Global Journal on Advances

in Pure & Applied Sciences

Vol 0 (2014) 00-00

Undergroud Architecture

Arij AlKhayat, Scientific College of Design, Airports Heights, Muscat 00968, Sultanate of Oman

Received date; revised date; accepted date.

Selection and peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Fahrettin Sadıkoglu, Near East University.
©2014 Academic World Education & Research Center. All rights reserved.

Abstract

Humanity has a long history of utilizing underground spaces. Back deep in history people lived in caves and
underground spaces while using the above tracts of land for growing their crops.
Drawing upon mankind’s experiences in the past, we can see that underground constructions are a future need.
This kind of architecture has achieved the principle of containment through covering with natural soil at least
three sides of the building. All examples in this study have one thing in common: The plans are hidden
underground in order to correct the relation between the need to build and the necessity of protecting the
environment. Hence, burying the construction helps preserving the open spaces. And consequently, analyzing
causes of burying the constructions helps in reaching suggestions and recommendations over the best methods
to develop those constructions and presenting new applicable models.
First chapters deals with the underground spaces as due to natural factors that led to the creation of caves or
underground spaces. Soon after, man started using those spaces either for religious purposes (burying temples),
or to acclimatize with the harsh conditions of weather (holes dwelling in China and Mitmata dwellings in Tunisia),
or for protection against enemies (underground military bases; or Kapadochia in Anatolia for the followers of the
new religion. Since most of the above mentioned reasons have lost their logical justifications in the 20th century,
new needs such as energy conservation and environment preservation has given underground constructions
their new lease of life. The first chapter, also touches upon some futuristic visions suggested by some planners
and designers with an aim of creating a complete city underground, as they believe that living above ground
would gradually be rendered difficult due to the ever mounting pollution.
Building upon the aforementioned researches, planners categorized some concepts on underground architecture
which has developed in several fields like function, lighting, and depth. Due to these developments, new
elements have emerged, which should be taken into consideration when studying underground constructions
(this is covered in the second chapter.)
Through drawing upon the historic experiences in Aleppo city (Chapter Three), and understanding the nature of
the old and new solutions and their compatibility with domestic realities and conditions, and after casting a keen
look at the state of the underground constructions in the city of Aleppo, some suggestions and solutions can be
proposedwith an aim to develop this kind of architecture and make it compatible with modern methods and
available means.
Arij M.Khayat,. Underground Architecture, AWERProcedia Information Technology & Computer Science. [Online]. 2014, 00, pp
000-000. Available from: www.awer-center.org/pitcs

Keywords: underground facilities – environmental benefits

1. Introduction

Architect Malcolm Wells's famous statement:

((If the architecture that we know are positioned above the Mother Earth, the underground
architecture positioned between her arms))[2].
Humanity has a long history of utilizing underground spaces. Back deep in history people lived in caves
and underground spaces while using the above portions of the land for growing their crops.
Looking over the mankind’s experiences in the past, we can see that underground architecture is a
future need. This kind of architecture has achieved the principle of (containment) through covering
with natural soil at least for three sides of the building. All examples in this study have one thing in
common: The plans are hidden underground in order to correct the relation between the need to build
and the necessity of protecting the environment. Hence, burying the construction helps preserving the
open spaces. And consequently, the analyzing of causes of burying the constructions helps in reaching
suggestions and recommendations over the best methods to develop those constructions and
presenting new applicable models.

1. The importance of underground architecture and its evolution:

Underground facilities were caused by the elements of nature that created the sheltering craters and
caves, the growth of these facilities was to meet several requirements, including religious beliefs
(which called for the burried temples) or adjusting the climate (such as halls for the Chinese or
dwellings of Mattmata in Tunisia) or the aim of protection and safety (such as military bases or
underground city of Cappadocia)[1], the hiding is because of fear of a new religion or protection in
case of war), and the continued use of the underground facilities in the modern era is either to keep
up with population growth or for the protection from natural disasters or for energy conservation in
addition to a technology that has helped to increase the used depths and other characteristics of the
underground facilities which encouraged the continued use of those facilities[2].

1.1. Historical uses of the underground facilities:

The overlook of the underground architecture throughout history gives us a true reflection and a clear
expression of different changes in the communities. The beginning of Underground Architecture was
through natural caves in the rocks or digging beneath the surface of the earth, so the steady growth
stage of the underground facilities is taking advantage of the caves and spaces which are buried in the
soil or inside rocks for other uses than housing, such as mining, worship and storage.
The beginning of Underground cities was for hiding in case of war or a new religion or for hiding
people, animals, tools and crops with attention to the size of the underground city that it should not
grow at the expense of agricultural land[2].

