Inside Toronto's ICONIC 90's Cube Homes! You Won't Believe What's Inside!
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- čas přidán 16. 06. 2024
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Built-in 1996 as an alternative form of affordable housing, the cube homes in Toronto were inspired by Rotterdam cube houses built in the 70s. Unlike the homes in Rotterdam, the cubes in Toronto were not a success. Sitting as an eyesore or an iconic building depending on who you ask, the building has been proposed on multiple occasions to be demolished and redeveloped over the years. It seems final by 2025 the cubes will be no more. Until then the cubes are rented out, one by my friend Alex who is converting one into a music recording studio which can be rented out soon!
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#cubehouses
#cubehousetoronto
#abandoned - Zábava
I lived in that exact unit in 2003-2004. It was not in such bad shape, although it did get so cold that winter that the pipes froze and then burst. There was water damage in the entrance and stairwell. We had squirrels that had taken up residence in the walls for a while, then a skunk that got trapped under the building when someone blocked its exit/entrance. It died and the stench remained for months. It was definitely a experience. Everyone was fascinated about the building, couldn't believe that I lived there and of course all wanted a look inside. I could have made money selling a cover charge. The whole experience was very dicey. I was renting it from someone who was presenting himself to be the owner but turned out to be the previous tenant, who was in jail, caught doing some money scheme. He had a friend show me the space and act like he was the owner. On several occasions I returned home and had a feeling that someone had been in my place, stuff looked like it had been moved, missing. Called the police when the other tenant in cube 1 who was using the space as a design architecture company office filled me in on what was the real story and my suspicions about someone being in my place, going through my stuff, was not crazy. Can't say I enjoyed the year I lived there, was traveling often for work, so spent about 6 months out of the 1 year in it. All the drama, sketchy rental, sublet, police , convict was too much to stomach. Are you still able to open the skylight rooftop window on the top floor? There's a long pole that you use the turns a mechanism on it and you can open it to get some circulation. It can get very hot on the third floor in the summer and unless the AC was on full blast, it was unbearable. Thanks for the blast from my past
Why did they trap the skunk in the basement? That's cruel.
@@oh_k8basement? You might want to take a closer look at the elevated cubes.
@@triciasawyer9750 he said under the building so I assume the skunk dug out a hole under the building and somebody trapped it in there which is very cruel.
@@oh_k8 agreed that’s so ignorant why would they do that
@@lililinda6947 She probably had pups, which is why she dug out a den. That's very sad and a terrible way to die.
I'VE WANTED TO SEE INSIDE THIS THING FOR 30 YEARS!
Me too!!!
Me, three. 😂
Yes me too!
I know this building and I'm a roofer,to say "you can't do flat roofs in Canada because of snow" hello every building in Toronto has flat roofs
Yeah,I was thinking the same thing when he said that😂
@@tedlivermore6955 I've also thought if I could I would buy it and fix it, amazing location yet because of the roads it's some what secluded, fence it in and plant some shit with a pond awesome
@@dougsomers7808 Yeah,cant imagine what that would cost down there.I live 2 hours at least north of there and it's still outrageous.
There's literally flat roofs in the thumbnail... even as far north as Yellowknife there's flat roofs. I'm typing this under a flat roof in Alberta...
As a roofer, you are aware that flat roofs aren't 100% flat right? Or at least they should not be by inspection code. Even what is classified as a "flat roof" is supposed to have a 1/4" slope for every foot. Otherwise a perfectly flat roof on a home or building would work as a bowl collecting and holding onto water. Even our city streets have slopes that direct water to sewer drains.
I believe that is what @Noah.Nowhere was addressing, he just worded it wrong. But I could be wrong in assuming that's what he meant.
I find it kinda funny that people think it’s an eyesore when most of North America is just boxes disguised as buildings…
Just look across the street of the cube.
It’s a litteral box.
I am from the Netherlands and lived in Rotterdam. The ones in Rotterdam are beautiful and lovingly cared for, what also really helps is that the space underneath is developed and made nice, so it doesn’t feel like an oilrig dumped on shore. Funnily enough the ones in Rotterdam wheren’t the first, in Helmond you can find the first ones build.
