A Transformative View of Home: Living Beneath the Surface
Across China’s Loess Plateau, unaware of entire homes hidden below, there’s an intriguing architectural dialogue that takes place. This unique architectural style, known as dikengyuan, begins with a courtyard carved into the earth, expanding into rooms along its sides. At ground level, only a rectangle of sky betrays these subterranean dwellings. The shifting of earth underfoot to around one’s body redefines the concept of a home, a notion deeply psychological and profound.
Cultural Narratives and Architectural Dialogue of the Underground Space
Gaston Bachelard, in “The Poetics of Space,” gives cellars an unusually powerful role, spaces linked with darkness and the subconscious. Rosalind Williams further explores this in “Notes on the Underground,” identifying subterranean spaces as both safe havens and sources of fear throughout history. While one culture might find comfort in underground living, another might associate it with confinement, presenting architects with the challenge of reconciling these perspectives, thereby engaging in a discussion that balances tradition and innovation.
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Earth’s Role in Sustainable Living
The practical benefits of underground architecture are tangible. Thermal mass from surrounding soil stabilizes temperatures, as seen in the dikengyuan and similar dwellings like Tunisia’s Matmata. Innovations continue with the “Underground House of the Future” by the University of Hong Kong, which integrates brick vaults and skylights to enhance traditional designs, linking past wisdom with modern technology, resulting in a continuous conversation between the old and the new.
Skyward Openings: Battling the Effects of Below-Ground Living
Openings to the sky are pivotal in underground design, as highlighted by a 1979 Arizona house built around an open-air courtyard. Environmental psychology underlines the importance of daylight in countering disorientation and enhancing emotional well-being in subterranean spaces. These courtyards do more than ventilate – they transform part of the underground into a psychological extension of the surface world, creating a synthesis that integrates light and space.
The Comforting Incline of Nature: Integrating Earth and Design
Javier Senosiain’s “Organic House” in Mexico employs curves and greenery to mimic natural shelters, fostering a sense of refuge beneath the grass-covered exterior. Research indicates that such environments can affect perceptions of control and satisfaction, which can change initial perceptions of underground living from unease to satisfaction, as evidenced by post-occupancy studies in Minnesota. This transformation is central to an ongoing exchange concerning human comfort and environmental adaptation.
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Carving Comfort: Geological Symbiosis in Architecture
At Casa Tierra in Córdoba, domestic spaces are nestled against ancient limestone, embracing natural formations as part of the room. Meanwhile, Olgooco’s Inside Home in Iran envisions spaces enveloped by nature. This approach, balancing enclosure with strategic openings, underscores a trend: architects are crafting spaces where the earth offers sanctuary and the sky delivers orientation, all part of a rich conversation in design.
Sources & Links
Source: designboom.com
Frequently asked questions
What is the dikengyuan architectural style?
Dikengyuan is a unique architectural style where a courtyard is carved into the earth, expanding into rooms along its sides. At ground level, only a rectangle of sky indicates these subterranean dwellings, redefining the concept of a home.
How does underground architecture benefit sustainable living?
Underground architecture benefits sustainable living as the thermal mass from surrounding soil stabilizes temperatures. This can be seen in the dikengyuan and similar dwellings like Tunisia’s Matmata, effectively linking past wisdom with modern technology.
Why are openings to the sky important in underground design?
Openings to the sky are important in underground design because they counter disorientation and enhance emotional well-being, transforming part of the underground into a psychological extension of the surface world.