These subterranean structures demonstrate that there is plenty of fun to be had below the surface of the earth. Although underground structures may seem like a relatively new idea, this kind of construction is common in many ancient civilizations. In the contemporary era, it is more than just homes that are being embedded within the earth.
In recent years, many companies have relied on subterranean architecture to give their establishment a unique look and design. These commercial buildings may lack foot traffic but they offer a unique experience that is unavailable above ground. Some of these subterranean structures include tunneled sneaker stores, submerged espresso bars and even underground museums.
Aside from commercial use, underground architecture offers a number of benefits for residential homes. Not only are these homes more private but they are often cooler and quieter than structures located above ground. Some of these unique residential homes include subterranean cliff houses, lush underground abodes and homey nuclear bunkers.
28 Stunning Subterranean Structures
From Lush Underground Abodes to Submerged Espresso Bars:
Katherine Pendrill — Sep 10, 2015 — Art & Design
28
Subterranean Cliff Houses
Open Platform for Architecture's Casa Brutale is a Striking Glass Home
27
Submerged Luxury Homes
H2OME Offers Luxury Living Space Under the Ocean
26
Extremely Split Houses
Villa Kogelhof by Paul de Ruiter Architects is Dramatically Divided
25
Luxurious Nuclear Protected Bunkers
This Underground Home Was Built to Survive War in Style
24
Subterranean School Facilities
BIG Has Designed an Art Building Underneath This School Field
23
Submerged Mountain Museums
This Massive Concrete Structure is Partially Embedded in a Mountainside
22
Submerged Luxury Homes
Dubai's Floating Seahorse Homes Offer Views of Underwater Marine Life
21
Secluded Panoramic Abodes
House H by AOZ Creates Privacy without Compromising Stellar Views
20
Beautified Bomb Shelters
The Bunker Pavilion is a Reclaimed Refuge with Contemporary Comforts
19
Sunlit Subterranean Parks (UPDATE)
New York's Lowline Lab Will be a Prototype of the Real Lowline
18
Majestic Driveway Homes
KWK Promes Has Transformed This Driveway Into Art
17
Homey Nuclear Bunkers
The $1.7 Million Nuclear Bunker is a Home within a Home
16
Subterranean Espresso Bars
This Toronto Espresso Bar is Located in the City's Underground PATH
15
Shrouded Garden Ateliers
Atelier Pam & Jenny is a Charming Studio in Belguim
14
Reworked Bomb Shelter Farms
These Bomb Shelters Have Been Made into Underground Farms
13
Lush Underground Abodes
This Clever Home Design is Half Hidden to Make for More Space
12
Community Enrichment Projects
This Danish Recycling Center by BIG is a Local Asset
11
Subterranean Theaters
The Rotherhithe Shaft is Being Incorporated Into an Underground Theater
10
Wooden Ark-Like Abodes
'The Barn' House Resembles a Modern Noah's Ark
9
Underground Garage-Inspired Offices
Carlo Bagliani Transforms a Garage into an Architect's Office
8
Sunlit Underground Parks
The Lowline Underground Park is Planned For New York
7
Artistic LED-Lit Tunnels
The Light Lab Installs a Modern Tunnel at King's Cross
6
Underground Transport Skateparks
The House of Vans Skatepark is in Waterloo Station
5
Subterranean Salt Museums
This Salt Mine Has Been Converted into a Museum
4
Tunneled Sneaker Stores
The Sneakerboy Store is an Underground Passage to the Future
3
Supersonic Moving Sidewalks
NBBJ is Hoping to Replace the Circle Line in London a Mobile Pavement
2
Subterranean Bike Trails
The Mega Underground Bike Park is a BMX Travel Dream
1
Tunnel-Based Farms
'Growing Underground' is the World's First Urban Underground Farm
Related Ideas
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Desa Potato Head's Restaurant 'Dome' Exudes Urban Refinement
Nest-Inspired Urban Houses
This Vietnamese Dwelling Offers Respite From the Concrete Jungle
3D-Printed Ceramic Designs
Rameshwari Jonnalagedda Designs the Terramound Series
Cat-Centric Compact Homes
This Japanese Dwelling Embraces Feline-Friendly Design Choices
