Centraal Museum, Utrecht [NL]

EeStairs + Soda Plus

This helical staircase by Soda Plus is set in the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, within the former chapel of the St Agnes convent. Connecting the lower chapel with the upper information space, it has the composure of a contemporary insertion that respects the Gothic arches around it, guiding movement without disturbing the historic volume.

EeStairs’ key challenge was to give a complex two-radius spiral an entirely calm underside. The structure was made with composed strip-steel stringers and 6 mm folded steel plate treads and risers. EeSoffit was applied below to form a continuous soffit, while internal insulation and two long hang rods stabilise the stair at its centre. Site-spraying in the final RAL colour allowed joints and transitions to disappear into one unbroken surface.

The material choices are direct and robust: steel supplies torsional strength, zinc-phosphate primer protects the metalwork, and Liquid Rubber gives the treads a durable, tactile finish. The result is disciplined craftsmanship, a white spiral whose engineering clarity rises lightly through the chapel’s luminous height.