FENIX rises... Tornado becomes Rotterdam eye-catcher with international allure

The average passerby in Rotterdam does not yet fully realize exactly what is happening, but on the quays of Katendrecht rises ... Fenix. Or rather, FENIX. With capital F. The museum about migration is under construction and will open in late 2024. Leon Wielaard is "buildings project leader" at Stichting Droom en Daad, a philanthropic fund that aims to make the city more beautiful and develops cultural initiatives to that end. FENIX, Heritage on the Meuse, is and will be the place where the story of migration is told. The enormous concrete shed is developing into a real eye-catcher.

Wielaard says: "From day one, it was clear that this was going to be a major project for the city. Not only because it gives a boost to the look and feel of Katendrecht and would create an important landmark in the city, but also because the museum is going to be of great national and international significance. The old shed - built in 1923 and the largest in the world (15,000 m²) - was completely gutted. Only the concrete skeleton still stood, after which it is now being restored with a visionary plan."

"On the second floor will be the museum," explains the visibly enthusiastic Wielaard. "The rest of the warehouse will be furnished with a beautiful lobby, an auditorium, exhibition spaces and catering facilities. Culinary, cultural and creative concepts will come together here. The main eye-catcher will be - how could it be otherwise - 'the Tornado'!" This can best be described as two staircases twisted together in a kind of propeller motion, whirling up out of the historic shed. "This actually creates multiple routes to reach the viewing platform," Wielaard says. "You can think of those circling stairs as DNA strands intertwined. The viewing platform 'floats' 24 meters above the ground. In the middle of the Tornado is the elevator shaft." 

The Tornado construction is constructed as a space frame of round tubes. It is finished with stainless steel cladding. In the recess in the existing warehouse, a table structure was made where the Tornado was placed, making it actually separate from the concrete structure. The viewing platform was realized by large steel beams cantilevering in two directions. This platform is supported horizontally and vertically by the elevator core. The roof is executed with double-curved glass panels. 

IMd Raadgevende Ingenieurs worked with steel supplier CSM and cladding supplier CiG to design and calculate the Tornado with viewing platform. Many scenarios were calculated to arrive at acceptable dynamic behavior and a robust construction. The design is by Beijing-based MAD Architects. "When we saw the first drawings and could admire the first maquette, our enthusiasm could not be dampened," says Wielaard. This project also involves working in a construction team. "We invited every party to the table right from the start. I dare say here, by the way, that we are not an easy client. After all, we don't take things lightly. 3D-models from the design phase are not necessarily leading for us and we are convinced that you also have to dare to find other insights during the construction phase which improve the planning and the construction. No, in that respect, nothing is set in stone. You must be able to be flexible, even as a member of the construction team, in order to achieve the very best end result."

"The way we're approaching this, with so much respect for the past and the stories that once originated here, is pretty unique," Wielaard concludes. "We're not just preserving a wonderful 'old lady,' we're bringing her back to life." 

'There is no distance between construction and content'

When Anne Kremers, director of FENIX, is asked how she views the entire development and construction process leading up to its official opening in 2024, she is clear. "FENIX may not be an official monument despite its rich history, but ... we do treat it as one. That's why I care incredibly about the building and the shed every day. Because, this one symbolizes the past." That is why there is a lot of visible concrete in the final structure ("That stands for the past") as well as a lot of steel ("Because, that stands for the future"). Thus, the "Tornado" is the metaphor for the migrant's journey.

Kremers enjoys working with the building contractors every day. "No, it's essentially not my area of expertise, of course. I am learning all the time. I notice time and again that solutions are thought of from within the construction team. It is a process with many different parties, who together create something new of value."

According to Kremers, FENIX - when the museum is opened - will have great international allure. "We are already reaching beyond the Netherlands. The first major publications were in foreign media. I am therefore very much looking forward to the opening. Internally, of course, we have already had extensive discussions about how we want to shape it. But on the way there, a lot still needs to be done: it's not for nothing that I can be found on the building site at least two or three times a week. Sometimes to make my own rounds, but sometimes also to show other parties around to tell not only the story of the museum, but also the story of the construction that so symbolizes what this is all about. There is no distance between the construction and the content."