The Cube Houses (Kubuswoningen) in Rotterdam render the homes into a jungle in the city.
Rotterdam is known as an iconic city with its different architecture compared with other cities in the Netherlands. Bombing during the German military attack on the Netherlands on 14 May 1940 destroyed most of the historic city centre and the new buildings offer a distinct, more contemporary approach to creative architectural variations, becoming a sustainable hallmark for the city.
Along with the city’s growth, many buildings in Rotterdam have become uniquely admired as, in 2015, Rotterdam was named the best city in Europe by the Academy of Urbanism.
One thing that surprises you about Rotterdam’s architecture is the Cube Houses that line and hang tilted at a 45-degree angle. With a striking design, including bright yellows, you can immediately see them when you step out of the Rotterdam Blaak train and metro station.
The architecture of the Cube Houses is designed asymmetrically to resemble a forest, each triangular roof representing a treetop. The dwellings are built on concrete pillars with a wooden frame and stand three stories high; their ground floor is the entrance, the first floor contains an open kitchen and living area, the second floor houses a bathroom and two bedrooms, and in some cases, the upper floor is used as a small roof garden.
Dutch architect Piet Blom designed the Rotterdam Cube Houses in the late 1970s at the request of city planners as Blom had previously experimented with cubic architecture in the Dutch city of Helmond. So, when he pitched this project in the central area of Oude Haven, on Overblaak Street to be exact, he decided to expand on his original idea.
The original 1977 plans indicated 55 houses, but not all were built. There are 38 small cubes and two so-called ‘super cubes, all attached.
Blom brilliantly came up with the concept of “living as an urban roof”: high density housing with sufficient space on the ground level since its primary purpose is to optimize the space inside. Interestingly, the Cube Houses even form a pedestrian bridge across one of the busiest roads leading to the city centre.
How does it feel to live in a Cube House?
Once you get inside, the first thing you have to get used to is that all the walls are slanted. Then, the daily challenges that residents face are buying and installing furniture for the house’s structure without straight walls.
In 2009, Rotterdam-based Personal Architecture BNA converted one of its larger cubes into one of the Netherlands’ leading hostel networks. Today, Stayokay Hostel Rotterdam allows everyone to experience what it’s like to live in a Cube House and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area.
As we know, a house is not only a place of shelter but also a life experience for the residents (as well as guests who come), and more importantly, being part of the identity of the residents. Likewise, residential architecture can strongly characterize an impression of a city.
In its far-out-of-the-ordinary way, the Cube Houses in Rotterdam have done that job very well.
