Underground Architecture - Designing a New world below the Earth

- ABSTRACT

“If the architecture that we know are positioned above the nature mother architecture earth, the underground architecture positioned between her arms”. A famous statement by Architect Malcolm Well.

Human is a social animal who always wanders in search of new things and innovative ideas. The principle of underground architecture has a long history. Humans started making underground dwellings along before. It all started from caves and now it has reached so far with the help of human’s potentials and zeal to innovate and learn more and more. It all started from caves which they used to build underground and on the upper surfaces they used to cultivate. it was the best way to use the space in a very innovative manner with proper use of land. Building underground helps in the preservation of open spaces and it clarifies the relation between the buildings and the environment.

Humanity has a long history of utilizing underground spaces in the past, as looking back in history we can see the man living in caves. The most common example is Ajanta and Ellora caves from Buddhist time. Looking back in history, underground architecture is going to flourish in the upcoming era as now it is either a necessity or mankind wants to taste the life of underground spaces. Most commonly underground spaces created a relation between the environment. And in today’s era relation between environment used underground spaces for living and above ground they used to cultivate fields and they created a good relationship between themselves and nature but as the eras changed the relation between nature started declining somewhere.

Underground architecture came into existence because of many factors like environmental factors, safety factors, to have more space. Soon after the caves, the man started developing themselves in started living in communities and started developing in many aspects, for e.g. They started building administrative buildings, commercial buildings, and many more. They also became religious beings and started building buried temples. They used to bury peoples underground due to this underground architecture came into existence.

The research paper talks about the importance of underground architecture and its relationship with nature and the evolution of underground architecture. It also talks about how we can create our relationship with nature again. Also, it talks about the environmental benefits of underground architecture.

The aim is to develop this kind of architecture and make it more user-friendly and compatible with modern methods to establish a connection with nature.

- INTRODUCTION

Humanity has a long history of utilizing underground spaces in the past, as looking back in history we can see the man living in caves. Human is a social animal who always wanders in search of new things and innovative ideas. The principle of underground architecture has a long history. Humans started making underground dwellings along before. It all started from caves and now it has reached so far with the help of human’s potentials and zeal to innovate and learn more and more.

It all started from caves which they used to build underground and on the upper surfaces they used to cultivate. it was the best way to use the space in a very innovative manner with proper use of land. Building underground helps in the preservation of open spaces and it clarifies the relation between the buildings and the environment.

And in today’s era relation between environment used underground spaces for living and above ground, they used to cultivate fields and they created a good relation between themselves and nature but as the eras changed the relation between nature started declining somewhere. 

- IMPORTANCE OF UNDERGROUND ARCHITECTURE

• Looking back at mankind's past, we have lost our connection with nature, we just went on improving the construction techniques, ornamentation, the supremacy of man over nature, usage of more of land for construction, we just lost the connection with nature.
•   A sense of intimacy is created in underground architecture, as a human is a social animal, they want some time for releasing their stress. So, these types of houses can give a sense of relief to humans. A person can be himself in it and also the connection with nature will provide mind relief to human and they can be stress-free away from busy life.
• Also, the increasing population is the biggest factor for introducing underground architecture in the future, as no vacant land will be found to construct above ground level.

     - CONNECTION AND RESTRAINT AS THEMES

•      Humanity always wandered for the things which fascinated them the most. From the past, we can figure out the caves in which humans started living. It fascinated humans so much that they wanted to live underground with hidden rooms, false floors, and landscaping.

      - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUILDING AND NATURE

    The process of moving away from nature started from Greek architecture before that mankind used to live in caves that used to be underground and used to crop above ground. Mankind started their dwelling from caves and from their needs and situations which lost their relationship between man and nature.

    Greek the architecture was the very first architecture which started making proper buildings according to man’s requirements using materials like clay, stone, wood etc. in that man placed themselves above nature.

    After that Roman architecture came into existence which was more of mathematical proportions and more focus on buildings, they also didn’t have any connection with nature, they were more focused upon buildings for mankind's leisure.

    Until, Renaissance, the supremacy of man over nature was dominating. Till then, the architecture was reserved for the fortunate few for military and political leaders and representatives of God on earth but no connection with nature.

    After the industrial revolution, the usage of technology was more in practice and more focus on the development of the human settlement, shortage of land, then came the underground architecture again.

     - TECHNOLOGY PROGRESS

    After industrial revolution, more of technology progress and more use of technology progress and more use of technology, industries started setting up and development begin but no sign of nature with the building. It was the most relevant era as human started achieving their requirements, but they forgot about the environment.

   

     - MOVEMENTS

    Art and craft, art nouveau, Avante garde movement begin which brought nature back in the existence which was lost somewhere. Art, artists made a place in mankind and they brought back to nature and from there they brought back to nature and from their many architects came with the concept of underground architecture with nature on the ground. Le Corbusier’s s villa savoy was an example of art with nature.

    

    - BENEFITS OF UNDERGROUND HOUSES WHICH AUTOMATICALLY CREATES RELATION WITH NATURE

     Underground houses have many advantages like they have good impact on the environment, less energy consumption, safety, intimacy, and less prone to climate change. They are more stable in terms of temperature as it is cooler in summer and insulated in winters which makes the interior more convenient and comfortable.

      It is because the earth is covered from above and it requires less maintenance, less work on the exterior, no wastage of material in making the exterior façade of the building. Constructing a building in a dug or which is surrounded by earth has a natural soundproofing system. Also, it has more spaces and the upper portion is used as landscaping which is in harmony with nature. It has an extra advantage i.e. it protects the building from natural and unnatural disasters.

- CONCLUSION

     Thus, creating a relationship with nature is very essential as it protects our environment, creates a connection with nature, protects the land resource and most commonly it is handling our increasing population. It will be very beneficial as it has so many advantages and most importantly it is protecting earth where we all lost our connection nature this method is protecting our environment and resources.