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Let's face it. We all want some form of privacy sometimes. Sometimes, we just want to be away from people and everything else and just be alone with ourselves. There's nothing wrong with that, but that can be a little hard to do sometimes. It's one of the reasons why hidden homes exist.
Hidden homes aren't like other homes. They're built into the landscape, tucked away nicely in the environment. Many of them are hard to find, hence the name "hidden homes." What makes these homes so hidden is the fact that part of the house, if not all of it, is underground. This gives architects free rein to build as much as they can since there's plenty of space below ground. This may be considered strange for some people but for the owners or residents of these hidden homes, it's more than amazing.
Many hidden homes are outfitted with plenty of modern luxuries and amenities to make anyone feel like they're living in a paradise, especially since they're afforded all the privacy they could ever want in the world. It almost makes one never want to leave his or her house. Some of these homes are so incredible, for a number of reasons, that it's almost unbelievable something like this could exist.
So if you're curious to see what some of these homes look like, then check out this list of 15 amazing hidden homes you have to see to believe.
Casa Brutale, Greece: Price TBC
Casa Brutale is literally built into a cliff. Constructed into a cliff face overlooking the Aegean Sea, this house is not for those who are afraid of heights. It was inspired by Casa Malaparte which was constructed in the 1930's by architect Adalberto Libera.
The whole thing was built underground. No part of the residence extends above ground level. It was built with simple materials such as wood and raw concrete to emphasize the landscape and the ocean.
The rooftop is a glass-bottomed pool made out of reinforced glass. The bottom functions as a giant skylight that allows plenty of natural light into the room. The design treats residents to a spectacular view of the rippling waves above them from their bedroom.
Fallingwater Cottages, Pennsylvania, USA: Around $150,000 (£114,000) each
Fallingwater Cottages are perfect for those who are all about native ecology and cultural history. There are six cottages situated in and around the hills of the Bear Run Natural Reserve, designed to complement Fallingwater, the famous masterpiece of master architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
The cottages are sustainable and built underground. They're designed to keep temperatures cool during the summer and keep the temperatures up during the winter months.
Residents are treated to beautiful views of the surrounding deciduous forest at the edge of the meadow. The cottages open up to the southern meadow and provide easy access to an outdoor terrace. Each unit offers a kitchen-dining-living area. Four of the six cottages have one bedroom and one bathroom. The other two have two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Wishing Park Estate, Bordon, England: $2.97 million (£2.25m)
If you desire peace and quiet for your home, then the Wishing Park Estate would be the perfect fit for you. It was designed for a "forward-thinking eco-conscious purchaser who relishes serenity and seclusion."
Wishing Park plays with the mind, making it somewhat difficult for people viewing the house to tell what's above ground and what's below. The architects designed the residence like this on purpose, desiring to build something that had a small impact on the landscape while providing views from and into the site. It's a single-story house with an organic appearance that looks like it could have grown out of the ground.
Wishing Park has 40 acres of land as well as fishing lakes. There is another 30-acre land that is available for use, which would be excellent for building an equestrian facility. Humberts estate agency wants the entire estate to be about 6,774 square feet.
Cliff House, Australia: Price TBC
The Cliff House is aptly named as such since it literally hangs off the side of the cliff, or so it will be, since as of 2015, the Cliff House has yet to be actually constructed. The picture above is just a model of what the designers want the house to look like.
This four-story house offers a large floor and ceiling windows. Slender steel columns are the only things holding the floor up to prevent potential future residents from falling into the sea below.
The Cliff House offers panoramic views of the landscape, a private open-air terrace with a spa, and a clifftop-level car garage where residents can park on top of the house and walk down a hidden staircase and enter into the place.
Green Magic Homes, Anywhere You Like: $42 per sq ft (£30)
For all the Tolkienites out there, if you've ever wanted to have your own hobbit hole straight out of Middle Earth, look no further. You can live just like a hobbit in one of the Green Magic homes. These quaint little homes are made out of sturdy but flexible fiber reinforced polymers which are also waterproof.
There are a variety of ways you can design your hobbit hole and it can be assembled easily in a relatively short amount of time. The best part about the Green Magic homes is that you can have one built anywhere you want. You can build one in the Amazon rainforest, you can build one in a cold climate, or you can build one in the desert.
Each square foot costs $42. A home that's 1,000 square feet in size would cost $41,000. The homes come outfitted with state-of-the-art wind and solar technology.
Kayakapi Premium Caves, Turkey: Up to $4,000 per night (£3,184)
Kayakapi Premium Caves received the first-place award from TripAdvisor's "Travel Advisor 2017" for "Top Luxury Hotels." And for a good reason too. Kayakapi is comprised of hundreds of cave houses and historical structures and is completely buried inside a rocky hill, treating residents to incredible views.
Guests are treated to a box of complimentary Special Kayakapi Turkish Delights in their room/suite upon their arrival. Kayakapi offers a restaurant that serves local and international food, a bistro with a terrace, and a wine cellar that serves high-quality wine.
Other facilities include a large swimming pool made from glass mosaic, a lounge area with antique Turkish chairs, luxury spa facilities, and a shuttle that can take you around the city whenever you want.
Langtry House, London: $6.4 million (£5m)
Langtry House is known as a subterranean "iceberg" home. It's a state-of-the-home residence with 3,500 square feet of pure luxury named after actress Lillie Langtry for her association with Hampstead Heath, the large London park where Langtry Home is located.
Several years ago, the site of Langtry was just a row of garages, but then it was demolished and converted into a family home. The architects couldn't construct the home any higher than the garages it was replacing, so they had to design for the house to be mostly underground.
Even though the living room is a mere eight feet when seen from outside, it boasts a 25-foot-high ceiling from the inside. Other features in Langtry are a gym, a cinema room, a wine cellar, and a garden.
