At first glance, the classic image of a house—slanted roof, dark shingles, porch, front yard, white picket fence—might appear ideal. But what if we build it in the 21st century? What if the landscape it must stand on is not a vast, flat, uninterrupted prairie? What if its program is so complex it cannot fit inside a regular three-story rectangle? And what if its context asks, almost demands, that the three-story whopper is disposed of in the first place? Let us look again: the image of the traditional country house reveals an uncomfortable relationship with the ground.

In tension with the earth around them, Buried Buildings achieve several particularities that their above-ground counterparts cannot. They reduce their visual impact on the landscape, create livable space where there was none before and, perhaps even more importantly, passively capture and harness energy.

Throughout the years, and in various contexts, sizes, and programs, GLUCK+ has designed and built below grade, transforming difficult, sometimes unbuildable plots of land into discrete, energy-efficient, spatially rich architectural statements. Whether in the middle of the woods or by the lakeside, inside a public park, negotiating a 30-foot slope, or elegantly carving difficult terrain, Buried Buildings showcase our ability to confidently design-build architecture below ground in all its complexity.