In Rotterdam, the new Fenix Museum chooses Kebony wood for its monumental staircase

An architectural project between industrial memory and organic poetry

Housed in a 16.000 m² warehouse, the FENIX Museum preserves the raw soul of the original building while elevating it—literally and figuratively—with a spectacular structure nicknamed the Tornado. Designed by MAD Architects, this architectural feat undulates above the roof like an ascending breeze.

At the heart of this Tornado rises a monumental double-helix staircase, guiding visitors to an observation deck perched 24 meters high, seemingly hovering above the city. While the exterior shell gleams with polished stainless steel, the interior reveals a banister made entirely of Kebony wood. The 297 exterior panels, each of which took nearly 100 hours to polish, reflect the sky and give the space a contemporary yet surreal feel. The 12.500 Kebony Clear wood slats, each unique and identified by a QR code when renewed, provide a dynamic of movement.

Kebony wood, a sustainable material for a strong architectural gesture

Chosen for its sustainable, aesthetic and technical properties, this modified wood from renewable sources offers an ecological alternative to tropical woods.

Developed in Norway, Kebony technology is a patented, environmentally friendly process that modifies sustainably sourced softwoods by heating the wood with an organically derived bio-based liquid. By polymerizing the wood's cell wall, the softwoods permanently adopt the attributes of tropical hardwoods, while minimizing the environmental impact. The wood's natural brown hue evolves over time into a refined gray patina, which here harmonizes with the reflections of the steel and the nuances of the Dutch sky.

With its 336 steps and 550 meters in length, the Tornade staircase elegantly illustrates a vision of architecture combining innovation, sustainability and formal poetry.