Warm greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱!
And good it atleast is captured on camera, so it atleast is digitally preserved.
cool comment. what year were they designed/ built originally, its very interesting concept.
are materials and build quality what differs the most from one in Toronto?
@@biljanas7931 heya it was part of a research program in how faster, cheaper and more efficient ways of building could be used without turning it into depressing Soviet esque flatblocks. They wanted to see far they could push it with the then quite new forms of reinforced concrete, prefab building parts and fast building. There a various buildings still left, including spherical ones(bolwoningen) and a whole neighbourhood on stilts(de Kasbah) The program ran for quite a while, with intervals from 1965(the year architect Piet Blom finished his study "Living as an urban roof" till 1984, the year the now famous Cubehouses in Rotterdam where finished.
The program wasn't a direct succes as in there are now Cubehouses everywhere but it was mainly meant as a testbed for how u could use concrete in other ways than just make blocks, and an in-depth research to how architecture informs social interaction between neighbours. The lessons from this project are still being used succesfully to this day. And it works. I am Dutch myself so i am kinda used to it, taking it for granted. Normal is normal u know. But when i go abroad and see neighbourhoods who lack this kind of planning it is shocking and often sad.
Warm greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱.
It’s not much if it’s not Dutch!
@@biljanas7931 1974 for the three in Helmond, Netherlands and 1977 for the ones in Rotterdam.
The three in Toronto were built in 1996.
@@blackprince7510 no way, remember the great pub Rotterdam back then, also had Amsterdam.
Always thought the buildings were cool.
i always wondered what was inside these cubes when i was a kid. thank you for sharing this with us! it's a shame they're not more well loved.
A shame that it wasn’t preserved properly. It would be an amazing design work space. Can’t wait to see the finished project. Thanks to Alex for letting Noah film a tour!
90s doesn't count as historic but when it comes to private property you can always buy it and preserve it yourself.
@@BGRANT777X You first.
This is why renters get a bad name.
@@bunsw2070 nah, tear that shit down.
I'd love to see the studio again once it's completed!
Pretty cool place, horrible location, horrible upkeep. Alex, who's footing the bill for these upgrades? That's going to be a pretty penny to make nice! It's also a fire hazard, that fire escape is unusable in its current state. Getting that in order should be a day one job. You have to go down stairs to access it. Don't put too much of your own money into a place that could only be yours for a few months. Alex, stop and think with a clear mind before you walk into this! I'd hate to see you lose alot of money and time in this place. I wish you the very best! Be smart and be safe! Keep us posted!! I look forward to it.
Thanks Noah!
Such a noisy space too with all the traffic going by!
What a weird and neat idea. I'm glad you got to explore this and share it with us! Big thanks to your friend Alex!
i lived in Scarborough for 4 yrs and had gone past that building so many times- it was in 1996 to 2000 so saw it when brand new and under construction- had always wondered what inside looked like, thanks for sharing
Roof first ...
Inside next ..
Best of luck .👍✌️
It was my understanding that the idea behind the cubes was not only a proposal for alternative housing, it was primarily tasked with creating more livable space whilst using the least amount of ground space. Which when you think about it, it has actually succeeded. It's one cube base ( probably around 500 sq ft of land ) that holds 3 cubes ( each was aprox. 1000 sq. ft, I would guess ) arched on their tips.
This is so interesting! I love the concept and the look of it. Thank you for sharing this! And thank you to your friend for letting us have a looksee inside.
Interesting building! Designing something like this is certainly "thinking outside the box..." Thanks Alex and Noah!! Interesting!!
Hi Noah
I never knew cube houses existed. It’s really cool and different. I like the idea of your
friend making music there and letting others come in if they want to rent. I like
the idea and it sure is different. Yes I think you should come back after Alex
does all the renovations so we can see the after.
A really cool and interesting subject Noah. Stay safe and well.👍🆒
Fascinating. I've always wondered about 3 Cube building. Thanks for the tour. Alex, I hope that the music studio is successful.
