When in Rotterdam you have to see the famous Cubic Houses, also known in Dutch as the Blaakse Bos (Blaak Forest) situated at Blaak. These unique houses were designed by architect Piet Blom in 1977, representing trees in the city center. The original plan of 55 houses resulted in 39 completed, all built at 45 degrees. Its unique that each house has 106 square metres (1,100 sq ft), but realistically there is 1/4 of the space unusable based on the shape!
Each cube house contain three floors:
- ground floor: entrance
- 1st floor: living room & kitchen
- 2nd floor: two bedrooms & bathroom
- top floor: small garden/spare room & storage
You can visit the museum Kijk-Kubus which is a showroom of one of the cube houses for you to explore and feel for yourself what it would be like to live in one! Make yourself at home by checking out the views from the top floor or find yourself relaxing in the living room looking out to the Markthal. You can check the opening details here.
There is also Dutch hostel Stayokay for travellers to sleep the night and share rooms with other travellers, but for the more luxury travellers and families in mind, an Airbnb to experience the whole cube living is also available.
Last but not least, the cubic houses are home to a chess museum. Opened in May 2006, the museum is home to many private collections and unique chess pieces. I’m not really a chess fan, but it’s impressive to see so many chess pieces in one location! You can even play a large game of chess with the city of Rotterdam – moving the green and white pieces such as the Erasmus Bridge, Euromast and the WTC tower.
Read more of our Rotterdam posts!
Discover the prettiest neighborhood Kralingen
Rotterdam Centraal Station Rooftop Tour
‘De Rotterdam’ Tour – Highest Skyscraper In The Netherlands!
Helicopter Tour Above Rotterdam
Easy to reach by walking roughly 25 minutes from Rotterdam Central Station through the city, or by taking a tram, bus or even train to Rotterdam Blaak station. From here you will see them instantly! Other places you may wish to visit in Rotterdam is the famous Markthal that is situated next to train station Blaak. The cubic houses are also close to the Oude Haven, a popular spot for a bite to eat or drink and now one of the most vibrant nightlife areas in the city of Rotterdam.
Are you thinking of visiting Rotterdam and the famous cubic houses? Take a look at our recommendations for places to stay in Rotterdam.
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Have you visited the Cubic Houses of Rotterdam? What did you think? Could you live in one?
32 Comments
xtralush
7th April 2018 at 7:36 amThese houses are SO cool! Looks like I’ll be visiting Rotterdam on my next trip to Holland!
Zoe | Together In Transit
10th April 2018 at 4:25 pmGreat! 😀
Kiara Gallop
7th April 2018 at 7:51 amI’d seen photos of these before but didn’t really know anything about them or where they were. Totally on the bucket list now and I had no idea you could stay in one *heads over to Airbnb to search* 🙂
Zoe | Together In Transit
10th April 2018 at 4:26 pmGreat to hear that! I’m even tempted myself to stay in one, but the museum gave a great impression too 🙂
Kathi Kamleitner
7th April 2018 at 8:04 amWOW looks like a photographer’s dream! I didn’t know that there was an entire museum around these houses. Thanks for sharing!
Zoe | Together In Transit
10th April 2018 at 4:27 pmThanks for commenting! It sure is a great place to explore with your camera 🙂
Ainsley DS
7th April 2018 at 10:38 amOmg these are incredible! I had no idea such a thing existed! 🙂
Zoe | Together In Transit
10th April 2018 at 4:27 pmPretty unique right!? Thanks for commenting Ainsley 🙂
kylieuk
7th April 2018 at 2:30 pmSo cool! I’d love to have a nose around the inside of one!!
Zoe | Together In Transit
10th April 2018 at 4:27 pmHaha for sure worth the nosing around! Pretty unique, but I can’t imagine living in one myself!
Andrea Mayfield
7th April 2018 at 2:31 pmThose are the coolest houses I have ever seen! so unique! great photos
Zoe | Together In Transit
10th April 2018 at 4:28 pmGreat to hear, thanks for commenting Andrea!
Mei Qi
13th April 2018 at 6:23 pmDeze huizen heb ik nog nooit gezien! Heel gaaf!
Zoe | Together In Transit
17th April 2018 at 12:27 pmLeuk eh! 😀
Liz
3rd May 2018 at 5:23 amI have never heard of those but I really want to see them one day. Amazing architecture!
momentsoftreasures
3rd May 2018 at 6:15 amI have not yet been to Rotterdam, but would love to go one day! These pictures of the cubic houses look really cool!!
Zoe | Together In Transit
30th May 2018 at 8:57 pmThank you for commenting 🙂 They really do make the city pretty awesome to visit!
Joanna
3rd May 2018 at 7:10 amI am actually going to be in Rotterdam in about 2 weeks and I am looking forward to seeing these houses. They look spectacular! I’d love to visit one inside and see the functionality of the space.
Zoe | Together In Transit
30th May 2018 at 8:56 pmI hope you got to see them when you arrived! 🙂
Amy Fujimoto
3rd May 2018 at 8:01 amThese look so neat! I’d love to go there and just walk and explore the architecture!
Zoe | Together In Transit
30th May 2018 at 8:57 pmThe whole city is quirky like these, totally worth visiting one day!
hayleyjones98
3rd May 2018 at 8:03 amThis looks incredible! It’s actually the first time I’ve heard about the cubic houses 😱 but now I really want to see it!
Zoe | Together In Transit
30th May 2018 at 8:56 pmDefinitely worth adding to your list if you are ever in Rotterdam, you can’t miss them!
SecretMoona
3rd May 2018 at 2:12 pmWhat a cool place!It’s definitely is a place people who love architecture like me will enjoy. I would love to know how it feels to live in a quirky place like this. I have never heard of this place so I’m glad I read this.
Zoe | Together In Transit
7th May 2018 at 8:42 amGlad to have shared with you 🙂 Even for Dutch people its pretty awesome to explore when they visit Rotterdam because of the architecture and great location to the city!
Unta
3rd May 2018 at 5:14 pmRotterdam has amazing architecture, very entertaining. I could spend days exploring it. Btw love the cubic houses!
Zoe | Together In Transit
7th May 2018 at 8:42 amGlad to hear & thank you for commenting 🙂 I pass them often when I go to work or to the city for shopping and I think I take a photo every time haha!
birdstravels
3rd May 2018 at 5:36 pmOMG, this is so so cool that I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am to learn about it! Amazing place to see I bet!
Zoe | Together In Transit
7th May 2018 at 8:41 amIt sure is! If you are ever here it’s definitely a must see in Rotterdam 🙂
suzystories
3rd May 2018 at 10:50 pmThis is SO cool! It’s really my dream attraction, I love architecture, art, unusual angles, and yellow! Hard to believe people really live inside them, I wonder if the novelty ever wears off?! Thanks so much for sharing these awesome photos, I love it!
Zoe | Together In Transit
7th May 2018 at 8:41 amThanks for commenting Suzy! I don’t think it wears off as more than half of the owners are the original owners and they don’t plan to move out very soon from this awesome location!
Redoy
17th September 2019 at 10:27 pmThese pictures haveblown my mind away! Just came across about the Cubic house now. This article inspires me to visit there at least one time in my life. Thanks for your presenting. It looks so atractive and descriptive.