Source: METRO, 24 Jan 2014
This article appeared in the METRO paper this morning. James Ramsey of RAAD Studio is proposing a park below ground in an old trolley terminal, Lower East Side, New York. The ‘Low-line‘ is similar in concept to the popular New York ‘High-line‘, a public green pathway situated on a historic freight rail-track. The concept of living below ground is an interesting one. A primary benefit is preservation of land area above ground. However, as the author notes, much is required to make an underground habitat viable – artificial light and ventilation and the most obvious. RAAD studio has come up with some ingenious solutions for their subterranean public space.
Matthew Carmona (Prof. of Urban Planning at the Bartlett, London) makes a valid point though: ‘To my mind the ‘Pop down Project‘ is more interesting (than the ‘Lowline project’). Mushrooms underground seems more fitting than trying to make greenery blossom below our streets.’
The reality is that urban space is increasingly valuable and designers are thinking of clever ways of maximizing what little area there is left. In London many home-owners resort to digging down to create additional rooms. 
Source: Kamvari Architects
Building below ground is also useful for regulating temperature, and the concept is certainly not a new one. There are a number of examples of dwellings constructed underground in places of extreme hot and cold climates. Read more about these fascinating places here: http://listverse.com/2013/01/22/10-amazing-underground-cities/.
Sustainable Building Design 
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