Some have railed against MVRDV’s plans to build a massive, 180-step staircase in front of Rotterdam’s Central Station, but here at Architizer we find the project uplifting. The temporary installation, which is named simply The Stairs, will allow pedestrians to access the rooftop of the historic Groot Handelsgebouw Building.
The rooftop, which is currently home to a popular bar, will step up its attractions for the duration of the exhibition by reopening a cinema that has been dormant since the 1960s to showcase films, debates and performances. In addition, a temporary observation deck will offer visitors a unique view across the entire city.
The installation coincides with the 75th anniversary of the rebuilding of Rotterdam after its near-total destruction in World War II. MVRDV has described it as both a “nod” to the city’s tradition of perpetual reconstruction and a beacon of urban transformation still to come. “The roof of the Groot Handelsgebouw, one of the best buildings of the reconstruction of the Netherlands, deserves to be used as a base for the next intensification of Rotterdam,” said MVRDV cofounder Winy Maas. “The stairs suggest that.”
Visitors eager to climb the 82-foot-tall (25-meter-tall), 187-foot-long (57-meter-long) structure must move quickly, as the installation will only be open from May 16 to June 12. While the steps may be steep, the prices are not: Admission is free.
All images courtesy of MVRDV