At the end of October, Luxor Theater in Rotterdam opened the Container Stairs. Designed by MVRDV, this temporary structure serves as a showcase for emerging creators in theatre, dance, and the other arts. Meanwhile, it also forms a protective barrier for the theatre’s ground floor café, which will soon be surrounded by construction sites, while providing public access to the theatre’s roof terrace with a view over the Rijnhaven.

In recent years, the Rijnhaven has started a dramatic transformation, with a land reclamation process soon resulting in a new park and urban beach. Located at the base of the Wilhelminapier, Luxor Theater – and especially the theatre’s Café Dox on the ground floor – has had a front-seat view of this transformation. The next phase of the Rijnhaven’s transformation will see a slew of new buildings constructed on the reclaimed land and, as if that disruption wasn’t enough, next door to the theatre on the Wilhelminapier will soon be the construction site of MVRDV’s project The Sax.

Soon to be surrounded by construction sites, the Luxor Theater initiated the Container Stairs project to form a protective barrier between its café terrace and the Rijnhaven construction sites, and to offer public access to its rooftop terrace, which is usually only accessible to theatre-goers, to offer a viewpoint for the ongoing construction. At the same time, the structure offers a platform for exhibitions, performances, and artworks by emerging creatives. The Container Stairs project was crowdfunded earlier this year, raising over €50,000 from 547 donors.

© Rosa Quist

MVRDV’s design comprises three blue shipping containers arranged in a stepped formation, creating a barrier between the construction sites and the outdoor space of the theatre and café. An orange staircase climbs these containers, eventually connecting to the roof terrace that projects from the corner of the theatre building. Along the edges of the containers facing the theatre are built-in planters to add greenery alongside the staircase route, while the other side of the staircase provides a clear view over the construction site. The interior spaces of the ground-level containers provide spaces for small events or exhibitions, while, the first floor container houses a meeting room with views of the Rijnhaven.

On opening, the Container Stairs are host to a showcase by Women Connected, and a mural by artist Elwin Plaisier. At the opening event, Jawad es Soufi spoke with Luxor Theater director Marc van Kaam and business director Ulrike Söbbeke about the origin and function of the stairs. The green area was discussed with botanist Hans from Diergaarde Blijdorp. Finally Plaisier, along with ALLCAPS and Unity in Diversity spoke about the artwork on the stairs.

More information about the Container Stairs can be found via the Luxor Theater website.

© Rosa Quist