A huge eye sore??? Naww, try Sudbury 4 hours North... They painted our old hospital on Paris Street a rainbow acid trip with butterflies. Pretty sure we win that award 🤣
I just looked it up. What the heck. They should have destroyed it instead of wasting paint.
@@swedishhousemfia rumour has it... They will be tearing it down
@@mamajuana3603 science north just old lol.. smoke stack coming down but that hospital.. what the hell 😂😂
Roof probably doesn't leak though
WOOOAHHHH!! That sounds super stellar man! Like totally gnarly to the core bro! Wicked flex I dig it dude, I'm a visit soonest weekend I've got extra cashola🤙🤙
Very interesting space Noah! Thank you and your friend for sharing. 😊👍
Thank you!!! I've always wondered about these building they are so interested. Appreciate the video
Yes I would love to see it when it's renovated for sure
I would love to see this again once it is finished. I never knew that cube houses 🏘 existed. Thanks for the video.
Noah please make a revisit when the studios are complete. That would be neat. Thank you Alex for letting Noah do the tour. I always wondered what these looked like inside.
Love it amazed by tiny houses as well. U do good explores anywhere u go keep i keeping on!!!
Hi from Australia 🇦🇺. Wow was a weird cool place 😊. Yes I would like to see the update .Thanks for sharing.
What a unique place. Glad you took us with you. Would love to see how it turns out.
Sure, we want to see the studio when it is up and going. Thanks for the tour of the cubes.
Those cubes are really cool I’ve never seen anything like that. Love the videos!!
Very cool. Great idea for a music studio. I can see the creative types using this kind of building. Too bad it wasn’t maintained. Very unique-and definitely show us the completed project.
I am not sure why people think cubes could solve affordability. The expence is in the land not the construction meterials/ design.
It’s because it is based on an experimental program from my country, when the cubehouses where tested it was to quickly and cheaply build houses, land wasn’t that much of an issue because we would just make more land. So the research looked into making the houses quickly and cheaply. The houses where basically an exercise in what can you do with concrete and stuff. There are also spherical houses, in Den Bosch. The research was really useful and lot’s of lessons where learned that are still applicable but the cubehouses and spherical houses themselves where not continued. But we kept them and they’re loved and cared for because of how unique they are.
When you walk between them it feels like village of treehouses, it’s quite cozy and there is lot’s of space on the ground because they have a small footprint. In Rotterdam they used that space to have place for small shops between them, there is even a tiny museum about chesspieces.
Today, building materials & labour are very expensive
It looks cool but I don’t think it’s an efficient use of space.
Ideas of liberals.
@@bunsw2070 Yep
So cool. I’ve seen those for years and was very curious to see the inside. Thank you!!!
WHat a great idea to repurpose this building! Very cool and different explore. I'd love to see the finished product
Cool! Thanks, I’ve always wondered what they were like inside! I’ve always loved them
Yes, please show us when the studio is completed. It's so awesome to see someone growing their dreams.❤
WOW! How cool is that. I remember I used to take the Queen streetcar and get off by there, walk right past the cube buildings a few times a week in the 90's to Cherry Beach Sound to rehearse at the studio's, down past the bridge. Never thought I'd ever see inside! Thanks, man!! Made my day and brought back some great mems.😃
They are NOT an eyesore. A very cool idea, why not. I love the location right beside a ramp !! It must be a little disorienting to live in though.
Dreadfully noisy!
Yes, they were quite noisy and having cars headlights shining in through the corner skylights was , umm, disco like, lol.. Funny story. I assumed that people couldn't see inside because the skylights were sun bleached , weathered and had a haze on them. Living alone, I would shower and walk around naked getting ready in the morning. One day I was at a friends dinner party and one of the guests said, " so I heard you live in those cubes on Sumach & River" , I replied "yes, I do" . He said "you know, a few times when I've driven by, there's been a guy walking around his place stark naked. I don't think he realizes that he's giving a drive by show to anyone on that Richmond exit ramp". Since there were only 2 out of the 3 that were residences, I hesitated and then replied, " ummm, yeah, so that would probably be me, hehe..." Everyone had a good laugh about it. To make the whole experience even more cringy, he said "by the way nice top shelf". Gulp, " Umm , thank you? I think ?"
