Partially built into hills or peeking out from sand dunes, these underground homes seamlessly blend in with their surroundings. The energy-efficient marvels are truly at one with nature and are some of the most impressive subterranean projects in the world. Click or scroll to take a look at these remarkable 'iceberg' homes hiding just below the surface.
When you first see this pretty garden in Bridgewater, South Australia, it isn't immediately obvious that what you're looking at is the roof of an amazing underground home.
The luxury dwelling has been described by listing agents Alpha Residential as an 'elevated sanctuary' and once you see the property in all its glory, we're sure you'll understand why.
Head round the back of the house and you'll find the main entrance. Built into its sloping site in 2019, a portion of the pad is sandwiched below the ground, with a front section jutting out and framing enchanting views thanks to a wall of glass. There's no denying this is one of Australia's most incredible pieces of architecture.
Custom designed by the original owners, no expense was spared in the construction of the 1,076-square-foot home. An open-plan kitchen, dining and living area takes centre stage, with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that connect the interior to a concrete deck and the wider backyard.
There are three bedrooms, one of which also opens onto the porch, as well as a study and a family bathroom. The home's solid concrete structure has been left exposed throughout, complemented by elegant lighting and charcoal fixtures that accentuate the modern, industrial aesthetic of the interior.
As well as a spacious garden just outside the main living area, there's also the large lawn on top of the home, while landscaped gardens frame a path that leads down to the house from a parking zone at street level.
The property was last on the market in 2023 and sold in July of the same year for an undisclosed sum. Fallen in love? You can now book a stay in the unique underground abode via Airbnb.
Partially submerged in a hillside, this unique earth home lies in Springfield, Missouri, and is hard to spot from the front, aside from a few hints of concrete. Yet walk around the back and this unusual home is fully revealed...
The bunker-style property spans 2,500 square feet and boasts a natural green roof and walls of concrete and glass. The front door sits at the top of the hillside, while the entrance hall – a long staircase – leads down into the property's depths, where a series of underground rooms can be found.
Despite being located below the ground, the interior is surprisingly bright and inviting, thanks to endless glass and generous ceilings. With exposed concrete ceilings, structural columns and a simple, raw colour palette throughout, the pad is also very modern.
As for rooms, there's a living area, with access to an exterior patio, a kitchen, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Outside, there's a spacious yard, a firepit and a dining area where guests can enjoy alfresco meals.
There are plenty of bold architectural details throughout, too, including circular roof lights, curving walls and porthole windows. The perfect place to hunker down and escape the hubbub of daily life, the pad is available to rent via Airbnb.
Some underground residences are bold and imposing, while others are subtle and hard to spot. Then you'll find some that are both! If you look closely at the hilly patch of land in the centre of this image, you might just be able to spot the roofline of Edgeland House – one of the world's most beautiful hidden homes.
The closer you get, the more of the house becomes visible. The angular property was designed by the architects at Bercy Chen Studio and was built seven feet below the ground, with just two pointed tufts of grass obvious from the front. The project was inspired by one of America’s oldest home-building traditions, the Native American Pit House.
A staircase from the ground leads down to the home. The property was constructed in 2012 and lies on a former industrial plot. Designed to protect and repair the local ecosystem, it features an insulated roof and hydronic heating. Plus, it was located beneath the earth's mass in such a way that it retains thermal comfort, while still allowing enough sunlight to filter inside.
Although a large proportion of the house is concealed underground, it's still beautifully bright, thanks to glass walls that are angled to imitate the form of the hill. The interior spans 1,400 square feet and every room is impressive, with vaulted ceilings, sharp, sloping walls and modern fixtures.
Head around the back and the full beauty of the house is revealed. From the dramatic steel and glass lines of the building itself to its remarkable, triangular swimming pool – everything about this home is utterly mesmerising.
Lucky holidaymakers can stay in an amazing underground home in the hills of Surselva, Switzerland – if they can spot the clandestine property, that is. Embedded into the side of a hill, the unique subterranean retreat is situated next to the famous Therme Vals hot springs.
Built in 2009, the plan for the design was to integrate the villa into the landscape in such a way as to protect the local ecosystem. So, to negate the need for roads, access is only possible via a tunnel that runs through the mountainside, with the entrance concealed inside a historic barn.
The façade slopes upwards, framing amazing views of the breathtaking mountain ranges on the opposite side of the valley. Inside, a dramatic concrete entrance hall leads down to the home's depths. Akin to a billionaire bunker, the hallway is seriously impressive.
