The Cube House ('Kubuswoningen' in Dutch) in the center of Rotterdam is part of the city's unique architectural heritage.
Architect Piet Blom designed the innovative buildings with cubes angled at a 45-degrees, giving them the iconic looks that made them so famous.
The initial plan in 1977 indicated 55 houses, but in the end, 38 cubes were completed by 1984.
The unique structure was built on Overblaak Street above the Blaak metro station and a pedestrian bridge.
The Cube House project was one of the attempts to breathe life into the city center and to shift the emphasis from business to residential housing and recreation.
It's a familiar concept now in the 2020s, but in the 1970s, it was a groundbreaking idea.
The unique buildings resemble trees, where the 'trunk' contains the entrance and the staircases.
The 'abstract forest' has three floors: the 'street house' with a kitchen and living room, the 'heaven house' with bedrooms, and the triangular roof representing the treetop.
The eye-catching shape of the Cube House is a showcase of the Netherlands' creative and innovative architecture and a perfect spot to take photos.
The Stayokay hostel network saw the immense opportunity to open a unique accommodation in the Cube House.
Ultimately it means you can stay in Rotterdam's iconic building without having deep pockets.
After an extensive renovation in 2009, Cube House was transformed into a beautiful hostel.
At Stayokay Rotterdam's bar, you can have cold drinks and meet other travelers, and at the restaurant, you can get a fulfilling breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
There are plenty of communal spaces to share a coffee/tea and your thoughts about Dutch architecture.
The hostel has bunk bed rooms where you can save on the accommodation costs but still enjoy the Cube House's architecture.
If you need more privacy and space to enjoy the interiors of the Cube House, you can choose from a range of double and twin bedrooms.
In some cases, the bed perfectly aligns with the abstractly-shaped windows.
It's not Hundertwasser, but you may need time to get used to the outward-tilting windows.
The hostel has an outdoor terrace where you sit right below the "canopy" of the Cube House.
Overblaak 70, 3011 MH Rotterdam, Netherlands
