Cube House (Kubuswoningen) and Madurodam are the main reasons for our day trip from Amsterdam. It’s now time to marvel at edgy architectures after the fun in the land of Lilliputians. And the best place would definitely be Rotterdam, for the modern city is populated with many uniquely designed buildings. While the historical Amsterdam is often seen as a cultural city, the modernised Rotterdam is more of an industrial powerhouse. The stark contrast between these 2 major cities is so DAM apparent.
Cube House in Rotterdam is indeed unique and I can’t help to wonder how Dutch architect Piet Blom can come out with such an unconventional idea. He envisioned each Cube House to be a tree and all of them would form an urban forest. I suppose it would be more of an abstract looking tree and forest.
Whichever the case, it is one striking piece of architecture, especially with the yellow coloured combination.
I ended up spending quite a great deal of time around the central courtyard to have a good look at the crazily shaped houses. The Cube House is actually tilted forward to certain degrees which make me wonder how does one live inside it. And what kind of furniture would be a fit?
The Interior of Show-Cube
I got my answers after taking a look at the Show-Cube (Kijk-Kubus). Unlike Hundertwasserhaus which is not accessible to general public, the Show-Cube serves as a museum and presents the interior area. Most of the furniture inside is custom-made to accommodate the shape and to maximise the space. There are 3 floors in total, living room on the lower floor, bedrooms on the second and the top floor are the attic.
The pyramid-shaped attic is my favourite place inside the Cube House. There are windows all over which ensure ample lights and it’s so cool-looking like those structures found in Sci-Fi movies.
I think the Cube House would present an ultimate challenge to any Feng Shui masters as sharp corners and edges are often frowns upon LOL. Likewise, I am not sure whether I can live in a house with those slanting ceilings and weird angles too. But nevertheless, the Show-Cube certainly gives an interesting insight into this unusual housing.
There are also some shops operating underneath the Cube Treetop.
Around Rotterdam Centraal
Rotterdam has a cityscape of great contrasts, with plenty of unusual buildings trying to outdo one another. The bold styling is a feast for the eyes of any architecture lovers. Yours faithfully included. And I regretted not spending a day or two here. Next time ya, Rotterdam?
It is remarkable to see these stunning architectures in Rotterdam. That’s especially after knowing that the city was destroyed by Nazi bombardment during World War II. But instead of restoring the Old Town, the Rotterdammers decided to revitalise with a modern flair.
Near to the City hall is a monument to the victims of World War II…
We randomly picked Café Plein for our late lunch and to rest our tired feet. It turned out to be a good call as the food served here are very tasty. Nice and recommended!
After some shopping around the area, we head back to Amsterdam to pack bags for the return flight the next day. Dinner was from ‘Wok to Walk’ but I find the noodles a tad too oily for my liking. That concludes the trip to London and the Low Countries, bye for now!
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What are your thoughts on the Cube house or Rotterdam? Leave a comment and share it with me.
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