At the other end of the hallway are the property's surprisingly spacious rooms. The curving glass allows light to flow inside, ensuring no space is dark or dingy. Furnished with the works of many local Dutch designers, the contemporary living spaces are finished with exposed concrete and accented by eclectic statement pieces.
As for rooms, there's a striking kitchen, a dining zone, a living room and four bedrooms. There's even a pool table and a hot tub on the terrace outside. Now a holiday rental, it's the perfect place for keen skiers or hikers, or those who simply want to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
This historic building has been converted into a villa described by C.F. Møller Architects as ‘invisible’ in the way it integrates into its surroundings. Approaching this building you wouldn’t anticipate the modern work of art you were about to stumble across…
Situated near the old Viking Age inlet of Oslo Fjord, this plot has housed many generations of farming families. This is one of two entrances that leads to the underground home, allowing the property to unassumingly blend into the landscape.
A green roof on top of the villa acts as the first terrace, while a lower terrace and garden include two water features and a swimming pool. A smaller adjacent pool collects rainwater and is filled with aquatic flora.
The south-facing rooms feature almost entirely glass windows, with views that look out over the fjord. A spacious dining and cooking area is separated from the outside terrace by large sliding doors.
The interiors are made up of smoked and varnished wood panels, while polished concrete flooring can be found both inside and outside the property. This blurs the boundaries between the two spaces.
This beautiful Tennessee hideaway could easily be mistaken for a mound of grass given how tucked away it is. Named The Sassafras Dome Earth Home, it is truly unique...
An immaculate white colour palette shows off the home’s unique dome shape and high ceilings prevent the place from feeling claustrophobic. Light furnishings and driftwood furniture give this pondside pad a beachy feel.
Natural materials, such as this rustic wooden vanity unit, make up most of the home's interiors, while wide triangular windows frame the surrounding trees as if they were beautiful paintings hung on the walls.
Perched on top of a cliff, the underground house looks over an old rock quarry pond. Outside there’s a gas fire pit for cosy nights under the stars, plus an outdoor spa and stone soaking tub for ultimate relaxation.
Those wanting to spend the night in style at this secluded Sassafras spot in Johnson City can find the property listed on Airbnb. Availability is limited, but previous visitors have given the place impressive reviews.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that this property in the salubrious London neighbourhood of Hampstead Heath was the world's most expensive parking space but, behind the smart wooden fence, there's a stunning luxury home set into the ground. That's not to say it isn't pricey – this three-bedroom beauty was last on the market in 2021 for £4.7 million ($6m).
This ingenious house is designed on the 'iceberg principle', where only the very top shows, belying a vast volume of space hidden out of sight. With three bedrooms and 3,400 square feet of interior space set around a sunken courtyard, you can enjoy alfresco living in perfect privacy.
The main living space has a soaring 25-foot atrium reaching up (or should that be down?) to a second storey which is surprisingly light and bright thanks to clever clerestory windows and lighting.
The home also boasts an array of luxurious extras, including a sleek home cinema, a wine cellar and even a plant room. Our favourite feature, however, has to be the subterranean property's family TV room, complete with built-in screen, recessed lighting and white leather seating.
Situated on the upper level, the modern master suite includes a dressing area and ensuite bathroom, as well as expansive sliding glass doors that lead out onto the terrace. What more could you want?
The Dune House was designed and built in 1975 by modernist architect, William Morgan. Made up of two separate properties, the dwellings are nestled under the earth and have been built to follow the natural shape of an oceanfront sand dune.
Last sold in 2020 for £1.3 million ($1.7m), the lucky buyer snapped up both properties, which housed a total of two bedrooms and two bathrooms spread over 1,630 square feet of stylish living space.
Inside, a snug kitchen is tucked away at the back of this two-storey main living space, framed by a showstopping spiral staircase. Glass doors lead outside to the ocean-fronted garden, drawing plenty of light into the rotund interior, as well as framing breathtaking vistas of the tranquil sea.
Recently updated, the hobbit-style homes are far from traditional family residences, with their curved walls and unusual angles. Initially built by Morgan as rental properties, they were embedded in the earth so as not to block the view of the ocean from Morgan's own house, which was just next door.
The mass of sand that lies over the top of the homes helps to moderate the interior temperature all year round. The structure itself is made from Gunite, a sprayed concrete that is usually used for swimming pools, so very little temperature control is needed inside to keep the dwellings comfortable in both the summer and winter.
The magical Earth House Estate Lättenstrasse, on the outskirts of Zurich, is like something out of a Tolkien novel. Designed by visionary earth architect, Peter Vetsch, there are now over 90 of these unusual houses across Switzerland, as well as further afield.
