Wednesday 21st of January - Rotterdam
Fenix is the new art museum about migration in Rotterdam.
Fenix is housed in a historic harbour warehouse dating back to 1923. Once the world’s largest transshipment warehouse, it was designed by architect Cornelis van Goor and built for the Holland-America Line. Back then, it was known as the San Francisco Warehouse, stretching 360 metres along the quay.
We know the building from the Fenix Food Factory and visited it regularly. I once did a photoshoot* for a new design of the Julia Sweater, in this photogenic industrial building. Over the past years, the warehouse has been restored and transformed into a museum, with the most striking and spectacular adjustment the Tornado on the roof, visible from far away.
The Tornado - a spiral staircase made of stainless steel and wood, leading up to a panoramic deck with a 360-degree view of Rotterdam. Designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, the Tornado is both an artwork and an observation point. You can visit it with a valid ticket.
In the Fenix museum, you will find migration stories from around the world, told by artists, global citizens, and Rotterdammers. Whether you prefer reading or watching, there is always story that appeals to you.
We spent hours today wandering around the immense building and were impressed by so much art, stories, views over Rotterdam and the place itself.
* Fenix - November 2019
