On May 16, 2025, Rotterdam unveiled FENIX Museum of Migration, a striking cultural landmark designed by MAD Architects, marking the firm’s first completed building in Europe. Transforming a 1923 port warehouse in Katendrecht, a historic district once the departure point for millions of emigrants, the museum is a poetic fusion of architecture, art, and collective memory.
At the heart of the project is The Tornado, a breathtaking double-helix staircase that spirals through the old warehouse, culminating in a panoramic rooftop platform overlooking the River Maas. More than just a functional element, the sculptural staircase embodies the museum’s central theme—migration as movement, transformation, and encounter. “The people’s behavior and reaction complete the work,” says Ma Yansong, founder of MAD Architects. “Otherwise, it’s a staircase without people.”
The adaptive reuse of the industrial structure preserves its raw, monumental character while introducing a dynamic vertical intervention. “From outside, it’s really long and horizontal. My first instinct was to do something vertical,” Ma explains. The self-supporting spiral structure eliminates the need for central columns, creating an immersive experience where visitors see their reflections shifting with the light—an abstract metaphor for migration’s fluid narratives.
Inside, three major exhibitions explore migration through contemporary art, photography, and personal testimonies. All Directions features over 150 works by artists such as Bill Viola, Yinka Shonibare, and Steve McQueen, alongside new commissions that frame migration as a deeply personal journey. Historical artifacts—a fragment of the Berlin Wall, a Lampedusa migrant boat, and a 1923 Nansen passport—bridge individual stories with collective memory.
Meanwhile, The Family of Migrants, inspired by Edward Steichen’s The Family of Man, presents 194 photographs from 136 photographers across 55 countries. The most visceral installation, The Suitcase Labyrinth, is an immersive maze of 2,000 donated suitcases, each carrying intimate audio stories of migration.
Beyond its galleries, FENIX serves as a cultural hub, with its 2,275-square-meter Plein—a free, public space hosting performances, community events, and global cuisine. Highlights include a bakery by Michelin-starred chef Maksut Aşkar and a gelateria by the Granucci family, celebrating Rotterdam’s multicultural identity.
“Migration stories are the heartbeat of FENIX,” says director Anne Kremers. “We’ve woven them into every element—whether it’s the magic of Ma Yansong’s architecture, the artworks, or the freely accessible Plein.”
As MAD Architects’ first European cultural project, FENIX is more than a museum—it’s a lighthouse for collective memory, a space where history and humanity intertwine. Now open on Rotterdam’s waterfront, it stands as a testament to movement, resilience, and the universal search for belonging.