ARQA LATAM Calls for Institutional Respect After Ecuador National Museum Design Competition Canceled

ARQA LATAM, a Latin American architecture network, issued a statement on July 29, 2026, expressing concern over the cancellation of the design competition for the Museo Nacional del Ecuador by the promoting entity. The statement does not evaluate the winning project's aesthetic or conceptual merit, nor does it dismiss the public's and professional community's right to critique. Instead, it calls for respect for institutional processes and competition rules. The winning project was selected by a jury whose composition and authority were accepted before the competition began. ARQA LATAM urges the involved institutions to prioritize dialogue, act responsibly, and uphold the rules that governed the competition. It warns that undermining this mechanism sets a dangerous precedent for future public competitions and professional practice in the region. The statement was issued from Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, and Mexico.