This amazing Icelandic home is buried beneath the earth

Reykjavik-based Studio Granda embedded a tiny home into the hilly Icelandic landscape using construction techniques similar to those used by their Viking ancestors.

The Garður Landhome is firmly tucked into earthen berms to shelter it from exposure to the harsh natural elements – it’s essentially wrapped up in a warm turf blanket. The home is part of a larger landscape project, which is focused on bringing native greenery back to the area.The home is located on the east bank of the Ytri Rangá River, and the land around it is mostly barren due to years of ash-fall from the nearby volcano Hekla. Building conventional structures in the area would be futile because they would be completely exposed to the severe climate conditions. However this tiny house is insulated by substantial earthwork berms that shelter it from the harsh elements.

The compact space has an open living area and a kitchen located under the in-situ concrete arch. Large windows frame the north and south walls, providing natural light and stunning views of Hekla and the surrounding landscape.

The Garður Landhome is part of a larger landscape project focused on bringing native greenery back to the area. The home will serve as the headquarters for a reforestation program that is currently planting indigenous saplings in the area as an attempt to reverse the effects of the volcano ash.