Completed in 2008, the one-of-a-kind housing estate lies in the city of Dietikon and consists of nine cosy earth-covered homes, grouped around an artificial lake. The complex even features a handy underground car park, too.
Made from natural earth and recycled glass sprayed with concrete, the super-sustainable and snug homes are well-insulated, making them cool in summer and warm in winter, eliminating the need for expensive air-conditioning or central heating.
While we can't step inside, we can tell you all about the interiors of these homes. Each property is surprisingly spacious and eschews boring straight lines for curvaceous, Gaudí-esque ceilings, walls and windows, creating an organic feel.
Of course, they each have everything you need for a comfortable daily life, including a kitchen, living room, dining area, bedrooms and bathrooms.
Strategically placed skylights let in plenty of sunshine, bathing the interiors in natural light. The homes range in size, going up to a family-friendly seven-bedroom model. As a bonus, residents of the estate can grow vegetables on their grass-covered roofs.
In 2009, developer Huntsmere unveiled plans to build this swish underground mansion just outside the English market town of Altrincham in Cheshire. Construction is now complete and the hidden home was last listed for a cool £3.8 million ($4.9m). Let's find out more...
Sadly, there are not yet any photographs of the entrance to the property, but these image renders highlight how luxurious it is. Enclosed by hedges and secured by an electric gate, the house is accessed via a glass car lift – which reportedly cost around £150,000 ($200k). This leads down to a 'viewing gallery', which flows through to open-plan living areas that unfold below the ground.
Known as Perdu, the below-ground home won several top design awards before it was even built – and it isn't surprising to see why!
The interior is laid out in a large circle, with a huge central rooflight drawing light into the heart of the home. This swish living area is the centrepiece of the pad and has a sitting area, dining area and kitchen.
The house also has three huge bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. The master suite comes complete with a dressing room, too. Amazingly, there's even a DJ area and a cocktail bar, where the owner and their lucky guests can pass evenings in style.
The original plans included a resort-style swimming pool, with a water slide, Jacuzzi and state-of-the-art gym. However, these luxe extras don't seem to have made it into the finished property.
There's even an underground courtyard, that's perfect for getting a spot of fresh air. As well as its luxury amenities, Perdu is kitted out with all manner of eco-friendly features, from rainwater harvesting to a hi-tech heat recovery system.
Covered in earth, the home will also be well-insulated by the ground above, keeping the heat in during the winter and ensuring the living spaces are cool in the summer. Two huge light wells and numerous rooflights ensure every space is filled with natural light, too.
From a distance, this unique home in rural Bethel Springs, Tennessee, looks just like a mound of earth. Yet step closer and you'll discover it's a one-of-a-kind residence that has plenty of character.
The compact hobbit home features an eye-catching rotund façade and a grass roof that needs to be regularly mowed – which is perhaps the strangest thing about this abode...
The property was built in 2010 and spans 1,980 square feet. While the exterior makes the home appear cramped and dark, the inside is incredibly inviting thanks to its high ceilings, ample windows and light colour palette throughout. Formed from concrete, the house features domed walls and ceilings that reach as high as 14 feet.
The open-plan interior offers a living room, kitchen, dining space, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Far from being dingy and claustrophobic, the home's rooms are spacious and filled with natural light, thanks to unique glazing solutions, like this curving skylight. There are also four entrances, which each draw additional light inside.
What's more, the house sits on 38 acres of land, complete with three zip lines, multiple outbuildings, a boat dock and a fishing pond. There's even a hunting room and a standalone apartment that could be rented out, making this the ultimate rural retreat. The pad last sold in January 2021, for £332,696 ($425k).
From a distance you’d be forgiven for thinking this is an old abandoned column – but up close it’s the tip of a very unique iceberg home. The property is perfect for anybody who knows their Orion from their Ursa Major, as the tower makes for an idyllic star-gazing spot.
Set in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, this property sits on top of the world’s deepest geothermal hot springs and the home is primarily heated by solar energy.
Despite its modest exteriors, the Wonder Haus has ample space for entertaining, with classic interiors and a balcony that overlooks the dining area.
Hexagonal tiles pave their way throughout this property, including the two bedrooms which can accommodate up to six people. Both rooms come with astonishing mountain views and cute but simple décor.
This one’s such a steal that streaming giant Netflix gave the earthen home the ‘World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rental’ accolade in 2021. It is currently listed on the property rental site Airbnb.
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