Sustainable Cave Home

Living in caves has dated back to prehistoric times. Caves were desirable to some when civilization was developing, and aided the development of mankind. However, due to the development of modern civilization over time, people have adapted to living in houses, huts, and other infrastructure that is called home.

Humanity does not have to resolve to live in caves, but that sparked my curiosity as to what it would be like living in a cave with the modern adaptions we have in today’s contemporary world. Utilizing the existing infrastructure of the cave interior as walls and rooms we may be able to adapt a cave into a sustainable home. Amid conflict within the world, a cave home may provide resilience to those seeking refuge as a safe habitat to reside in before transitioning towards the outer world again. 

I want to design a habitat that embraces the beauty of nature with basic fulfillment and provides shelter for those who seek it. Not only that, within seeing the beautifully sculpted years of history with the Earth as the architect, there can be opportunities for appreciation to our environment and pique interest in environmental conservation. So, as idealistic as this may be, why not give cave living a chance?

Target audience:

The space I intend to create is for a large community to seek refuge or for those seeking an escape from the world. Having to move to a different country myself, I would like to create a safe place for all, or at least somewhere one can call home for a while. By creating a resilient and sustainable habitat that meets all the fundamentals of survival, one can have ease when developing a new life and embracing their unique surroundings to enhance human well-being. 

Pros when living in a cave:

When living in a cave, there are several benefits as to why the habitat may appeal to some people, such as but not limited to:

1. Cost-effectiveness
2. Naturally insulated (varies on cave)
3. Foster a connection with nature
4. Offers protection from weather conditions
5. Low-construction cost as it utilizes natural formation of caves
6. Aesthetically appeal to certain demographics
7. Historical and culturally significant to certain demographics
8. Enhanced privacy

Cons of living in a cave:

Even so, there are some disadvantages to consider, which I will try to address through my design. These disadvantages are as follows:

1. Lack of lighting within the cave
2. Poor ventilation and limited airflow
3. Lack of communication systems
4. May isolate residents from the rest of the world and degrade psychological needs
5. Lack of medical care or safety measures in the case of injury
6. Inaccessible to certain people due to the terrain
7. Lack of energy 
8. High humidity

For constructing digital model:

• Autodesk TinkerCAD

For the actual building:

• Cob
• Bamboo
• Galvanized steel
• Nuts and bolts
• Clay/lime plaster

NOTE: These pictures are an example of my inspirations, they are not my ideas

Inspirations:

While looking through existing designs that integrate well with a cave area, I looked at both fictional and non-fiction infrastructures to inspire me. This was composed of a range of cob houses to mountain homes ant nests to Minecraft homes. It was incredible to have found a range of ideas that had been done before to visually inspire my design. Moreover, looking at actual caves, especially in Asia truly inspired the structure of my design choices in order to compose the best cave habitat that outweighs the disadvantages. I suggest creating a mood board!

Specifications:

With the target audience and the advantages and disadvantages in mind, I plan to create a cave design that meets the following specifications to ensure the fundamental needs are met.

The cave design must:

1. Have survival needs such as medical care kits, fire extinguishers, and guides on how to stay safe in emergency situations
2. Provide communication services (if possible)
3. Have components that meet physiological needs such as food, water, shelter, rest
4. Provide some form of sustainable energy source to power the home
5. Ensure that the environment is not humid through the use of dehumidifiers
6. Minimize environmental, wildlife, and plantation impacts
7. Ensure adaptability and accessibility for all
8. Meet the psychological needs and combat the isolation of the residents by providing entertainment
9. Have a waste and sanitation system
10. Be safe for residents from predators or weather conditions
11. Have a food system to sustain living conditions