Underground architecture: what opportunities exist that could see underground architecture being constructed in New Zealand?

Abstract

This report seeks to establish what opportunities exist in New Zealand that could see an underground architectural response. The method adopted to do this was to examine examples of underground architecture to determine why they were build underground. Once this was known, the reason was looked at to see if it was valid in a New Zealand context. If it was shown to be valid then it is an opportunity which could see more underground architecture in New Zealand. The bulk of the research lay in finding examples with sufficient information to study, with the analysis being centred on the identification of the reasons, or issues, that prompted the response to build underground. While the aim of the report was to answer the question posed, it also was intended to show underground architecture as a valid and appropriate architectural expression. Not necessarily by answering the question but by the examples, illustrating that reducing the buildings external visibility does not necessarily mean reducing its architecture.