FENIX Museum of Migration, artist impression © MAD Architects.
Architecture. Built in 1923, The Fenix warehouse was once the largest in the world. Its location on the Katendrecht Peninsula in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has been an important immigration port in European history. From here, many left in search of a brighter future on the other side of the Atlantic.
Image Proloog.tv.
The Droom en Daad (Dream and Do) Foundation commissioned the renovation of the warehouse. The new Fenix Museum of Migration, designed by the Chinese architecture studio MAD Architects, connects the Dutch city’s past with the present and inspires people through the universal theme of migration.
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“We have designed a 360-degree panoramic viewing platform on top of the warehouse as well as a staircase and ramp that connects from the ground floor to the rooftop observation deck.” Says MAD’s founder Ma Yansong. The futuristic, organic and sinuous design dialogues with Rotterdam’s rough and heavy industrial skyline.
Image Proloog.tv.
“From a distance, the platform and staircase look like a single entity, but when it’s in front of you, it stands as a sculptural work that invites you to explore. It both signifies the Fenix’s witnessing of Europe’s history of migration from the port and symbolises the city’s future.”
The design covers 13,200 square meters and includes two spiral staircases that rise from the ground to create an observation deck above. Moving through the space with different rhythms, the staircases break down the massive scale of the original warehouse, adding more human-scale and intimate spaces.
The stainless steel and wooden materials used for the staircases contrast with the warehouse’s original concrete and steel, while also evoking visitors’ imaginations of boarding a ship.
The FENIX Museum of Migration is deeply connected to the local community, featuring accessible public entrances from both the riverside and the city. Its ground floor merges creativity, culture, and dining options to provide a variety of activities, integrating art into everyday life. Following its opening, the museum will host an exhibition focused on “movement,” showcasing contemporary artworks and archives curated in partnership with both local and international art institutions.
All renders are by ©MAD Architects unless stated otherwise – Construction site photos are by Henry Verhorst. Courtesy of MAD Architects.
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