Underground Architecture: Exploring the Depths of Design

Underground architecture, also known as subterranean architecture, has existed since the beginning of humanity. In the past, people used this concept to create refuges, caves, bunkers, and tunnels. Today, this type of architecture facilitates tackling challenges related to land scarcity and the environment. 

 

In the contemporary world, subterranean architecture’s usage goes beyond shelter as it incorporates art, energy conservation, and modernist design elements. In this blog, we will highlight the meaning, benefits, challenges, and examples of underground architecture.

What is Underground Architecture?

 

This branch of architecture emphasizes a building’s design and construction fully or partially under the earth’s surface. In this method, the natural insulation of the earth is leveraged to ensure protection from extreme temperatures and natural disasters and enhance energy efficiency, and privacy.

 

Subterranean architecture promotes the preservation of the natural landscape and lowers the construction’s environmental impact. Although lighting, moisture control, and ventilation remain the key design challenges, underground structures boost sustainability and innovation for public, commercial, and residential spaces.

Benefits of Underground Architecture

Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency

 

The natural insulation feature of the earth ensures stability in temperature throughout the year. Hence, underground spaces are more energy efficient due to lower requirements for cooling and heating systems.

 

Moreover, subterranean structures can utilize the natural thermal properties of the earth to mitigate energy consumption. It can lead to long-term cost savings. People do home insulation on above-ground structures to maintain optimum temperatures in different weather.

Reduction in Environmental Impact

 

Preserving natural landscapes and open spaces is easy with underground architecture. It lowers the urban development’s environmental footprint and contributes to maintaining ecosystems.

 

Additionally, sustainable materials and energy-efficient systems are used to design underground structures. It can lead to the development of eco-friendly and greener buildings. This concept uses the earth just like local materials are used in vernacular architecture.

Noise Reduction and Sound Insulation

 

The earth reduces external noise pollution as it acts as an amazing sound insulator. Underground buildings foster a peaceful environment, encouraging calmness in noisy urban areas.

 

Underground architecture offers natural seclusion and is ideal for ensuring privacy for a project requiring confidentiality or in places such as offices or homes.

Safety from Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters

 

Subterranean architecture safeguards the building occupants from extreme weather, such as heavy rain, strong winds, and storms, as the earth covers the structure.

 

Higher structural stability is the prominent feature of the earth, which helps develop earthquake and other natural disaster-resistant structures. Thus, building occupants can feel safer.

Efficient Space Usage

 

Modern urban areas are densely populated, and underground architecture is useful in such localities due to land scarcity. It is easy to find larger spaces for storage, parking, or a commercial and residential area, without occupying surface land.

 

Furthermore, subterranean architecture can expand deep into the earth, leading to the design of spaces with multiple levels. It enables the higher use of the available land.

Higher Aesthetic Appeal

 

Spaces beneath the earth’s surface offer a unique aesthetic appeal, and they often align well with the natural environment. Earth, stone, or reclaimed wood are the materials that help create earthy and aesthetically appealing designs.

 

Additionally, futuristic and unconventional designs offered by underground architecture make subterranean spaces distinctive.

Better Air Quality

 

Underground spaces can experience improved air quality if the ideal ventilation systems are in place. Earth can filter the air naturally, or mechanical systems can do their job to circulate fresh air. 

 

Earth provides stable moisture levels, which promote comfort in the indoor climate. Incorporating proper ventilation and waterproofing systems is key to the same.

Construction Cost-effectiveness

 

In some cases, it is possible to construct subterranean structures at a lower cost than the above-ground spaces. It happens, especially if the land prices are higher, and in the case of land reclamation requirements for surface-level buildings. 

 

Efficiently designing an underground building can boost its durability. Moreover, it may require less maintenance as it is safeguarded from external weather conditions.

Challenges in Underground Architecture

Structural Integrity

 

Specialized structural engineering is essential for ensuring an underground building’s integrity to make it powerful enough to endure the immense pressure from the surrounding soil. Architects should consider factors such as groundwater levels, soil movement, and seismic activity while designing such spaces.

 

Use of robust concrete and steel support structures is recommended to enhance stability in subterranean buildings. Also, in-depth analysis of the site’s geology is crucial to prevent collapse or subsidence.

Natural Light and Lighting

 

Another challenge in the underground architecture is the lack of natural light. This issue can cause energy inefficiency as the occupants have to rely on artificial lighting the whole day, and they may also feel uncomfortable due to no exposure to natural light.

 

The use of skylights, reflective surfaces, or light wells is prevalent to let the daylight pass into the deep inside the earth’s surface. However, the expense and technical challenges to incorporate these technologies into constrained and deep areas make it difficult.

