In 1972 Piet Blom received an assignment of the city council of Helmond to design a meeting center. Blom proposed to remove the distinction between culture (‘the extraordinary’) and living (‘the ordinary’) and prepare a design in which both parameters are interconnected. Blom explored Helmond and its surroundings for inspiration. The trees in the scenic area de Peel reminded him of the pillars of the Alhambra. The trees and pillars of the mosque inspired him to a most unusual idea: the design of a forest of tree habitats, cubes placed sideways, around the meeting center. To test the feasibility of the project, three test houses were built.

All habitats received a hexagon pillar on which rested a cap sided cube. Blom called the first floor ‘the street house’, the second floor ‘the heaven house’ and the third floor ‘the abernacle’. Blom: ‘For each moment of the day and every state of mind there is a different floor to ease one’s mind.’ In 1977 theatre ’t Speelhuis was completed. The building (including the tree habitats) was composed of 37 cubes pushed into one another, the largest cube being the theatre, offering place to 400 to 700 people.

In 1977 talks took place between Blom and the Rotterdam Councilor of Spatial  development, Mr. Hans Mentink. He wanted to counter the business like architecture of the city (Maasstad) and asked Blom to prepare a building plan for the area surrounding the haven (Oude Haven). Blom also needed to guarantee a smooth connection between the two sides of the Blaak district, separated by an arterial road. Blom designed a bridge of Cube houses placed over the busy artery road, the pillars of which form the pillars of the house construction. The houses resembled the Cube habitats of Helmond, however they were implemented on a larger scale. Annually several ten thousands of people visit the Blaak construction. One Cube house, the ‘Kijkkubus’ can be accessed by public daily.