Automated Vertical Car Parks
Daniel Statham Studio Designs the Future Car Park in China
Glamorous Camping Experiences
Volodymyr Hahonin Designs the LULU Glamping Experience
Serenely Stilted Houses
This Sustainable Tiny Home is Situated On An Elevated Platform
Garden-Centering Urban Townhouses
This Vietnamese Home's Layout is Arranged Around an Inner Garden
Water-Ready Sports Car Concepts
The Citroën Above and Under by Sangheon Chung is Transformative
Prefabricated Miniature Home Concepts
i29 Creates the Câpsula Concept for Dutch Design Week
Treehouse-Inspired Norwegian Residences
This House Aesthetically Connects With its Surroundings
Extreme Space-Saving Architecture
A 74-Square-Foot Apartment is Redefining Urban Living
Futuristic Auto Micro Factories
Most Architecture Unveils a Modern Factory for Charge Cars
Retro Nightlife-Inspired Hotels
Necchi Architecture Designs the Hôtel Château d'Eau
Edgy Futuristic Activations
The Oakley Exoplanetary Bunker in Paris is Otherworldly
Minimal Mid-Century Hollywood Homes
Studio Qasabian Designs the Mulholland Home in LA
Tranquil Elevated Tiny Homes
Jan Tyrpekl Designs the Cozy Zen House in Austria
Mud-Plastered Interior Earthy Homes
Studio Terratects Completes the Urul House in Kerala
Trapezoidal Concrete Forest Homes
Ksa Studený Designs a New Home Looking Over a Forest
Beautifully Sculptural Concrete Museums
Qatar Museums Unveils Official Images of the Lusail Museum
H-Shaped Structural Mountain Homes
Studio B Architecture + Interiors Designs the Villa H
Playfully Renovated Homes
This Home Has a Slide, Swings and Rock-Climbing Wall
Abandoned Bar-Transformed Apartments
XStudio Develops the New House M Workshop Project
Ultra-Compact Bungalow Designs
Satish Jassal Architects Completes the Haringey Brick Bungalow
Cooling Bus Shelter Designs
EMT Madrid Spearheads the Quest for Comfortable Public Transportation
Dramatic Doomsday Bunker Images
Alastair Philip Wiper Documents a Subterranean Fallout Shelter
Silver Curtain Concrete Homes
Local Studio Bangkok Tokyo Architecture Designs the House K
Virtual Pub Museums
Heineken Pub Museums Spotlight Important Cultural Locations
A-Frame Forest Tranquil Houses
Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados Designs a New Forest Home
Deep-Sea Exploration Bases
This Underwater Research Station Can House Scientists For Long Periods
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Remote Work-Catering Modern Homes
Studio Plow and Brit Epperson Creates a Workspace-Home
Partially Buried Tranquil Retreats
WillemsenU Completes the House Under the Ground
Sculptural Sunken Gardens
Montalba Architects Renovates an Iconic Building in Los Angeles
Accessible Space Travel Systems
This Space Elevator Concept by Jordan William Hughes is Wondrous
Underwater Pool Window Residences
SMStudio Designs the Hastings-Sunrise Project in Vancouver
High Concrete Walled Homes
Cesar Mancillas Creates a Linear Home with Tranquil Elements
Gallery-Like Elevated Retail Designs
Format Architecture Office Designs the Leica Store & Gallery
Prefabricated Exposed Structural Homes
Workshop Architecture Inc Designs the Unfinished House
Large Headquarter-Transformed Housing
Studio Egret West Designs Hayes Park Central and South
Swimming Pool-Inspired Venues
Swim Club in Austin, Texas Features Submarine Views
Eco-Conscious Slim Skyscrapers
Muraba and RCR Arquitectes Join to Design the Muraba Veil
Transformed Historic Bank Buildings
Ivy Studio Overhauls the Interior of a Historic Building
Bamboo-Inspired Cultural Buildings
This Cultural Center Seamlessly Blends Into its Surroundings
Illuminated Cave-Like Offices
Javier Senosiain Arquitectos Designs Rugged Office in Mexico
Blocky Extended Transformed Bunaglows
O'Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects Adds Levels to a Bunalow
Wooden Surrounded Concrete Homes
Omer Arbel Presents Designs for a Range of Washington State Homes
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Affordable Social Housing Campuses
Studio Libeskind Creates The Atrium at Sumner Houses
