When I lived in the Netherlands, I worked in Rotterdam for a while and saw these Cube Houses being built (circa 1985). I left the Netherlands before they were finished, so it was only fitting we went to check them out during this trip.

What a spectacular project! The story goes that the design was inspired by trees in a forest and, with some imagination, you can “see” that connection. They are “cubes” tilted to a 45 degree angle and then (somehow) merged together into this complex that is quite stunning. As you go into the complex and look up, you see quite an interesting and spectacular view.

From the outside they look strange and you cannot help but wonder what they would look like inside. Well, it turns out you can go inside! One them is open to the public and, for a small fee, you can go see how it would be to live in one. So I did.

It was . . different. Obviously lots of strange angles, not a single window was vertical, each is slanted. There are three floors inside and lots of steps – narrow steps, some more like a “ladder” than a staircase. The angles did present some challenges regarding interior decor. See the picture of two guys sitting on a small bench in a corner. They looked uncomfortable and they would hit their head if not careful.

The “Markthal”(Market Hall)

To visit the cube houses, we parked the car in an underground carpark and exited in this really cool building called “Markthal” (the market hall). It was shaped in a giant arch and filled with lots of food places (like a food court). The most spectacular part was the painted ceiling We could not stop wandering around, gaping up at the bright colors and designs.

The whole area between this market hall and the cube houses was a “happening” place. Cafes, people walking, bike riding, just hanging out.