Villa Vals, Switzerland: Up To $3,850 A Night (£3,064)
Villa Vals is the perfect place for skiing enthusiasts since it's right on the snow-capped slopes of Switzerland. The villa was fully integrated into the landscape in an effort to preserve it. The only way to get inside the place is to go down an underground tunnel that cuts through the mountain.
The residence was designed by Dutch designers and it offers a balanced mix of Dutch and Swiss elements. The facade of the house is slanted slightly to add to the view of the mountain landscape from across the house.
The villa offers a quiet environment and breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape, especially the picturesque views of the mountains on the other side of the valley. Residents can ski down the slopes to Therme Vals, a famous hotel/spa complex.
Beckham Creek Cave Lodge, Arkansas: From $1,200 a night (£955)
The designers of Beckham Creek Cave Lodge took a regular old cave and turned it into something amazing. They built the lodge Flintstones-style and took nothing away from the landscape. The 6,000-square-foot lodge offers all of the joys of the natural environment in addition to modern features and amenities.
The facade outside has plenty of windows, letting in plenty of sunlight into the cave. The cave system runs deep underground, showcasing a number of lakes and smaller caves hidden inside.
Residents can enjoy a number of activities that Beckham Creek Cave Lodge has to offer, including spelunking, horse-back riding, nature trails, and rock climbing. The lodge also offers spacious game rooms for socializing. Residents can take advantage of the environment around them and embark on a hike through the mountains or take a boat ride down the Buffalo River.
Mirage House, Greece: Price TBC
The architects behind the construction of the Mirage House described it as an "invisible oasis." This house is located on the Greek island of Tinos, situated slightly above land where tenants can take in the beautiful panoramic views of the Aegean Sea without having to leave their room.
The construction is a single-level structure that contains a surface area of about 2,131 square feet. It was purposely built into the landscape so it would appear as a part of it. A rimless pool generates the visual effect of water stretching to the horizon, disappearing and blending with the environment. In fact, if you stand in the path of the approach, the only thing you can see of the Mirage House is the water of the pool.
During the day, the water reflects the house's surroundings, which are various rock formations, and during the night, the water reflects a star-filled sky.
Ktima House, Greece: Price TBC
Ktima is a Greek word meaning "farm" or "plot offertile land." Looking at this home, one can tell that the designers wanted to take advantage of the landscape when it came to building the place.
Ktima is nestled between steep, green slopes and situated between trees. The house is known for its modern and spacious design, displaying a white exterior that balances out its surroundings.
The designers modeled the 9,500 square-foot house using the Greek regulations for architecture. They divided Ktima into two levels—the entrance level serves as the main house and the lower level serves as a guesthouse, as well as providing service and staff areas. In an effort to save energy, the designers designed a green roof that keeps the temperature down and a few patios on both levels to help with ventilation.
Jungle House, Brazil: Price TBC
There are plenty of hidden secrets to be found in the Amazon rainforest, the largest tropical rainforest in the entire world. The Jungle House is one of them. It's known as the ultimate paradise for nature enthusiasts, situated among the dense vegetation and mountainous topography.
The main section of the house is raised off the ground so it is constructed into the mountain, projecting itself outwards. The house's designers built the residence so that the residents can be surrounded by nature and plenty of sunlight, and so that they can look out into the ocean. They also designed the place with warm and neutral tones so the homeowners could relax inside the cozy atmosphere.
Inside the three floors of the Jungle House are luxuries such as an infinity pool, social areas, and small verandas with hammocks.
Round Tower, Gloucestershire, England: Price TBC
The Round Tower may be an 18th-century landmark but what lies below is a modern paradise. The tower stands in the middle of the English countryside between the villages of Siddington and South Cerney.
The 33-foot tower used to be part of an estate, then was used as a windmill until 1958, when it was deserted. After that, it fell into ruin and remained that way for years until it was brought and renovated into the luxurious residence it is today.
The magic of the Round Tower is underground, hidden from public view. A spiral staircase leads down to the sprawling hidden area that comprises most of the property.
Amenities include an outdoor heated swimming pool, a state-of-the-art wireless music system, a swimming pool, multiple terraces, a staff lodge, a guest studio, and a sunken courtyard.
Casa Del Ancantilado, Spain: Price TBC
At first glance, Casa del Acantilado probably doesn't look like a home. But it's what the owners wanted. They wanted a house that was in tune with the surrounding environment. So the architects made an eclectic house built out of a cliff in Salobreña, Spain. Because the house is lodged halfway into the cliff, it has a 42-degree incline.
The house is known for its zoomorphic elements, bizarre form, and scale-like outer wall. The two architects sought to build something unique since they were in taught in school to have their own architectural style.
Even though the two-story, 2,583-square-foot house may have a strange appearance, it has some special features to provide. It offers incredible views of the Mediterranean Sea, a cantilevered terrace, and was particularly designed to keep temperatures down during the summer.
Vivos Europa One Elite Shelter, Germany: $1.1 billion
The Vivos Europa One Elite Shelter is called the world's largest private shelter. The underground complex comprises over 227,904 square feet of living areas and an additional 43,906 square feet of apartments, above-ground offices, warehouse buildings, and even a train depot. There's also about 3.1 miles of tunnels running below the complex.
This private luxury bunker, a popular getaway destination for millionaires, is built on solid bedrock under a mountain in Rothenstein, Germany. During the Cold War, the bunker was used as a fortress by the Soviet Union for military equipment and can withstand a nuclear blast, earthquakes, tsunamis, an airliner crash, and pretty much any armed attack.
Amenities include pools, gyms, theaters, restaurants, and a helicopter service.
Sources: dailymail, azuremagazine, telegraph, post-gazette
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