Designed by architect Piet Blom and completed in 1984, Rotterdam's Cube Houses are a bold architectural experiment located near the bustling Blaak Station. These iconic structures represent an avant-garde approach to solving urban density challenges while creating functional living spaces. Blom designed each house as a tilted cube, perched on a hexagonal pylon, which creates the illusion of a forest of tree houses in an urban setting.
The architect envisioned these homes as an "urban forest," with each cube symbolizing a tree, collectively forming a woodland habitat.
The Cube Houses were conceived as part of Blom's broader vision to design a new residential area that was both visually appealing and highly functional within the constraints of a dense urban environment. The houses are tilted at a 45-degree angle to optimize the interior space and provide windows that offer expansive views of the sky, enhancing the sense of openness and connection with the environment.
Fun Fact: One of the cube houses has been transformed into a "show cube," which is open to the public. Visitors can explore the interior, which has been maintained to reflect the original design and functionality intended by Piet Blom. This provides a fascinating glimpse into living within a non-traditional, innovative architectural space.