Living Underground, not feeling it

So you have no option but to go underground due to planning restrictions. How do you design it so you don't feel like a mole? Vaughan Keal Associates have an approach here.

Forced by perverse planning constraints, this design took a restricted beginning to form a great Living environment despite the potential constrictions. In a roughly square plot a circular drive enabled the length to take vehicles down on a gentle gradient and set a circular geometry as a strong image for this scheme, apart from the circle being used as a natural retaining shape, meaning less material and engineering to hold back the earth pressures up to 3.5m deep. A clever engineering combination in the circumstances.

Isometric view, showing Upper Ground.

To keep the area green, the architect used various products to retain green finishes including grass 'concrete' and modern plastic forms of it, open weave grid panels allowing herbs and grass to grow through while giving surface strength for vehicles to drive over. With a full landscaping over this surface with ground cover, bushes, trees and hedging...the accommodation and residence would effectively be consumed.

Plan at Lower Ground.

Roof removed from primary Living Spaces show how light and transparency are introduced to expand the sense of space. Both sides have opportunity for expansive glazing giving a full perspective in both directions from court to court and light directly from the sun from first light to setting sun. This negates any feeling of living underground which might be induced, the bright natural lighting prevents SAD complaint and ensures a healthy level of light on the pituitary gland.

The pool to garden subtly rises to guide the eye up to the sky and the direct sun, without feeling the depth at which the floor has been taken down. Further the pond acts as a reflection pond bouncing light deep into the Living spaces.

Plans of earlier sketches exploring potentials, more fully developed using CAD models.

Vaughan used products from industry; water culverts normally used in civil engineering, made from rectangular modules of reinforced concrete, to form cellular spaces for an effective and cost efficient response.

This project has all the ingredients for similar responses elsewhere if ever the need arises, or should I say depresses. Great ideas here.

Brian Canning