The Pit House in Japan has smooth, rounded walls and a subterranean kitchen and living area.

A London renovation resolves a family’s yearning for open air and greenery.

CHROFI designs a home for an empty-nester couple on Sydney’s northern beaches that contrasts rugged concrete with refined...

Step down into the history of the conversation pit—from its heyday to its recent revival—with some contemporary examples of the...

The 6,500-square foot home comprises three wood-and-glass volumes set on varying levels to correspond with the sloping site.

A little space goes a long way for Toronto-based architect Lia Maston.

The pool runs the length of the rear facade, connecting with a secret hot tub.

The ’70s add-on was a blight against the O’Neil Ford–designed residence.

The Wittmann House—complete with sunken living room and indoor pool—underwent a fastidious restoration.

A sunken-earth home with voluminous interiors peers out from beneath a blanket of flora.

A sunken room offers a clever solution to a large, problematic drop at the back of this UK home.

At the front of the property, a spacious deck and sunken firepit overlook the surrounding hills and city.

Pocket doors and a timber-slatted screen slide away to connect the airy interiors with a patio and lawn.

Keyhole doorways, curved walls, and sunken beds are a few of the unique features that await inside.

Sunken in the earth and topped with native grass, this low-slung concrete home lets the landscape rule.

A 10-year project on the island of Milos culminates in a sunken residence shaped by a 19th-century math formula.

Designed in 1980, the partially sunken Sunburst Residence keeps a low profile—and a low carbon footprint.

Hufft Projects carves out a conversation pit–style seating area in an open-air scheme designed for entertaining.

Landscape takes center stage in this Missouri residence.

The Kirkwood House in the celebrated Sea Ranch community along the Californian coast features a sod roof and a sunken courtyard.

A "chashitsu," which literally means “tearoom” in Japanese, is a freestanding, pavilion-like structure that was used for tea...

The skilled furniture designer and craftsman called on his grandchildren to help form the abstract tile patterns in the sunken...

In addition to vintage terrazzo finishes, the 1961 Morse Residence features a sunken living room that opens to a backyard pool...

The minimalist, upside-down house is wrapped around a hidden garden.

MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects snagged an AIA Award for this green, contemporary lake house that invites three generations of...

Ali Sandifer’s coffee table conceals books and magazines.

Walls of glass, a full-length skylight, and a floating staircase keep this MAK Studio–designed house feeling sunny and airy.

Designed by architect James H. Maul in 1971 for his own family, this oceanside residence in Morro Bay is on the market for the...

Designed by BPN Architects, the ethereal concrete structure hides behind a pool of black water.

Need to take a mental vacation? Feast your eyes on the most incredible rentals of the year.

Over the past seven years, Australian architect Jeremy Bull has renovated his home three times, describing it as a “scaffold for...

If you’re looking for an alternative way of living, look no further: an underground home may be your answer.

Located in the sylvan enclave of Innis Arden, this home soaks up the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

This modern residence and gallery near San Jose, Costa Rica uses metal boxes like puzzle pieces to create a photographer's dream...

Designed by visionary architect Harry Gesner and updated by Griffin Enright, this breezy post-and-beam residence boasts upscale...

This beautiful midcentury also happens to be the childhood home of Issa Rae.