In a location as picturesque as Vals, Switzerland, it’s difficult to imagine any new construction that wouldn’t impose on the beautiful landscape. So when the rare opportunity was granted to construct a new dwelling just a stone’s throw away from the famed Vals thermal baths, it was of paramount importance to not disturb the tranquil site. Designed by the architects of SeArch and Christian Müller, this underground house exemplifies the notion that thoughtfully constructed buildings can live in harmony with their surrounding environs.
Situated in the Swiss village of Vals deep in the mountains, the house is almost undetectable. Set below ground, the concrete structure features a wide oval opening that one arrives at via a set of stones steps embedded in the steep incline. At the top of the stairs a central patio is surrounded by a wide spanning façade formed of large window openings, which provide luminous reflections of the Alpine vista on the opposite side of the narrow valley.
Bathed in an abundance of natural light, the house is far more glamorous than your typical underground bunker. It includes all of your typical amenities such as a full kitchen, dining area, guest room, and entertainment area, while features like the underground pathways give the residence a touch of military flair. By building the house underground, the architects were able to almost completely eliminate the need for heating or cooling in the winter and summer months.
In Vals the vast majority of modern architecture proposals are thought to be destructive to the local ambience and are generally not favored. By designing their project to lie beneath the lay of the land, the architects created a beautiful residence that does not encroach upon the adjacent baths or the pristine alpine views.
Via TreeHugger
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit…
What is that great Blue Bowl in the courtyard?
Too bad they left all that ugly exposed concrete inside.
Oh baby- that blue bowl is your wood fired hot tub!
Cannonball!
Building codes at the moment are the biggest issues I find. Houses built into the earth are fantastic. Living on acreage and working hard to live “off grid” can actually be difficult. I ran into code issues when I wanted to split my waste water into Gray and black waste water systems. When I split my fresh water into potable and non potable systems it was a major issue.
Though a licensed master electrician and contractor I ran into issues with local authorities when I went with solar electrical power.
My hope is that as homes become “greener” and more environmentely sensitive, building codes will be adjusted to reflect and allow it.
i love the dining room table. the concrete looks great! i guess its left exposed to maximise thermal mass
hobbit is indeed what springs to mind.
great effort of reducing the impact of the human dwellings on the landscape. It could also reduce the habitation’s carbon footprint because of lesser need to heat up or cool down, but i’m afraid construction costs will be just horrendous