future cultural landmarks.
The Public’s Reaction and Government Response
The public’s reaction to the winning design has been mixed, with some critics comparing the concrete edifice to a cardboard box or a bleak structure in a desolate landscape. Others have pointed out its similarities to a building constructed by Campo Baeza in Spain twenty-five years ago. The criticism has been so intense that a petition demanding the Ecuadorian government choose a different design has garnered over 20,000 signatures.
Chief among the petitioners’ concerns is the perceived lack of technical and financial transparency regarding the competition process. They also advocate for more attention to landscaping, the connection between the structure and its surrounding park, and its ties to the country’s national identity. In response to the public outcry, the Ecuadorian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation has announced that the public entity in charge of the project has decided to reject the proposal presented by the College of Architects. Instead, they will invite the 17 finalist teams to present their proposals, with the aim of selecting a design that better aligns with the public’s expectations.
This decision has added another layer of complexity to the already contentious process. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the government will navigate the competing interests and ultimately determine the future of Ecuador’s National Museum.
