MAD architects’ fenix museum nears completion with helix staircase in rotterdam

MAD ARCHITECTS COMPLETES final phase of Tornado staircase

MAD Architects completes the final phase of the Tornado staircase installation, a striking feature that tops Rotterdam’s Fenix Museum of Migration (see previous coverage here). Rising 30 meters through the repurposed warehouse, the centerpiece is clad in 297 polished stainless-steel panels and culminates in a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the city and harbor. The top canopy, which was manufactured in Groningen, was craned into place after being transported by boat.

The staircase, with its spiral form, ascends through the museum’s atrium, providing circulation and a symbolic connection between the past and present. Its twisting shape echoes the flow of migration, while its undulating movement represents the paths of countless journeys. The sculptural element merges with the industrial character of the existing Fenix Warehouse, a historically significant site that is being repurposed as a cultural space.

all images by Frank Hanswijk, via @madarchitects

the double-helix centerpiece reflects on migration stories

Designed by MAD Architects in collaboration with Bureau Polderman, the Tornado staircase’s double-helix wooden structure leads to a viewpoint overlooking the harbor, reinforcing the Fenix Museum of Migration’s theme of movement and global exchange. Its design allows visitors to experience the space from multiple perspectives, uniting the structure with its surroundings.

As visitors follow its path, the staircase allows visual connection to the museum’s exhibits, encouraging reflection on the personal and collective stories of migration. The final phase saw the completion of key elements, including the top platform that provides views of Rotterdam’s waterfront. With the completion of the Tornado staircase, the architects bring to life an architectural feature that becomes a symbolic centerpiece of the museum. The form symbolizes the journeys of migrants, reflecting the museum’s focus on the stories that have shaped Rotterdam.

MAD Architects completes the final phase of the Tornado staircase installation

ROTTERDAM’S FENIX MUSEUM OF MIGRATION SET TO OPEN IN 2025

Rotterdam’s Fenix Museum of Migration, located within the historic Fenix Warehouse, is the world’s first cultural space dedicated to exploring the stories of migration that have shaped the city and the world. MAD Architects’ renovation preserves the warehouse’s original structure while introducing contemporary features like the Tornado staircase, with its spiraling form, which serves as a functional architectural element and a symbolic installation. Visitors are invited to go up the 550-meter staircase, gaining new perspectives of the city and the museum’s exhibitions along the way.

The Fenix Museum of Migration is expected to open its doors to the public in 2025.

the striking feature tops Rotterdam’s Fenix Museum of Migration