10 Underground Homes That Are Crazy Cool
Updated: Nov. 15, 2021Underground homes can cut down on heating and cooling costs significantly. Check out what underground homes look like across the globe.
The last home you’ll ever need
The yard’s not bad either
A real green house
This home, designed by Bercy Chen Studio, is based on Native American pit houses, which used thermal heating with their design. Learn how to keep your house warm while saving on heating.
Florida: The Dune House, Atlantic Beach
William Morgan, a modernist architect, designed the duplex in the ’70s and it quickly caught the attention of many. It even led to Playboy using the duplex built into a sand dune in an issue. There are no right angles with the house and a nautilus shell inspired the interior design. Each duplex is 750 square feet with lofted bedrooms and closets built into the wood-paneled walls. At 750 square feet, the duplex might have you thinking it’s not much bigger than some of these incredible tiny houses for rent around the country
Missouri: Caveland
A search for commercial property turned into a lot with a cave for Curt and Deborah Sleeper back in 2003. It took four years for the couple to build their offices and home. In the meantime they lived in a big dehumidified tent inside the cave, which once served as a roller skating rink. The couple faced considerable hurdles with getting fresh air and meeting egress requirements, it’s all quite the story. Check out these breathtaking photos of other caves around the world.
Nevada: Check the address
The pool possibility looks real neat but where’s it located? This home sits below ground in Las Vegas and is one of two underground houses on a 1.7-acre lot. The site does have an above-ground home for those accustomed to living on street level. Take a look at these other weird swimming pools from around the world.
Underground Home
In 1980 we featured the “Underground Home” a residence in Burnsville, Minnesota. At that time around 3,000 people owned underground homes. Don Mosch took part in pioneering the housing concept perfect for an energy conscious era. It was one of seven homes built and tested by the Underground Space Center at the University of Minnesota.
It was a three bedroom, 2,000-square foot home that held a number of temperature sensors and gauges to measure humidity inside and out, as well as calculate energy consumption to the last watt.
The house faced south and was surrounded by a berm. It reportedly cut heating costs by 50 to 85 percent. The underground homes were nearly hurricane and tornado proof, as well as fireproof. Because of that, insurance costs dropped 35 percent. The cost to build the home remained on par as conventional homes.
Much of the home was built with concrete, which presented problems of its own. Plus, once the home was built, there was no chance for additions.
Australia Mine Home
Over in Australia, abandoned mines were converted into homes, which can help people deal with the heat of the Australian desert. A smart way to keep your house cool, just like these other clever ways to slash your home energy bills.
