There is nothing more comfortable than being at home. Right? No matter how big or small your home is it’s still the most comfortable place in the world. We all love our house and the luxuries we get inside it but have you ever thought how amazing it would be to live in a house that is developed under the surface of the earth?
Yes, we are talking about the underground homes. Despite being a “new concept”, the idea of living in an underground home has inspired a lot of people and therefore it has been gradually accepted and nurtured beautifully in architecture all around the globe.
One could state that underground homes are now a trend. They’re designed to be both environment-friendly and innovative in their design. The world`s population grows and the idea of having an underground retreat grows along with it, we have Lord of the Rings to thank for that happily. While to some people the idea of having an underground home does not fit, there are many who enjoy the idea of living their life as a hobbit, immense fun !
Though the concept of having an underground home is not that common in the present time, there is a huge number of people that would prefer living in a house that is built on the ground, in theory. Somehow, these underground homes are comfortable in their own kinds and they do complete justice to the changing environmental conditions of the earth. The temperature inside these homes changes and adjusts them as per the changes in the temperature of the earth and therefore you can enjoy all the weathers to the maximum.
Talking about the changing conditions of the house, these underground homes can easily get heated while can easily maintain their cooling temperature. Other than this, these houses are not that prone with the changes in the earth’s temperature happening rapidly. As an added advantage these underground houses will be a safe place during the time of any natural disaster. Seeing the benefits that these underground homes provide to their users, many architects are especially working on building such houses with unique features, sometimes innovative designs. A list of interesting underground houses ought to trigger your interest follows, let us have a look.
Missouri is well-known for having amazingly beautiful natural beauty. People go there to get relaxed from the tension their day to day routine yet not many people are aware that the place also has some beautifully built underground house which enriches the local architectural heritage. The underground house in discussion covers around 15,000 square foot and is extremely energy efficient.
The house has been built in the famous sandstone cave of Festus in Missouri and it has been developed with beautiful interiors that signify ease and style. The project of the house has been envisioned so that the temperature of the house is maintained throughout the year without any additional input. There is no need for air conditioning or heating inside the house as geothermal heating handles the place.
Specialties
Geothermal heating
Surrounded by nature’s beauty
Comfortable living experience
Teletubby house – Malator in Druidstones, Wales
The place is not just famous for an underground house in Wales, but its masterpiece of architecture surely helps a great deal, the piece is entitled as Teletubby house.
The house beautifully follows the natural slopes of the terrain that contain it, a splendid glass volumes open it up towards nature, flooding with light and bringing in extraordinary expansive views.
Specialties
Light bath
Expansive views
Floating fireplace adding coziness and warmth in the home`s core
Subdued, does not disturb the environment
Hidden Houses in Lower Silesia, Poland
A concept that is going to be materialized, one that is still classified to the general public beyond the renderings below.
Half of the structure appears to be nestled within the hill while the other half reaches out aggressively towards the sky with an immense cantilevered volume, a sculptural presence that ought to capture extraordinary expansive views.
Specialties
Part contained in geenery
Simple yet creative design
Bold
Flower Petals in Bolton, UK
The author behind the project has been really inspired by the beauty of nature, especially by flowers and the shape of flower petals. Gary Neville – the well-known football captain of Manchester United and the author of the house had to wait for pretty long period of time before actually getting an approval for building such a house, that is all history today happily.
The top view of the house has been inspired by flower petals which cover an area of around 8,000 square foot, this surface nestles no less than 4 bedrooms. The interior of the home is simply bathed in light due to the immense glass surfaces, the home has no back, it is all open, its core being illuminated from above thus shaping a phenomenal space.
Specialties
Unique designing
Flooded by light
Unique terraces beneath ground level
Surrounded and covered by greenery
The Underground House in Cumbria, England
A simple design, one envisioned by John Bodger; it opens up towards the sun on one side, a sloped glass attic and a vertical glass wall bathe the interior with light while soil and greenery create hermetic boundaries on an the remaining three sides.
A humongous interior opens up towards the environment as a result, the heat disadvantage brought by the immense glass surface is being balanced by the thermal advantage brought by soil insulation on the remaining sides, a beautiful trade that speaks greatly about underground homes in general.
Specialties
Immense glass facade
Simple expression
Surrounded by greenery
Light and simplicity
Sedum House in North Norfolk Coast, UK
A spectacular home that harvests the sun, rainwater and the thermal insulation of the soil surrounding it, it ought to be non-intrusive, it ought to offer comfort without harming the environment.
Greenery embellishes it on all sides and natural materials have been used throughout; thanks to the extraordinary insulation the home can be easily cooled and heated regardless of the outside conditions.
Specialties
Almost passive underground home
Harvests rainwater and solar energy
Nestled in greenery and emphasized by it
Extraordinary thermal efficiency thanks to its soil insulation
Estate Lattenstrasse in Dietikon, Switzerland
A small residential ensemble, one that nestles a total of 9 houses which are connected with one another through sets of stairs, all wrapped around a small lake, lush vegetation, a loot of greenery.
