CROMA — Quito Historic Center Activation

An urban intervention conceived as a ribbon of color that reanimates public space and reinforces collective identity. CROMA by Estudio Felipe Escudero is a mile-long pathway painted in vibrant orange that meanders through the historic core of Quito, stitching together cobblestone streets, stairways, and cultural landmarks in a continuous spatial experience of movement, memory, and urban life.

Rather than a static art object, CROMA is a living urban gesture that engages inhabitants and visitors alike. The pathway negotiates historic thresholds — from the shadows of colonial façades to the panorama of plazas — inviting pedestrians to inhabit the city with renewed attention and presence. Every step along the route becomes an encounter with heritage, texture, and daily ritual, turning the act of walking into a collective choreography of perception and connection.

The bold choice of orange — a color associated with creativity, vitality, and cultural vibrancy — transforms the public realm into a canvas for community activation. CROMA fosters social engagement, encourages playful exploration, and reframes overlooked corners of the city as portals for discovery. More than paint on pavement, it is a spatial strategy for revitalization: a bridge between past and present, heritage and future, architecture and everyday life.

CROMA exemplifies Estudio Felipe Escudero’s belief in architecture’s capacity to shape human experience and collective belonging, proposing urban space as a medium for joy, interaction, and shared memory.

Type: Urban Activation / Land Art
Location: Quito Historic Center, Ecuador
Year: 2024
Scale: Approx. 1.6 km pathway traversing 10,000 m² of urban fabric
Client: Municipality of Quito & collaborative partners
Status: Installed / public engagement