The Underground House

The Underground House presents the symbiosis between the built and the un-built is the design theme for this a modern house, intimately related to its surroundings. The gradual transition from the man-made spaces to natural ones is imagined as a sequence of rooms that open in different degrees to the landscape.

The auxiliary rooms that don`t need too much natural light – staff rooms, garage, storage and technical rooms – are buried in the lower level. A bedroom and a home cinema are also located downstairs. Two sunken patios and an interior staircase connect the ground floor and the lower level, creating a space that invites natural light to illuminate the rooms.

The common spaces and the main bedroom are located on the ground floor. Large transparent sheets flood the rooms with light and connect the interior to the garden, the terrace and the pool.

The greenhouse located next to the swimming pool represents a hybrid place where the built and the un-built spaces collide. Is is equally open to the terrace and living room, giving the space a stable transition. It is an area that encourages interaction, meditation and contemplation at the same time.

The finishes expresses the duality of natural and non-natural. The austerity of three concrete shells is neutralised by transparent sheets and wood siding that add dynamicity to the facades.

The entire building becomes a reflection on the connection between natural and artificial.