A common basement has also been designed for all these 9 houses, this level can either be used as as parking or storage. All these houses are unique in their own layout, they are popularly known as ‘earth houses’ and they use the ground as a natural shield against the elements.
Specialties
Sculptural design
Insulation
Beautiful sight of nature, lake views
Lush, spontaneous vegetation
Stone Desert Home in Greece
A rectangular structure and layout offers the home the possibility of an extraordinarily well thought layout, one that utilizes expansive views on both sites efficiently, it also gathers light and heat extraordinarily well and its position has considered the local winds for the best over all living experience.
The two neighboring hills are now part of the underground home, they protect it from the elements while it takes full advantage of them from a thermal point of view.
Specialties
Efficient use of natural resources
Solid rectangular design
Simple
Cave Dwellings in Kandovan, Iran
These dwellings in Iran are now almost 700 years old and they were formed due to the natural formation of volcanic rock; they are located at the base of mountain Sahand.
Although these were carved inside the mountain years back they have been updated, upgraded in the last 700 years, they now feature carefully carved out windows and doors that allow proper insulation and controlled ventilation thus allowing one to comfortably experience a 700 years old home. These are not technically underground homes as one half of the home is carved in, half is out yet the experience is remarkable and happily anyone can try it as many of these can actually be rented.
Specialties
700 years old heritage carved in volcanic rock
Combination of nature’s beauty and modern needs
Extraordinary experience, one of a kind interior space
Subdued to and defined by their surroundings
Hobbit Home in Vals, Switzerland
As the name suggests, the house has been inspired by the hobbit dwellings in Tolkien`s universe and it happily resides in an area world-renown for its thermal baths thus greatly highlighting potential for the underground home in Vals, Switzerland.
The home uses the natural slope of the terrain to hide its composition elegantly, a large cut opens the slope wide open to bathe the interior with light and capture one of the most extraordinary perspectives that an underground home has seen. In this space an outdoor bathtub, a wooden fire-pit and a barbecue offer one all the comfort that he would need to soak the breathtaking perspectives in. Notice in the picture above how wood is nestled under the sculptural frame of the opening thus greatly complementing the perspective above, simply phenomenally beautiful.
Specialties
Amazing sculpted view
Temperature is maintained automatically
Interiors are rough yet modern
Famous for thermal baths
Bad Blumau Hotel in Austria
This is actually a hotel designed by the world renown architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an underground hotel that is really complete in all senses. It has in total 100 rooms which open up to the various facilities such as spas, gyms, etc. The place has been designed to blend in its setting and thus it is subdued to the natural environment, all embellished by vegetation and breathtaking views all around.
As every Hundertwasser opera the establishment attempts to use natural, organic lines to sculpt a composition without rules, subdued and defined by naturalness. Its interiors however are far more rigid and that happily happens to create an extraordinarily comfortable space for its inhabitants.
Specialties
Exterior subdued to surroundings, boosting the colors of Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Interior defined by comfort
Treat to the eyes
Blend of leisure areas nestled between natural slopes
The Brochs of Coigach in Scotland
The place is one of the most relaxing and beautiful places in Scotland. You can expect to have a life-changing experience in this home nestled in the beauty of nature. The house has been built to offer its residents the best retreat that one could envision. If you love a place where you can sit and enjoy the silence starring at the beautiful view outside then this place has a lot to offer you.
The Brochs of Coigach has a grassy roof which greatly regulates the temperature of the place throughout the seasons. It means that the place can be cool during hot summers and reasonably warm during harsh winters, a great feat as it naturally adapts to different seasons. Natural materials and extraordinary view define it.
Specialties
Nestled in nature
Peaceful, calm retreat
Natural material throughout
Villa P in Bressanone, Italy
A home impeccably nestled in a wine-cultivated slope that uses natural materials in the Isarco Valley to erect itself without disrupting.
Parallel walls are creating a balanced game between materials, layers that form spaces resulted from distances that dissolve into the breathtaking views as you get step further in. The extraordinary views evolve as the grapevines embrace it in greenery for 8 months per year, autumn colors color it even further for two months immediately followed by winter that clears out the landscape through an extraordinary white that will only renew during spring.
Contemporary blends shape the interiors seamlessly, no compromises on comfort have been made by manipulating the interior perspectives.
Specialties
Impeccable contemporary interior design
Use of natural materials
Surroundings defined by the seasons emphasizing the underground home
Elegant, subdued silhouette
Dune House in Atlantic Beach, Florida
Dune house can be viewed as a benchmark for the various underground houses built, it been envisioned and built by William Morgan – world renowned architect, also famous for making the underground Florida Hilltop house.
