Underground Houses

As I watched “Star Wars” as a kid, the one thing I first fell in love with was Luke Skywalker’s house. It was a small, above ground entrance and then an entire home/garage/courtyard completely underground. Genius.

Apart from super-fanboys, most people do not know that the location used in the movie was an actual underground development in Matmata, Tunisia (info).

These cave-like structures can be found all over the middle-east regions, most notably Turkey. These ancient ruins have become tourist “hot spots.” Some, like one in Turkey, have been converted into hotels. It seems odd that people would pay money to sleep and eat in caves or sides of rocks, but it actually looks like a unique experience. 

Although these rock villages are centuries old, this new attention has inspired architects over the last few decades to design homes in their likeness.

Most houses that draw from Skywalker’s residence usually are partially in the ground.  It is like builders sliced pieces out of hills, and then beautifully crafted buildings were slid in the hole. It is a practice that has been going on for years, but it always looks futuristic to me. 

One of the pioneers of these “earth houses” is Switzerland native Peter Vetsch. According to his website, “he has built over 70 earth houses” just in the last 30 years.

The two images below show Vetsch's handiwork. This is a small community consisting of nine homes that surround a man-made lake.

More of his designs and future projects can be found here.

While Vetsch’s style exudes the pueblo look, contemporary architects have taken the designs of underground houses to new levels.

This is just one example of the modern underground home. While the styles may vary between different houses, most of them are very minimalist in overall appearance. But I think that is part of the appeal. The fact that they are made of materials such as glass or stone add to the natural aesthetic.

Here are some of the 12 Coolest Underground Houses.

Some are whimsical, which remind me of something that would come out the Shire. Most are eco-friendly. And then there are a select few made for celebrities that are bit extravagant.

I am still waiting for the one that properly evokes Skywalker’s home. Something else for George Lucas to work on, I suppose.