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
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Subterranean Japanese Libraries
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3D-Printed House Neighborhoods
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Sink-Inspired Public Restrooms
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Cat-Centric Compact Homes
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Cube-Combining Tiny Homes
This Unique Tiny Home Uses Modular Spaces to Enable Flexible Use
Elegant Treehouse Designs
Studio MEMM Has Developed a Beautiful Treehouse in Brazil
Displaced Persons House Designs
The Essential Homes Research Project Has a Bunker-Like Form
Greenery-Sheathed Architecture Offices
This Building Will House the Offices Of 'VTN Architects'
Automated Vertical Car Parks
Daniel Statham Studio Designs the Future Car Park in China
Glamorous Camping Experiences
Volodymyr Hahonin Designs the LULU Glamping Experience
Supermarket-Style Pavilions
Venice Architecture Biennale's Latvian Pavilion Has a Familiar Form
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
Underwater Bicycling Parking Lots
Amsterdam Opens up a Large Underwater Lot at Centraal Station
Treehouse-Inspired Norwegian Residences
This House Aesthetically Connects With its Surroundings
Futuristic Auto Micro Factories
Most Architecture Unveils a Modern Factory for Charge Cars
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
Stunning Hotel Designs
Located in Puerto Escondido, Casa TO Was Designed by Ludwig Godefroy
Trapezoidal Concrete Forest Homes
Ksa Studený Designs a New Home Looking Over a Forest
Cave-Inspired Installations
Cave Bureau Design an Installation for Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Beautifully Sculptural Concrete Museums
Qatar Museums Unveils Official Images of the Lusail Museum
Plant-Covered Concrete Homes
Studio Symbiosis Designs the Villa KD45 in Delhi with a Terraced Roof
Playfully Renovated Homes
This Home Has a Slide, Swings and Rock-Climbing Wall
Circus Tent-Inspired Holiday Homes
Cubo Design Architect Designs the Circus Home in Japan
Ultra-Compact Bungalow Designs
Satish Jassal Architects Completes the Haringey Brick Bungalow
Stunningly Whimsical Playgrounds
XISUI Design Draws Inspiration from Natural Forms Such as Caves
Multi-Generational Houses
AUN Design Studio Designs the Reflection House in Bangkok, Thailand
Philosophical Residential Skyscrapers
Mercedes-Benz Places is Now Under Construction in Miami
Water-Inspired Theatre Designs
Open Architecture Unveils Its Plans for the Yichang Grand Theatre
Sci Fi-Themed Glamping Retreats
The 'Outpost X' Retreats Boast An Ancient Yet Futuristic Aesthetic
Silver Curtain Concrete Homes
Local Studio Bangkok Tokyo Architecture Designs the House K
Curved Concrete Hotels
Atelier d’More Transforms a Two-storey Building into a Contemporary Hotel
H-Shaped Structural Mountain Homes
Studio B Architecture + Interiors Designs the Villa H
Deep-Sea Exploration Bases
This Underwater Research Station Can House Scientists For Long Periods
A-Frame Forest Tranquil Houses
Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados Designs a New Forest Home
Bunker-Borne Vacation Homes
This Subterranean Home Was Formerly a Wartime Bunker
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Sloped Dark Wooden Homes
Studio MM Designs the South Mountain House in Upstate New York
Brutalist-Inspired Suburban Apartments
STUDIOTAMAT Designs the Casa Rude Residence in Rome
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
Quaint Alpine Minimal Cabins
New Zealand Studio Well Architecture Designs the Kererū Retreat
High Concrete Walled Homes
Cesar Mancillas Creates a Linear Home with Tranquil Elements
Temple-Inspired Idyllic Homes
Schemata Architects Designs the New K Residence Overlooking the Sea
Excavated Underground Living Space
Cera Stribley Creates the New Hideaway House on a Lot
Large Headquarter-Transformed Housing
Studio Egret West Designs Hayes Park Central and South
Subterranean Garden Installations
Tideway is Bringing Attention to the Thames Tideway Tunnel
Copper Shell-Enclosed Museums
Wutoqpia Lab Designs the Copper Blockhouse Space in China
Virtual Pub Museums
Heineken Pub Museums Spotlight Important Cultural Locations
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
Vaulted Glass Structure Additions
A Vaulted Roof is Added to the Domino Sugar Refinery
Rejuvenated Former Bank Buildings
This Dutch Building Now Boasts Solar Panels & Insect Hotels
Monolithic Concrete-Clad Pavilions
Alberto Campo Baeza Collaborated with Miguel Quismondo
Pyramid-Like Suburban Homes
Oza Sabbeth Architects Designs a New Hamptons House with Unique Roofs
Vibrant Tonal Spanish Apartments
Colombo and Serboli Architecture Designs a Barcelona Apartment
Blocky Extended Transformed Bunaglows
O'Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects Adds Levels to a Bunalow
Remote Work-Catering Modern Homes
Studio Plow and Brit Epperson Creates a Workspace-Home
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Prefabricated Exposed Structural Homes
Workshop Architecture Inc Designs the Unfinished House
Caterpillar-Shaped Apartment Buildings
Undecorated Developed an Eye-Catching Metal Building
Off-Grid Self-Sufficient Island Homes
Vollebak and Bjarke Ingels Design the Earth House in Canada
Landscape-Concealed Cultural Centers
The Chaohu Natural and Cultural Centre Boasts a Hidden Design
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Elevated Timber-Clad Homes