This building is the most unique thing that I have ever seen. I'd love to see the studio when its done.
Very cool to see inside this building after living in the area and passing by this place hundreds of times.
Thanks so much for this video, I always wanted to see inside of that building. That's awesome. I didn't think it was being used. Very trendy & artistic people would love to live inside that place!
thanks for coming by noah!
I love it creative people see more then jus damp walls and damaged floors ❤
@@tammyroszel3478He might wanna give Mike Holmes a call
Thanks for showing😊
Dude, they are litterally showing, like hey no one is here at night and there is a 100 grand worth of equipment here.
That's the coolest building!!
I live nearby and have been curious about it, thanks for showing us around!
Don’t know why I got this on my feed but I appreciate!
Subbed, you seem like a chill dude.
very cool. Have driven past the cubes countless times so it was great seeing inside. Would be great to see what Alex does with it. It's too bad they are being demolished. I can imagine a creative type using that great height to advantage.
I never gave it a second look all these years never even thought about it. My first thought though is accessiblity. And I was pumped for the video.
The top floor definitely had the 90's vibe.
Cool to see my old condo/hood again!
Always wanted to see what the cubes look like inside! ❤
So many of us did!
Hi Noah from West Virginia USA 🇺🇲👋 I like watching your videos 👍😎 cube houses 🤔 they look unique and cool
This is one of the coolest places I've ever seen!
For years passed this on the way to rehearsal and work - thought for years it was just an art project - good to know someone’s putting it to use
It’s such a landmark. Thanks Noah. I finally get to see the inside of this cool building after many years. Super sick. Thank you Alex. Yes please more vids of the studio.
How cool 😎 I enjoyed that 😊
@@thewestcoastwizard1 💜✨️💫
What an interesting place,thanks for showing us Noah, I’d love to know what happens to this building 😊👍🏻
Very cool spot. I would like to see it when it's done. I would like to try it when it's done lol.
Wild. So weird. Do like the views of the city. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Love❤ yes go back when finished!
I used to work at the corner of Front and Parliament. My colleagues and I used to walk around the area for exercise and sometimes comment about the cube buildings. I would imagine that the interior would have a futuristic look. I am disappointed that they have not been maintained better. Thank you for the tour.
I love what he’s doing with the place!
I think it works best as a creative space
This place was really really cool. It’s a shame that the building is showing wear and tear but I’m glad your friend is making something out of it and I wish him the best of luck. I’ve seen homes made of shipping containers but never anything like this. It’s neat in the city setting but I could imagine this on a larger plot of land with creative landscaping softening the angled structure. Really interesting video. Thanks Noah for sharing. Never realized Toronto was such a large city.
Over 8 million ppl in Toronto
Good job noah
Such an inspiring building
Definitely go back please 😊
Wow this is strange looking. Interesting. Great explore Noah! 😊😊😊
Wow that's wild i think what Alex is doing is a great idea i would love to see the finished product and did he make that theme sound for you
Wow so neat
Would love to see this unique place finished. ❤
This video is cool, it also makes me wonder about can value be calculated for structures that can be seen by drivers coming in and add to the excitement or creating the perception of an area
So..maybe I missed the ultimate goal here 🤔 there is no knowledge of when the owner may decide to condemn this property and tear it down, but meanwhile money is going to be spend on upgrading all the spaces for music production? Theres no way I would drop a dime on this place unless there was a plan to repair the roof. A contractor is coming in to basically do cosmetic superficial repairs on water damage, but its just going to happen again 🤷♂️ I agree tho, that is a super cool building..it just needs tons of repair, from top to bottom.
It seems they were evicted, just weeks after this video was posted.
Over christmas...
The developer seems like a POS
@@moonkitten420 Why would any developer want to spend money trying to preserve them? It would cost far more to renovate than they were worth.
@@moonkitten420why were they evicted ? Everyone including the tenant who lived there ?