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 Arij M.Khayat,. Underground Architecture, AWERProcedia Information Technology & Computer Science. [Online]. 2014, 00, pp
000-000. Available from: www.awer-center.org/pitcs

Figure1. An imaginary draw of underground city in Figure2. Matmata in (Tunisia), a whole society is
Cappadocia –turkey which shows wells that have living inside dwellings carved into the rock
been used for lighting and ventilation

1.2. The twentieth century uses of the underground facilities:

Previously we found that the underground facilities expanded for thousands of years, and have
become an important part of the evolution of architecture, where developed underground facilities in
some countries such as Japan and China are excellent, In Japan, for example it was possible to build a
big number of underground floors. As the underground metro has become a model for innovation and
renewal, there are also laboratories, markets and museums, garages and commercial buildings .... and
other underground facilities that have constructed in the twentieth century[4].
New requirements have been raised in every age to increase the involving and influencing elements of
the design of underground facilities (such as design methods with the consideration of the nature of
the site) and the evolution of systems, building materials,….so Historically we find that the
underground buildings are totally dependent on the local environment, the majority of these buildings
were built with brick, which is made from either silt or backfill from digging operations "hay" or some
herbs[4], yet the local environment did not apply enough materials, therefore the use of various kinds
of wood, iron, tiles, cement and bricks started depending on the type and of the building. And there
are several definitions for underground facilities depending on the study of its historical development
and modern uses.
Studies are still ongoing to determine accurate categories of underground facilities because the look
for those facilities differ for an architect or planner or mining engineer. Railways encouraged people to
dig tunnels to minimize these roads above the Earth's surface where the back of the first subway in
Moscow in 1930[6]. At the duration of the last ten years of the twentieth century (from the seventies
to the end of the century) began to pay greater attention to the environment and energy conservation,
where the use of underground facilities, one of the ways to implement energy conservation, and new
uses have been appeared for underground facilities such as commercial markets, museums and
educational buildings, libraries .. ... etc..
Forms of underground facilities help to develop the public space in the cities and the efficient use of
the Earth's surface through the development of these forms in urban design[4].

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 Arij M.Khayat,. Underground Architecture, AWERProcedia Information Technology & Computer Science. [Online]. 2014, 00, pp
000-000. Available from: www.awer-center.org/pitcs

Figure3. Water Temple in Japan

Figure4. is
Preservation of the open Figure5. The site of the Museum of Tadao
buried under thespace
ground .Going 1.3. Some visions of the
at the campus of the University Ando. nothing arise but only patios which
down is by stairsofwhich are cut the showrooms are bounded aroundfuture of the
Michigan using burying the library
from the Elliptical basin them underground facilities:
around triangular patio
Some fictional and
theoretical studies of the
underground facilities have been proposed as a solution for
congestion and environmental problems in many urban areas in several countries, the most notably
examples are in France and Japan, and most of these studies focused on the underground cities.
scientific fiction' writers Focused as well as architects and planners on the importance of using the
underground spaces through visions of the future of the underground facilities[8].

Figure7.
Figure6. Japanese
Futuristic aspires
study for afor several
Land scrapercenters of the city
which integrated with the metro lines
will use the wind and solar energy to apply where most of the
functions of the city will be
electricity in Mexico Cityunderground, surface area
remains available for trees and parks

Table1 .Types of underground Facilities depending on depth

Depth (in meters)

Term -Religious Uses
Buildings Mines
-Transportation
Low depth 0-10 0-10 0-100
Medium depth 10-30 10-50 100-1000 4
Deep D>30 D>50 D>1000
Arij M.Khayat,. Underground Architecture, AWERProcedia Information Technology & Computer Science. [Online]. 2014, 00, pp
000-000. Available from: www.awer-center.org/pitcs