Elevated Timber-Clad Homes
Habitable Form Designs the Victory Bay House on Kiawah Island
Modern Minimal Concrete Homes
Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados Designs the Copas Home
Shed-Like Storage Facilities
Lahznimmo Architects Designs the Powerhouse Castle Hill
Nature-Leveraging Home Designs
PAE Designs the Casa Coaba Tucked in the Hillsides
Oasis-Like Urban Hotels
Montalba Architects Renovates the Nobu Hotel in Palo Alto
Robust Monolithic Walled Homes
H Arquitectes Completes the Casa 1736 in Barcelona
Ethereal Ambiance Speakeasies
NCDA Designs the Artifact Bar with a Subterranean Look
Rustic Ruin-Inspired Aquariums
Tatiana Bilbao Estudio Designs The Sea of Cortez Research Center
Geometric Prefabricated Pavilions
Heams & Michel Architectes Presents the 7 Kiosks Project
Suspended Off-Grid Treetop Homes
Snøhetta and Tor Helge Dokka Designs the House Dokka
Futuristic Curved Islandic Homes
The Collective Studio Co., Ltd Designs the Nest Residence
Japanese-Inspired Elevated Pied-à-Terres
In Situ & Partners Turns to a Minimal Design Aesthetic
Daylight-Filled Treetop Residences
An Architect Couple Designs the Unique Atwater House
Greek Countryside Rural Retreats
Invisible Studio Created the House in an Olive Grove in Corfu
Exposed Concrete Factory Structures
Iksoi Studio Adds a Concrete Grid to the Mallcom Factory
Concrete Boxes-Overlapping Homes
FujiwaraMuro Architects Designs the House in Tsurumi-ku
Crystalline Chinese Museum Buildings
The 'Space Crystal' Building Looks Like An Otherworldly Rock
Underground Station Expansions
Foster + Partners Introduces Two Stations on the Sydney Metro
Brutalist Concrete Tower Apartments
Archmongers Renovates the Trellick Tower in London
Concrete-Supportive Bridged Homes
Stempel & Tesar Design the Villa Sidonius in Czech Republic
Elevated Treetop Modern Cabins
NAMO Architecture & i29 Architects Create the Buitenverblijf Nest
Exposed Concrete Stealthy Homes
OFIS Aritekti Designs the Villa Eternal Way in Slovenia
Metal-Wrapped Exhibition Spaces
Trace Architecture Office Creates a Structural Steel Wrap
Barrel-Vaulted Roof Parks
Bear Architects Designs the Zubitegi Park in Spain
Angular Stealthy Holiday Retreats
The Stay Under the Radar Home is on a Former Military Base
Monolithic Sleek Summer Homes
Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter Creates the Vollerup Atrium Home
Underwater Bicycle Parks
VenhoevenCS Architecture + Urbanism Completes the IJboulevard
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Chic Nautical-Inspired Apartments
TENKA ARKITEKTURA Designs a Stylish and Textured Apartment
Raw Concrete Industrial Homes
Studio Cochi Architects Designs the House in Nishizaki
Railway-Tucked Speakeasy Bars
Cake Architecture Designs the Low-Lit New SOMA 2.0 Speakeasy
Graphic-Accented Brutalist Apartments
Jean Verville Designs a Creative Laboratory in Quebec City
Compact Calming Homes
Batay-Csorba Architects Masterfully Designed a Modern Brick Home in Toronto
White Concrete Boxy Museums
Thomas Phifer Designs the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw
Parisian Haussmann-Era Apartments
Uchronia Designs a New Opulent Apartment in Paris
Urban Skyline-View Apartments
i29 Designs the Apartment with a View in Amsterdam
Textural Brick Structures
Bennetts Associates & Citizens Design Bureau Create BEAM Cultural Center
Concrete South Korean Cafes
On Architects Designs the Nonspace Cafe Space in Incheon,
Stilts-Reading Suspended Homes
ElasticoFarm Designs The Hole with the House Around in Italy
Traditional Sustainable School Designs
Heatherwick Studio Showcases Plans for Universidad Ean
Subway-Lined Waved Panels
Ateneo Used 3D Tech to Form Sculptural Walls Around Wuyuanwan Station
Concrete Cultural Visitor Centers
UAD Completes the Villagers' Home Center in Zhejiang Province
U-Shaped Atrium Hotels
JSa Designs the Hotel Volga in Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City
City-Framing Concrete Residences
Cadence Architects Completes the Design of the K-Home
Red Concrete Exhibition Centers
