cubic houses, rotterdam | piet blom, 1984

So far, the centre of Rotterdam feels like Bromley.



Piet Blom's cubic houses were pretty easy to spot. There's a variety of activities on offer within the community walls: american nails, hairdressing, or laser zone but we chose to look around a show-cube instead.



Built in 1984, this specific cube has its own distinctive personality, complete with 20 cacti and a cabinet of LOTR/fantasy figurines.



The space itself is used quite traditionally, with 3 floors and beds/desks/chairs up against the walls, next to the windows. I'd assumed the 'abstract forest' was social housing, but it turns out most of them are privately owned. I'd envisioned an autonomous community with services at ground level, but apparently the commerical space offered has always been open to the general public.

So Dutch Cubic Quasar is on the cards. (Coincidentally, the only other place I've played Quasar is Bromley..)