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When I was younger, my uncle told me a story – by a local lake, there was a house built underground. I didn’t believe him until a few years ago when I looked it up. There is, in fact, an underground house by the lake!
The home — probably the most architecturally-significant building in the area where I live (NJ isn’t really a hotbed for unique architecture) — is called Wells Underground House, designed by Malcolm Wells, an architect who was well known for his earthen dwellings. Wells though that underground building was the wave of the future — it was gentler and shielded building materials from the environment. He was a fascinating man with some novel ideals. He designed a few local buildings, including our public library, which was recently torn down and rebuilt into a hideous monstrosity. The Underground House served as Wells’ office, built on a lovely lake on a quiet road.
Unfortunately, that road became a highway. I guess this pissed him off because he erected a concrete wall to shield his office from the noise and had painted on the wall a quote by Omar Bradley (former General): “If we are not careful we shall leave our children a legacy of billion dollar roads leading nowhere except to other congested places like those they left behind.” This wall is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
I spotted photos of the Wells house taken by local architect Gregory La Vardera on Flickr and he agreed to let me post his photos of the home. No need to disturb its current owners.
You can read more about Malcolm Wells here.
Photos by Gregory La Vardera.
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11 Comments
zane d. on 04.21.2011 at 16:44 PM
that house is only partially underground. Here in vegas we have a true totally submerged house:
http://www.lasvegasmercury.com/2003/MERC-Jul-24-Thu-2003/21776691.html
only one crappy pic as the house is partly shrouded in mystery, but the entrance is clearly visible on a public street.
i love that they attempted to replicate the outdoors underground!
zane d. on 04.21.2011 at 17:49 PM
more info:
http://www.worldsfairphotos.com/nywf64/underground-home.htm
Liz on 04.22.2011 at 12:02 PM
This is very cool, but I too was expecting it to be more underground!
Cando on 04.22.2011 at 12:27 PM
Love Omar Bradley’s quote…and from 1959 no less.
Lily on 04.22.2011 at 12:45 PM
Thanks for this post on Wells! This is certainly not his most radically earth sheltered house–his gallery in Brewster, MA is more verdant. Do you know what year this one was built? I read his book Gentle Architecture as a teen and wrote him a letter, to which he responded with two replies and a box of his other books. I am sorry I never had a chance to meet him but I’m glad his work is still out there!
Elli D. on 04.24.2011 at 05:21 AM
This is just what I need for hot summer ! Underground house. I think ,however, that I would miss the view a bit. Anyway, great idea and very good looking house.
pam kueber on 04.26.2011 at 12:34 PM
Very cool! With these houses I am always interested in the construction aspects — how do they keep the water out, and from having them feel like a basement always feels? In way vintage times, houses were often built into hills… for purely functional reasons — climate control. Thanks, Jaime.
Ruth @ My Love Wedding Ring on 03.18.2012 at 16:49 PM
Pam – you took the thought right out from under my fingers! It looks a fabulous house but wouldn’t it feel like living the cellar? Love the quote too.
KS on 11.15.2012 at 06:03 AM
Reminds me of the movie starwars and it is very right to have an underground dwelling although it could be difficult to maintain it in rains and world should learn from this .
stefan on 02.16.2013 at 13:52 PM
I dont get it- these are two different houses right? The Undergroundhouse and the other one- the library? You wrote like the wall was made to shild the undergroundhouse from traffic, but this does not match the pictueres… The one looks like 40s, the other like 60s or early 70s…
stefan on 02.16.2013 at 13:54 PM
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