Since the earliest forms of human settlement, subterranean architecture has offered one of humanity's oldest responses to the need for shelter. What once represented a basic means of survival has evolved into a sophisticated architectural strategy capable of addressing many of today's urban and environmental challenges. No longer merely an unconventional alternative, underground architecture offers sustainable solutions, improves energy efficiency, reduces visual impact and makes exceptionally intelligent use of space.
Hill House Montecito
Donaldson + Partners
Hill House Montecito seamlessly merges architecture and art while responding sensitively to the natural contours of its hillside setting. Its sinuous form and restrained material palette echo the contours of the landscape, reinforcing the impression that the house has emerged naturally from the terrain.
The circular concrete structure incorporates photovoltaic panels and an extensive green roof, while accommodating a programme tailored to its owners' philanthropic, artistic and domestic lives. Distinct yet interconnected, the social, creative and private areas unfold in a carefully choreographed sequence. Public spaces—including the living room and kitchen—transition effortlessly into more intimate areas such as the bedrooms and private studios, achieving a delicate balance between openness and privacy. An exquisitely orchestrated interplay of light and space dissolves the boundary between interior and exterior, creating a calm, immersive environment.
© Joe Fletcher, www.joefletcher.com
Inside House
Olgooco
Conceived as a response to increasing urban density, Inside House by the Iranian practice Olgooco reinterprets the possibilities of contemporary urban living. Built in a neighbourhood once characterised by generous gardens, the project reintroduces privacy and greenery through a carefully landscaped roofscape and an architecture carved into the ground.
Three subterranean "caves", each measuring approximately 70 square metres, are excavated around a central void that serves as the spatial and emotional heart of the house. This configuration encourages constant interaction with nature, as movement between the various living spaces always passes through open-air environments.
Each of the three volumes functions independently, creating a distinct spatial experience. The living areas receive abundant natural daylight, while the bedrooms are positioned on the opposite side of the courtyard, where light is intentionally moderated to foster a greater sense of intimacy and retreat.
© Deed Studio, www.deedstudio.com
nCAVED House
MOLD Architects
Embedded within the rocky landscape of the Greek island of Serifos, nCAVED House appears to hover above the Aegean Sea. Sheltered from the strong northern winds, the residence preserves the natural profile of the cliff by eliminating any dominant architectural mass, instead existing as a sequence of inhabitable volumes carved directly into the rock.
A rectilinear grid cuts through the slope, generating a three-dimensional composition of solids and voids reminiscent of a spatial chessboard. This rigorous geometry is subtly disrupted by the rotation of the outer grid, opening the principal living space towards expansive sea views and dramatically extending the visual perspective.
In contrast to the massive stone retaining walls, lightweight glazed partitions slide open along the full length of the house. While the eastern façade disappears almost entirely, the rear openings frame a series of internal courtyards that promote natural ventilation while bringing daylight deep into the subterranean interiors.
© Yiorgis Yerolymbos, www.yerolymbos.com
House 75.9
Omer Arbel
Designed by Canadian architect and Bocci founder Omer Arbel, House 75.9 is defined by an extraordinary structural landscape of cast-concrete columns that generate a series of undulating floor plates across the entire footprint of the residence.
The columns, varying in scale and rising to heights of up to ten metres, are fluted at their bases before expanding overhead into water-lily-like canopies. Together with the sinuous concrete walls that extend throughout the house, they were created using an innovative slow-pour casting technique in fabric formwork supported by plywood frames.
This method allows the concrete to cure progressively during construction, significantly reducing hydrostatic pressure while producing remarkably fluid forms and ensuring superior structural integrity at every joint. The result is an architecture in which structural innovation and sculptural expression become one and the same.
© Omer Arbel, www.omerarbel.com
Words by Monica Ady
Discover the full version of this story in Volume III.