What Lies Beneath: Cool Things to Build Underground
Category Design Tips
Building out or up are obvious ways to increase space at home, but innovative architects and designers are also looking beneath the surface to help homeowners gain some room to move. And we’re not just talking about basements.
Underground cool rooms, swimming pools, bunkers and even basketball courts are some of the astonishing additions being built underground. Take a look at these inspiring designs from across the globe — they could open up a world of possibilities at your house.
1. Basketball court. When you have four active, sports-loving boys ages 13 and younger, a basketball court is likely to get plenty of use. Few homeowners can spare the space in their backyard for such an addition, but having room underground is a whole other story. It wasn’t cheap to excavate enough space beneath the backyard of this home in Melbourne, Australia — the basketball court has 20-foot ceilings — but it’s a much-valued addition.
2. Toy storage. Recessing play areas into a raised floor, which double as a place for kids to stash their toys, is a novel approach in this Melbourne home.
3. Wine cellar. Most wine buffs and lovers of entertaining dream of being able to duck into their own cellar to select the next bottle to share with their friends, but space constraints often make it an unattainable dream. Not in this house.
Architects extended the basement as part of this London home renovation, adding a climate-controlled wine cellar beneath the new kitchen, accessed through a handy hatch cut in the floor.
Going underground outdoors is another option if a wine cellar is a priority and there’s no room to spare elsewhere. This courtyard cubby was created in another London home.
4. Bookshelf. In this unconventional apartment in Thessaloniki, Greece, the living room features an in-floor bookshelf. If you’re wondering whether you have to step over the books to get through the doorway, don’t — that’s an artwork on the wall, not a door.
5. Swimming pool. Located in Edinburgh, Scotland, this new home features an underground swimming pool big enough for laps. It manages to feel airy and inviting with the help of a well-positioned skylight.
6. Garage. A carport or garage can waste valuable space when it’s aboveground, so architects of single residences are following the lead of apartment buildings by putting house garages underground. Adding an elevator from the garage is a handy addition if your budget allows.
Going down? This New York property takes parking to a whole new level with a drive-in parking spot that sinks into the floor.
7. Bunker. When a family of four living in the U.S. Virgin Islands asked their architect to build them a compact new home, there was a catch — it had to be 20 feet underground. Taking a minimalist approach, Robeson Design opted for sliding doors and custom-designed furniture that could be extended or retracted to create convertible living spaces.
The homeowners also have the flexibility of being on or off the grid, with traditional electricity and battery-operated generators as well as solar-powered panels. This family is prepared for anything!
8. Fridge. In Arnhem, Netherlands, an innovative designer created this polyester cellar for urban permaculture enthusiasts who grow and harvest their own fruits and vegetables.
The waterproof, transportable Groundfridge is designed to be buried in the urban or suburban backyard. It can store the same amount of produce as 20 traditional fridges — with little to no use of electricity.
9. Bathroom. An odd-shaped lot drove the design of this new house in Melbourne. The master bedroom, en suite and walk-in dressing room are located in the basement, along with a triple garage, laundry, elevator and lounge area. Going underground gave the master suite the privacy it needed to feel like a sanctuary.
10. Getaway. This holiday retreat dug into the Alpine slopes of Vals, Switzerland, takes underground living all the way.
Author: Joanna Tovia