Habitable Form Designs the Victory Bay House on Kiawah Island
Tent-Like Exhibition Pavilions
Buero Wagner Creates the Adaptable Black Pavilion in Rome
Shed-Like Storage Facilities
Lahznimmo Architects Designs the Powerhouse Castle Hill
Self-Sustaining Houses
Archiopteryx Designs the People Tree House in Noida, India
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
Underwater Bicycle Parking Garages
Wurk's Submerged Garage is Next to Amsterdam's Central Station
Subtly Concealed Wineries
Aleš Fiala Designs the Gurdau Winery in the Czech Republic
Rustic Ruin-Inspired Aquariums
Tatiana Bilbao Estudio Designs The Sea of Cortez Research Center
Suspended Off-Grid Treetop Homes
Snøhetta and Tor Helge Dokka Designs the House Dokka
Mirrored-Detailed Garden Cafes
IDIN Architects Designs Structures for Nana Coffee Roasters
Exposed Concrete Factory Structures
Iksoi Studio Adds a Concrete Grid to the Mallcom Factory
Roman Villa-Inspired Home Extensions
EBBA Architects Designs the Cast House Extension Project
Generously Glazed Spiral Buildings
This Building is Inspired By Czech Glassmaking Tradition
Crystalline Chinese Museum Buildings
The 'Space Crystal' Building Looks Like An Otherworldly Rock
Industrial Architecture-Themed Installations
The Industrial Archaeology Series is Based on Design
Industrial Concrete Structural Offices
Diez + Muller Arquitectos Designs a New Office for Novopan
Volcano-Surrounding Modern Homes
Schwartz and Architecture Design the New Leit House
Elevated Treetop Modern Cabins
NAMO Architecture & i29 Architects Create the Buitenverblijf Nest
Metal-Wrapped Exhibition Spaces
Trace Architecture Office Creates a Structural Steel Wrap
Energy-Efficient Museum Complexes
This Museum Uses Innovative Design to Curb Energy Consumption
Underwater Bicycle Parks
VenhoevenCS Architecture + Urbanism Completes the IJboulevard
Monolithic Sleek Summer Homes
Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter Creates the Vollerup Atrium Home
Chic Nautical-Inspired Apartments
TENKA ARKITEKTURA Designs a Stylish and Textured Apartment
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Sculptural Canteliver Concrete Houses
Espacio 18 Arquitectura Designs the Casa del Alma
Compact Calming Homes
Batay-Csorba Architects Masterfully Designed a Modern Brick Home in Toronto
Perforated Brickwork Office Buildings
Tropical Space Designs the Premier Office in Vietnam
Parisian Haussmann-Era Apartments
Uchronia Designs a New Opulent Apartment in Paris
Greenery-Topped Winery Designs
This Czech Winery Complex Pays Tribute to its Green Surroundings
Elevated Garden-Filled Buildings
Snøhetta Designs the New Cloud 11 Building in Bangkok
Modern Water Tower Apartments
Zecc Architecten Creates a Series of Elevated Apartments
Amorphous Public Restrooms
People's Architecture Office Designs the Amoeba Public Restroom
Concrete South Korean Cafes
On Architects Designs the Nonspace Cafe Space in Incheon,
Cave-Like Discovery-Themed Centers
Studio Gang Designs the Gilder Center in Manhattan
Waterfront Social Housing
Studioninedots Designed Stepped Buildings in Amsterdam,
Forested Residential Buildings
GAAGA Designs the Forest Bath Building Framed by Tree Trunks
Stilts-Reading Suspended Homes
ElasticoFarm Designs The Hole with the House Around in Italy
Sustainable Cubic Homes
Appels Architekten Designs a New Wooden Home in Germany
Waved Metal-Wrapped Buildings
SO-IL Designs the 9 Chapel Residences Located in Brooklyn
Red Concrete Exhibition Centers
Mix Architecture Designs the Red Box Exhibition Center
Minimal Urban City Apartments
GRT Architects Designs the East Village Apartment in NY
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
Water Tower-Transformed Apartments
Zecc Architecten Designs the Amsterdamsestraatweg Water Tower
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
Swept Roof Underground Museums
Wutopia Lab Designs the Roof of the Deep Time Palace in China
Low-Lying Limestone-Clad Schools
Amelia Tavella Architectes Designs the Fossil Building
Curved Brick Rooftop Structures
Sukchulmok Adds New Structure to the Parconido Bakery Cafe
Mass-Timber Transport Hubs
BIG and A+ Architecture Build the Marengo Multimodal Transport Hub
Unconventional Chinese Housing Estates
Atelier GOM Designs the Longnan Garden Estate
Sculptural Concrete Hotel Designs
Atelier d’More Designs the Sleeping Lab Hotel in Beijing
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
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
Illuminating Water-Based Pavillions
Daniel Ryabakken Installs the Shelter Pavilion in Stockholm
Eco-Friendly Antarctic Research Buildings
The 'Discovery Building' Aims to Cut Carbon Emissions
Renovated Retro Ski Lodges
Hetedik Műterem and Studio Konstella Extend the Normafa Ski Lodge
Rustic Contemporary Bunkhouses
SHED Architecture & Design Unveil the Guemes Island Bunkhouse
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
Domed Underground Sports Centers
Benjamín Murúa Arquitectos Designs the ALMA Complex
Golden Age-Honoring Housing Blocks
Local Studios Create the Seestadt Aspern Housing Project
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Knitted New York Subways
The Straphangers Lounge Recreates the New York Subway with Crochet
Architectural Tranquil Cabin Retreats
Snøhetta Designs the Bolder Lodges in Lysefjord
Black Terracotta Office Buildings
SOM Creates the New 28&7 Building in Manhattan's Chelsea
Terraced Naturally Lit Homes
Unknown Works Designs the Bright Oasis Home in London