Glass Cube

Surrounded by shops, apartments, offices and hospitality establishments, and an old church in the background, the Glass Cube on the Raaksterrein is an imposing element at the edge of the historic centre of Haarlem. Measuring seven metres high, the entrance pavilion to the underground car park is one of the largest load-bearing glass constructions ever built.

The cube has a unique structure of vertical glass fins with open edges, which are made from one piece of glass. Each vertical side of the glass cube consists of nine glass plates measuring 2.35 m by 2.35 m. Supporting cables, metal connectors and metal roof beams play a crucial role in realizing the design.

The roof has been placed on metal roof supports with glass compression booms, and one side has been placed with a 5% run-off to avoid water accumulation on the roof. The glass roof plates feature a squeegee to aid transparency and to avoid sun-related problems inside. The specks, which have been placed in a random pattern, provide a shadow on the inside of the Cube.

The lift shaft that leads to the car park has been covered with tiles made from brushed stainless steel and is slightly elevated from the natural stone floor.