The shape of the house appears to be as a seashell viewed from the beach. It has been constructed as a duplex covering around 750 square feet individually. The house has got many distinguishing elements like a curved staircase, sleeping loft, all sculpted by naturalness, a retreat in in extraordinary place defined by peace, tranquility.
The homes is now on sale on the market of whooping 1.4 million dollars.
Specialties
Spacious organicity
Extraordinary desirable site
Sculptural composition throughout
Subdued to its setting
Elf-Inspired Rock Homes in Iceland
These homes have been built in the peculiar rock that is standing high in the base of the mountains of Eyjafjoll.
The dwelling is defined by its settings and attempts not to disrupt the whole with its presence, breathtaking views inside the home, local materials and the footprint of the home itself are stolen from the environment and rearranged as a retreat.
Specialties
One of a kind living experience
Natural materials
Isolated from the mundane
Elf Inspired
Caves in Nottingham, England
A vibrant and really friendly city Nottingham is, it is a destination that in theory has something to offer to each and everyone yet it is the legendary past that appeals to us though, the suite of lace, caves and castles that constructed a labyrinth, one that sums up over 400 caves.
You have the chance to explore on foot certain caves today, the Victorian slum, air raid shelters and the tannery for example. Clearing above ground, a castle in Nottingham sculpts the city skyline to mark its history; while the original castle has been burnt down during the English civil war, the medieval gatehouse remains as an original artifact of the past. Mystery will fuel the exploration thirst of travelers in Nottingham.
Get lost, roam free, discover.
Specialties
Heritage
Sculpted in rock
Readily available for exploration
Nas Montanhas de Fafe in Portugal
Constructed between immense boulders, the home is nothing short of extraordinary as it uses natural materials to complete the space between these immense boulders thus seamlessly integrating in the surroundings whilst leaving space for normal features such as windows, doors and a slopping roof.
While the home is clearly above the ground the elements defining it bring it to our list, the living experience is clearly closer to an underground home than an above ground home.
Specialties
The Flintstones may have lived in this home
Epic use of boulders
Natural materials used
Extraordinarily well integrated in its setting
Outrail House in Poland
The architects descrive the home as follows.
A green clearing surrounded by forest was the only context for the proposed small house. Hence the idea to “carve out” a piece of the grass-covered site, move it up and treat it as the roofing to arrange all the required functions underneath. When the whole was ready, the client came up with another request, to create some space for a small recording studio and a conservatory.
The latter was obtained by linking the ground floor with the grassy roof through an “incision” in the green plane and “bending” the incised fragment down, inside the building.
This procedure turned the roof into an atrium, as the only way to reach it was through the interior of the house. As opposed, however, to a typical atrium, the newly-created space has all the advantages of an outer garden while remaining a safe, internal zone within the building.
A new home took shape with this intricate thought process behind it, a typical atrium became the definition the building`s exterior and interior alike without sacrificing on comfort. It now isolates a rock musician from the rest of home with a simple shift upwards, everything nestled in a green heaven that speaks about sustainability and unparalleled comfort subdued to its settings.
Specialties
Unique concept and expression
Subdued to a green environment
Tailored to personality
Sculptural composition and beautifully carved interiors
Cuevas del Pino – House Cave in Sacromonte, Spain
A small architectural act in a natural setting encloses a home, everything remains bare, everything remains natural.
Intrusive interventions have been avoided at all costs in order to preserve the organic naturalness of the cave, it has been balanced out with modern, rectangular lines that now enclose the home. The establishment follows the massive slope of the rock and thus it has windows facing south, gathering as much light as possible within, stark white walls further emphasize the feeling of space in this underground, under-rock home. The stark white walls also create an elegant contrast with the natural rock medium, a beautiful, artistically balanced work of art throughout.
Specialties
Beautiful contrast between white and rock surfaces
Spontaneous, natural, organic spaces contained
Equilibrium obtained through a modern intervention in a difficult environment
Conclusion
Underground homes are all about uniqueness, about simplicity in beautiful environments that should not be harmed nor be ignored. The closeness to earth is also a feeling that many of us pursue when looking for a place to call home and while this is something rare in the “traditional” real estate market house with underground homes it is readily available and even more beautifully, it is always different, distinct, one of a kind.
Every home has a different access, a different type of soil surrounding it, a different natural realm unraveled before it, this is a package that cannot suffer comparison and getting a home appraised is no easy task, especially when it comes to such a particular home. Underground homes are niche segment that thrives, it always will, it is simply extraordinary.
What do you think ?
Would you be interested living in an underground house?
We would love to hear from you in the comment section below !
Architect
Anton Giuroiu
Anton is a RIBA accredited architect, when he's offline, he spends his time with the sculpta.ba architecture practice or in the MKR.S crafting studio, laser engraving and laser cutting architecture models. In his free time he geeks over taking care of his pencil and mechanical pencil collection.
Expertises: Architecture, Interior design, Home improvement, Drawing, Laser machining