Air Quality and Ventilation

 

Lack of proper ventilation poses a major challenge to the effectiveness of underground architecture. An underground space can seem unhealthy and exhausting if there is no adequate airflow, as carbon dioxide, pollutants, and humidity can build up. 

 

To refresh the air and ensure energy efficiency, engineers should design intricate ventilation systems, which encompass air filtration and mechanical ventilation. However, large and multi-level subterranean complexes make it a difficult task.

Drainage and Waterproofing

 

Water infiltration is the biggest risk for an underground space as it can affect a structure’s interior and foundation. Structures can be safeguarded from moisture, mold, and flooding through effective drainage and waterproofing systems.

 

Hence, it is a must to plan for it carefully and use top-notch materials such as water-resistant membranes to prevent seepage of groundwater. Additionally, regular maintenance is key to ensuring the durable functioning of these systems.

Egress and Access

 

It is challenging to develop an underground architecture that has safe and effective access routes. Thus, planning for functional emergencies exists, stairways and elevators, and ensuring their compliance with the safety regulations is critical.

 

Subterranean structures are confined, which makes it crucial to develop easy-to-access emergency exits, elevators, and stairways, especially in case of fire or any other emergency. Innovative solutions and extensive planning can pave the way for the same.

Thermal Insulation and Comfort

 

The depth and location of an underground space make it prone to temperature fluctuations. Such places often require heating in the winter, while they stay cooler in summer. Insulating such buildings properly can ensure a comfortable environment for the occupants and keep a check on energy usage. Integration of HVAC systems and advanced insulation materials can help regulate indoor temperatures.

Examples of Underground Architecture

Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain

 

It is a small village in Spain, and massive rock overhangs were used to build homes directly beneath them. Huge rocks above these houses work as insulation and shelter to provide coolness in summer and also keep them warm in winter. 

 

Underground architecture demonstrates the ideal use of landscape by perfectly blending natural and man-made structures. It shows the way for humans to adapt to challenging environments.

Montreal’s RESO (La Ville Souterraine), Canada

 

RESO is one of the world’s largest underground complexes under downtown Montreal covering 33 kilometers of the city. It is a hub for hotels, offices, shopping centers, and public transport systems.

 

Montreal’s infrastructure is the soul of the city, shielding its people from the extreme winter weather. The urban planning showcases a level of finesse that has fostered comfort for both visitors and daily commuters.

The Underground House, New Zealand

 

The Underground House is situated in the Waitakere Ranges, New Zealand. It is a perfect example of underground architecture as it is a house built into a hillside and its exterior design blends well with the natural environment. 

 

Its roof has a grass covering, which lowers the heat loss and keeps it hidden. This house leverages natural terrain for insulation and water collection and utilizes sustainable materials. It offers an aesthetic and eco-friendly living space.

Helsinki Underground City, Finland

 

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, encompasses a large underground system that has numerous shopping centers, tunnels, emergency shelters, and sports facilities. This city exemplifies underground architecture by tackling the challenges of urbanization by creating subterranean spaces for such services.

 

Helsinki has successfully shown a path to the world about how to preserve heritage and natural terrains in the modern world, which demands more space for such facilities.

Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland

 

Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland, symbolizes subterranean architecture through its large underground tunnels and chambers and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the past, salt extraction was done on this site, and now it has turned into a tourist attraction.

 

This mine demonstrates chapels, intricate carvings, and a museum. St. Kinga’s Chapel is one of the most popular attractions of this mine. It is a large underground space comprising chandeliers made of salt. The length of this mine is over 287 kilometers and goes as deep as 327 meters.

Final Thoughts

 

Underground architecture is the ideal solution to address the issues pertaining to urbanism, aesthetics, sustainability, and functionality. It paves the way for extending cities in an ecological way, although there are concerns related to daylight, safety of building design, and fresh air circulation. 

 

This type of architecture can revolutionize urban designs as cities across the globe look forward to developing subterranean structures. It is the beginning of creating aesthetic, compact, and energy-efficient spaces under the earth’s surface.

FAQs

 

Q 1: What is the biggest underground city?

 

Ans: The city of Derinkuyu is the largest underground city in the world. This city is situated in the Cappadocia of Turkey and has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This 278-foot-deep gem has become an attraction for archeologists, geologists, tourists, and ethnologists. It has the Rock Sites of Cappadocia and Göreme National Park above it.

 

Q 2: What is underground infrastructure?

 

Ans: Tunnels, sewer pipes, cables, pipes, basements, etc. are the major examples of underground infrastructure. They contribute to enhancing and supporting various critical functions such as water and gas supply, transportation, communication, and waste processing. 

 

Q 3: Is it safe to build underground?

 

Ans: There are various hazards associated with building underground. These risks can be fire and explosion, potential exposure to silica, engulfment, toxic atmosphere, and oxygen deficiency.