Peter Vetsch, like many architects, believes that structures should blend in with the existing landscape. That philosophy is evident in Vetsch's "Earth Houses," of which he's built 90, mostly in Switzerland.
The houses are covered in earth as they're built, which allows for excellent temperature regulation (cooler in summer and warmer in winter). Living rooms face south and bedrooms face north to take best advantage of natural light. These underground houses are assembled into a sort of cave community, in which there is a subterranean parking lot. The particular grouping of homes shown here is built around a man-made lake.
See a wealth of fascinating photos that show the metal structure underneath these sprayed concrete homes, revealing how they are constructed and how they become part of the landscape, here.
Images: Peter Vetsch