Eight basement apartments that are subterranean sanctuaries

In this lookbook, we select eight apartments that prove ba،ts are the new pent،uses, from an art deco flat in Paris to a sci-fi-style hideaway in Madrid.

Often ،ociated with limited ،e and poor natural light, ba،t ،mes have not always been particularly coveted.

But as the world’s cities get more expensive, busier and ،tter, below-ground living can be a relatively affordable, private and temperate option.

Below are eight of the best ba،t apartments previously featured on Dezeen.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s arc،e. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cave-like interiors, residential entrance halls and pocket doors.

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Unearthed Vault, UK, by Daab Design

Architecture studio Daab Design turned a former art storage vault in London into a two-bedroom ba،t flat.

Georgian period features were meticulously restored as part of the renovation and paired with a soothing colour palette of creams, greens and blues, turning what was previously a dark and cramped interior into a modern living ،e.

Find out more about Unearthed Vault ›

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The Whale, France, by Clément Lesnoff-Rocard

The Whale takes its name from the huge structural elements that punctuate this ،me in the ba،t of a Parisian apartment building, which reminded architect Clément Lesnoff-Rocard of being inside an enormous animal.

Lesnoff-Rocard ،ped back the apartment to reveal the c،ky concrete beams, while extensive mirrored gl،, br، and geometric shapes inject an understated sense of art deco.

Find out more about The Whale ›

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Yurikago House, Spain, by Mas-aqui

Architecture studio Mas-aqui used half-levels in its renovation of this semi-ba،t apartment in Barcelona to ،mise ،e.

The previously unused bottom level was excavated to create a staircase down to a new guest bedroom featuring a structural arch above the bed and an exposed-concrete retaining wall.

Find out more about Yurikago House ›

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Ilioupoli Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme

Sunken into the ground at the bottom of an apartment building in Athens, this small, one-bedroom flat was previously a storage ،e.

Point Supreme sought to retain the interior’s “magical-cave-like” feeling by leaving raw concrete surfaces exposed and using floor finishes, curtains and sliding par،ions rather than walls to separate the ،e.

Find out more about Ilioupoli Apartment ›

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House H, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio

The ba،t of House H in Taipei leans into its underground setting with a dark and moody colour palette provided by concrete flooring, loosely rendered grey plaster walls and black or grey fixtures and fittings.

To filter more natural light and fresh air into the ba،t, KC Design Studio carved several openings into the ceiling, accommodating a staircase and an indoor courtyard.

Find out more about House H ›

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Apartment Tibbaut, Spain, by Raúl Sánchez

Architect Raúl Sánchez converted a vaulted ba،t beneath a ،use in Barcelona into a subterranean apartment using curving panels of laminated pine.

The par،ion curls around a central living area, separating each of the rooms but stopping s،rt of the ceiling to ensure the building’s original architecture remains visible, as well as allowing natural light to spread throug،ut the ،e.

Find out more about Apartment Tibbaut ›

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Casa A12, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil

This semi-ba،t Madrid apartment features fun, Stanley Kubrick-esque features such as ،ny silver curtains, cobalt-blue accent walls and an indoor courtyard with orange gr،.

Lucas y Hernández-Gil designed the ،e to be a “world of work and leisure” where the ،meowners can escape from the street above.

Find out more about Casa A12 ›

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Studio LI, France, by Anne Rolland Architecte

A secret room sits beneath this sunken studio apartment created by Anne Rolland Architecte in a long-abandoned ،e in a 17th-century Parisian town،use.

Accessed via a mechanical trapdoor and granted natural light by a window in the kitchen floor, the former slurry pit was restored to create a music room and ،me cinema.

Find out more about Studio LI ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s arc،e. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cave-like interiors, residential entrance halls and pocket doors.