2. Environmental Characteristics of underground facilities:

New needs such as energy conservation and environment preservation give underground
constructions their new Meaning. The first chapter, there are some futuristic visions suggested by
some planners and designers with an aim of creating a complete city underground, as they believe that
living above ground would gradually be rendered difficult due to the ever mounting pollution[9].
2.1. Planning and design considerations for underground facilities:
Considerations of underground facilities started through the use of courtyards to provide natural
lighting and renewable ventilation but these elements have been evolved and adjusted by certain
methods. We Can continue to develop the design considerations according to the desired goal, for
example, there are special ways in the enforcement of the external lighting, techniques such as video
and artificial lighting began to use in design study of underground facilities.
Underground construction is not easy, public underground facilities need to apply the functional
aspects such as the number of entrances and enough study for the surrounding and emergency
exits ..... In addition, the study of aesthetics to those facilities. The study of the plan and shape of
underground facility has to create an atmosphere of an internal space which compensate the lack of
windows[8]. And because of the importance of creating a clear image of the facility which is hidden
under the line of sight, so we need to clarify the boundaries of the facility and the exposed
architectural elements in the site to be able to recognize this hidden building.
We should hide services of these facilities such as (ventilation shafts -emergency exits), so it should be
a separation between the pedestrian entrance and vehicle and service accesses and as much as
possible. Also a secured entrance has to be designed so that a person can distinguish it from far
distance to allow reaching the main entrances of underground facility[1].

2.2. Environmental Benefits of underground facilities:

If We want to re-solve problems which are related to the urban population density and limited space
on the land we must have a development of underground architecture because it is a part of the eco-
friendly architecture.
-we Can Integrate underground design with sustainable environmental design, because it proved the
efficiency of energy use, and it's less impact on the surrounding environment.
One of the reasons for the need to build underground is because of the increasing need to reduce the
lack of green areas, for example, when you need to find a building's extension for an existing building
and in the same time we do not need to interfere with the existing landscape so the best way is to
build underground[8].

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Arij M.Khayat,. Underground Architecture, AWERProcedia Information Technology & Computer Science. [Online]. 2014, 00, pp
000-000. Available from: www.awer-center.org/pitcs

So we can summarize environmental benefits of underground facilities as follow:

The evolution of the architecture being underground in a parallel line to the environmental design, and
the relation between each other is a remarkable issue. There are different interpretations of phrases
(green buildings) and (sustainable design) and (loving –environment Architecture), but it is more
generally accepted as a standard phrases in the leadership of all of the above statements is (Energy
and Environmental Design).
In ancient times there were natural caves which were effective solutions to the need for shelter and
the lack of construction materials and techniques, these shelters provided automatically a number of
environmental benefits such as protection from climatic conditions and natural occurrences.
Conversely to the historical developments, the recent examples of buildings under the ground were
not automatic solutions[9], but Because of certain goals (crowded urban zones often do not provide
environmental protection and conserving energy which we use it for heating and cooling in buildings).
The importance of these things will arise in the future. So the Burying buildings underground offers
additional benefits compared with original buildings such as heat insulation – calm- hurricanes and
earthquakes resistant, .... some of us will be surprised from underground life, but it is possible to
become certified issue in the design of the future.
Awareness of the environmental movement began to increase during the last ten years, and Architects
started looking for ways to protect and conserve energy and reduce the impact of buildings on the
natural environment in order to save natural environments and produce comfortable for people[3].

The underground facilities are of eco-friendly style ... in terms of:

1- They have very effective role in protecting the surrounding environment.
2- Conserving energy which we need it for the process of heating and cooling, and this is resulting
from the natural earth layers (which act as an high thermal efficiency insulator), which provides
approximately 60 to 80% of energy consumption.
3- Visual impact .... because of it's adapting with the earth and nature.
4-The provision of green areas ...... and give a big opportunity to expand the green areas above the
surface of those facilities.
5- Increase the efficiency of land use and benefit of the spaces under the earth's surface[9].

3.Implementing underground facilities characteristics in Aleppo city:

The local experience in the city of Aleppo in underground constructions is limited to few projects. Up
till 2012, no interesting has been shown in new designing solutions which are compatible with
planning needs.
3.1. Monitoring underground facilities in Aleppo city:
-Historically, the underground spaces were used in the city of Aleppo for different purposes: for hiding
- warehouses and to link the markets with some important buildings in the city. The lack of open
spaces in the city encouraged the use of underground buildings. The geological area of Aleppo City
makes it available to earthquakes, and this makes us take care of the underground Buildings because
of it's resistance for natural disasters[5].
We can arrange historical and modern uses of underground facilities in Aleppo city within the following
table:

