De Kubuswoningen (cube houses) are an iconic piece of architecture. The houses are constructed above the motorway in a pedestrian-only zone. They are essentially a living bridge, connecting the Oude Haven and the Blaak square for pedestrians.

The kubuswoningen were constructed around 1980 and designed by Piet Blom. They officially got the title “Het Blaakse bos” (the forest of Blaak) as the houses look like abstractions of trees, with stems of concrete and bricks and crowns of wood. The first cube houses were actually built in Helmond, a city near Eindhoven.

The cubical shape creates interesting spaces in, and outside of the houses. Do you think the houses feel like a canopy when walking over the bridge? The space created is intimate in contrast to the wide square and harbour on both sides of the bridge. This makes the space feel like a little village within the bigger city, which was exactly the architect’s goal. Blom stated that the ever-growing cities should be composed of villages. The separation of public and private space is also interesting here, as the line between the two feels blurred, especially since a lot of tourists visit the area daily.

Sources
Cattachj_Tach. (2021). Kubuswoningen Het Blaakse Bos in Rotterdam. Archixplore. https://archixplore.com/nl/kubuswoningen/

Kijk-KubusPiet Blom | Piet Blom | Nederlandskubuswoning. (n.d.). https://www.kubuswoning.nl/piet-blom.html