A second chance

Vacant for nearly thirty years, Piet Blom's ‘Super Cube,’ of the world famous 'Cube House Complex' in Rotterdam, has finally found a sustainable, permanent function. Since the unveiling of the world famous ‘Cube House Complex’ in 1982, the ‘Super Cube’ has struggled to support a permanent occupancy. It was dark, and due to its unusual geometry, its spaces were difficult to occupy. Moreover, it was not well-ventilated and so exceedingly warm in summer months. P·A devised a bold plan open up the floor slabs with one central atrium creating a void from the roof to ground level.

The void draws daylight deep into the heart of the building, and by enhancing visual connection, fosters interaction between programs on different levels, while also facilitating natural ventilation. The Super Cube now offers comfortable space for offices, 20 independent living units, and shared facilities for recreation, cooking, dining and sport. The transformation was nominated for “the Golden Pyramid (de Gouden Piramide)”, a prestigious state prize awarded biennially for excellence in commissioning work in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, infrastructure and physical planning in the Netherlands.

Expertise: Photography Features or Specials: Roof, Atrium, Renovation, Re-use, Sustainability, Transformation, Visual connection Awards: Gouden piramide 2008