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Arij M.Khayat,. Underground Architecture, AWERProcedia Information Technology & Computer Science. [Online]. 2014, 00, pp
000-000. Available from: www.awer-center.org/pitcs

Table2 . Evolution of underground facilities in Aleppo city

Underground structure
period Historical use Modern use
type
Neolithic7000 BC caves Residential
Aleppo's castle Shelter from the storming
basements of the enemy
-Pull Water to wells of the
Belonged to the Roman
old city of Aleppo
Era Tunnles under the old
city of Aleppo -connect the citadel with
the Alsouq and the districts
of old city
786 AD Nahaseen Bath Public Bath Public Bath
944 AD Citadel prison Water store -prison Tourism
parking Reduce traffic
Solve transportation
Car tunnels
2001 AD problems
To ease passing the wide
Pedestrian Tunnels
streets
Library under the No enough area above
2010 AD courtyard of Umayyad the ground at the old
Mosque city of Aleppo

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Arij M.Khayat,. Underground Architecture, AWERProcedia Information Technology & Computer Science. [Online]. 2014, 00, pp
000-000. Available from: www.awer-center.org/pitcs

Finally, we hope that we have been succeeded in throwing light on the reality of underground facilities
with adequate information for such buildings to draw attention to the importance of these types of
buildings and it's environmental benefits to make useful from it in our similar futuristic studies.

Conclusion:
1-The idea of using the underground facilities have emerged from ancient times in several places of the
world, the continued use of these facilities in the modern era is due to several factors, including
keeping up with population growth or for the protection of natural disasters or to conserve energy and
other characteristics of those facilities.
2- Underground facilities have been developed because of the need of it clear after the seventies of
the last century where those facilities expanded vertically underground until it reached to what is now
called land skyscrapers.
3- There are many architects such as Malcolm Wells and Bill Lishman and others who decided to
remove the gap between above and under the ground to highlight the environmental benefits.
4- Underground architecture is an attempt to correct the relationship between the human need to the
construction and preservation of the environment and energy.
5- Door remains open to the ambitions of architects to create new ideas to improve the performance
of underground facilities.

Recommendations:
1-Create public garages or public buildings under public parks and squares, so as to keep open spaces
within the city of Aleppo as an outlet for people (Saadallah Algabri yard - paved arena in Telal).
2-Sending recommendation for Municipalities to take care of neglected land and sites to be as an
open yards or gardens with underneath parking .
3-Advising companies to design public buildings such as commercial or cultural buildings (museums or
theaters) as an underground facilities.
4-Following the methods of modern construction allows the designer to improve underground
buildings which we are able to develop and modify them, especially in the areas of a growing
population.
5-We need To provide new models of underground facilities that are essential to maintain the
environment and here comes the role of the architect.
6-Parking occupies space from the streets as well as they cause congestion and obstruction, which
requires underground garages in the government and private companies.
7-It is very important to involve physiologists and socialists to enhance the people's awareness about
the underground Architecture and encouraging them to use it.

References:
[1] Brebbia, C.A. Underground Spaces: Design Engineering and Environmental Aspects–2008, WIT Press, New
York- USA, p199-225.

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Arij M.Khayat,. Underground Architecture, AWERProcedia Information Technology & Computer Science. [Online]. 2014, 00, pp
000-000. Available from: www.awer-center.org/pitcs

[2]Carmody, John/Sterling, Raymond. Underground Space Design – 1993, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York- USA,
p328-333.
[3]Coles, Alex. Platform for Art: Art on the Underground –2007, Black Dog Publishing Ltd, London – UK, p172-179.
[4]Golany, Gideon. Urban Underground Spaces Design in China: Vernacular and Modern Practice–1989,
Associated University Presses, London-UK, p160172.
[5]Hadjar, Abdallah. Historical Monuments of Aleppo–2000, Automobile and Touring Club of Syria, Damascus-
Syria, p15-22.
[6]Hall, Loretta. Underground Buildings: More Than Meets The Eye – 2004, Quill Driver Books/World Dancer
Press,California-USA, p215-230.
[7]Sterling, Raymond. Earth Sheltered Housing Design- 1979, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York –USA,
p188-202.
[8]Taylor, David. New Architecture for the Underground: Planning for the Future– 2001, Capital Transport
Publishing, London- England, p148-156.
[9]Vale, Brenda &Robert. Green Architecture– 1991, Thamas and Hadson Ltd, London – England, p246-253.