@@lililinda6947 I'm not 100% positive, but from what I read there was a hike in rent, but they ended up having the money on time. And the developer still went through with the eviction, seems like they were just pushed out.
@@blackprince7510 while I agree with you, there are a few things it could be used for, so it's not a far reach to say they should be saved.
But if you're referring to the developer being a POS, it's because he could have waited until after the holidays, at the very least..
I always wondered what these were like inside. They are quite cool...I would cetainly consider living in one if I had the chance!
I love the cube pretty neat. Differently do an update.I bet it will look nice.
Oh Wow interesting I always thought it had some kind of Telecommunications stuff inside. I think I remember seeing the ctv truck outside, probably why I made that connection.
I was in Amsterdam and I saw the Cube houses it was just amazing to look at.
The cube houses are in Rotterdam, not Amsterdam.
Affordable housing? There are plenty of ideas and builds that are alternatives to this mess.
Also, I’m confused. Would these be built in threes and on that precarious base!?
Yeah the whole video was kinda convoluted.Affordable housing/lookin for somebody to take it away for free/gonna fix it up for a recording studio?
I don't know, strange.
Terrible idea, terrible execution, terrible building.
Really cool building.
this is wild, who would have thought it was this beat up?
I would love to see the completed project!
OMG! I have always wanted to see the inside of this place. I may have to rent it out for my daughter to do some photography with her friends. They are all Art Students.
Of course technology has changed so much. My friend's husband did a video walk through for these when they were built.
No way José! I'd fall out a window in an inebriated moment and go splat!
😲👍
THE END
I worked acroos the street from this building years ago. I always wondered about that house.
its possibly the most cyberpunk thing i've ever seen in toronto
you can see why this idea never took off. too much wasted space. take a box and waste like 30% of its space. thats the cube.
Hey this is really cool. Thank you for sharing. Can we somehow save these? I like them and don't want them to be moved or torn down.
nothing wrong with a flat roof....as long as you maintain it. my dad's house, and two of the neighbours, are flat roofed. houses are probably 70-80 yrs old. we've had the odd leak but not that kinda damage. all the owners were cheap and lazy
Yeah I dont think he noticed the thousands of other flat roofs in Toronto 😂
What a wacky place! I’ve been in one of those octagon houses and it’s a decoration nightmare. Can’t hang pictures on concave walls… I think it’s perfect for these guys though!
Should change into an airbnb. I love to look through the window. It’s so unique.
Wow been living in Toronto and seeing this thing my whole life. crazy to see the inside of it. too bad its so run down. it definitely got neglected and never went through reno's . its in very rough shape
Thank you, I always wanted to see this place. Too bad about the water leaks & the possibility of a looming demolition. Due to the unusual shape & a poor location I'm afraid it's very impractical for most people.
I hope Alex & his friends will be alright.
They have nice lighting.
😆
@@JohnShinn1960 😜🤣
But doesn't look like there are any windows to open & let in airflow?
You should try to visit the original in Rotterdam. Totally different. Also really nasty weather here but they don’t sit under a highway
Hi Noah, GTSY 👋 How cool is that . I would definitely like to see a follow-up video of Alex's cube project.❤ On another note I at 70 have started a channel, and am learning the ropes of being a creator.
Amazing!! Congrats!! How's it going?
@@birgip.m.1236Rreal good.
So what's your channel focused on?
@@SammyW.C. "Let me offer you a glimpse into my life in a small town, as well as the rural lifestyle of the surrounding areas."
I remember when these were first build. Looking pretty run down now!
Happy to finally get to see what's inside. Studio is a dumb idea though. Toronto drivers will have cameos as traffic noise and horns in the recordings. Lol
Wow, different!
Guy who lives there must love a music studio going in next door 🤣
When you say, like everything in Toronto, it’s been tagged over the years… I guess it depends on where you live, I’ve never seen a tag. I live at Avenue Road in St. Clair. Most of my life is Forest Hill Village and Yorkville. Never seen a tag.
Definitely different. Unique
Always wandered what these were all about.
Wow, how you work this space, mount walls shelfs to make 7se more humm