Mix Architecture Designs the Red Box Exhibition Center
Waved Metal-Wrapped Buildings
SO-IL Designs the 9 Chapel Residences Located in Brooklyn
Open-Air Perforated Concrete Homes
MM++ Architects Designs the Anchor House in Vietnam
Exposed Concrete Steelwork Homes
Objekt Architecten Designs the Lamat House in Wichelen
Modern Museum Versatile Cafes
Tate Modern Unveils a Corner Cafe Designed by Holland Harvey
Spine-Based Central Design Buildings
Foster + Partners Designs the Hangzhou Center
Lighthouse-Functioning Concrete Structures
Lin Architecture Creates the Concrete Pavilion in China
Aegean Architecture-Inspired Home Designs
Studio Kali Designs the Arkhe Collection of Furniture
Bright Three-Story Apartment Buildings
Yu2e Finishes the Axolotl Apartment Building in Los Angeles
Pale Yellow Minimal Townhomes
i.B. Archstudio Designs the VVV Townhouse with Pastel Hues
Rammed Earth Community Buildings
Suphasidh Architects Design the Chonburi Multi-Purpose Building
Shaded Modern Outdoor Furniture
mmcité street furniture Designs the UFO Shelter for Outdoors
Alleyway-Inspired Art Centers
Neri&Hu Completes the New Bund Performing Arts Centre
Low-Lying Limestone-Clad Schools
Amelia Tavella Architectes Designs the Fossil Building
Unconventional Chinese Housing Estates
Atelier GOM Designs the Longnan Garden Estate
Mass-Timber Transport Hubs
BIG and A+ Architecture Build the Marengo Multimodal Transport Hub
Industrial History-Inspired Art Spaces
Coffey Architects Designs the Tannery in London
Architectural Pottery Museums
1+1>2 Architects Designs the Bat Trang Pottery Museum
Trapezoidal Coastal Beach Houses
Emergentes Architectures Sàrl Designed the Dreal House in Chile
Renovated Retro Ski Lodges
Hetedik Műterem and Studio Konstella Extend the Normafa Ski Lodge
Rainforest Lodged Residences
Mestizo Estudio Arquitectura Designs A Lodging in the Pigüe
Rustic Contemporary Bunkhouses
SHED Architecture & Design Unveil the Guemes Island Bunkhouse
Aircraft-Inspired Retreats
Sander van Schaik Designs the Stay Under the Radar Retreat
Dual Level Concrete Galleries
Morphosis Designs the Crow Museum of Asian Art in Dallas
Barrel Vault-Topped Metro Stations
KA Architecture Studio Designs the Jahad Metro Plaza
Plaza-Surrounding Housing Complexes
Tariq Khayyat Design Partners Designs the H Residence
Steel Structural Dynamic Workspaces
Skylab Architecture Builds a New Skylab Office in Oregon
Wine Cellar-Converted Summer Homes
Kapsimalis Architects Designs the Summer House in Mesaria
Transformed Disused Steelwork Structures
Delugan Meissl Designs Expo Cultural Park Greenhouse
Star-Shaped Structural Pavilions
Minsuk Cho Designs the Archipelagic Void Shelter in London
Dynamic Concrete Modern Buildings
Atelier Matias Mosquera Designs the Shire Building
Sloped Concrete Roofed Restaurants
RAD+ar Completes the Aruma Restaurant Design in Jakarta
Brutalist-Inspired Apartment Redesigns
Studio Est Redesigns a Battersea Power Station Apartment
Greenery-Surrounding Lush Homes
Ho Khue Architects Creates the Nest House in Vietnam
Educational Storage Shed Designs
Invisible Studio and Mole Architects Form the Big Roof
Renovated Terraced London Home
EBBA Architects Renovates and Brightens the Camden Residence
Stone Ruin-Transformed Spanish Homes
H Arquitectes Designs the Casa 1627 in Spain
Golden Age-Honoring Housing Blocks
Local Studios Create the Seestadt Aspern Housing Project
Archaeological Protection Initiatives
The Remains of the Curtain Playhouse are Uncovered in London
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Vaulted Compact Merged Homes
Studio Tololo Ugarte Designs the Tiny Vaulted Catalejo Home
Knitted New York Subways
The Straphangers Lounge Recreates the New York Subway with Crochet
Unique Urban Event Hires
London is Renting Tube Stations, Cable Cars, and Piers for Private Hire
Architectural Tranquil Cabin Retreats
Snøhetta Designs the Bolder Lodges in Lysefjord
Terraced Naturally Lit Homes
Unknown Works Designs the Bright Oasis Home in London
Perforated Brick Wall Workshops
Tropical Space Designed the Terra Cotta Workshop