Pit House Technique Gives Us This Heat-Beating House

Pit House Technique Gives Us This Heat-Beating House


On your approach, you probably wouldn’t even know this house is a house. The front rises out of the ground like the facade of a secret underground lab, but from the back, it’s a giant windowed beauty. It’s called the Edgeland Residence, and it’s a re-interpretation of a Native American pit house.

A pit house is a dwelling that’s sunken into the ground to take advantage of the earth’s natural insulation to keep temps cool in the summer and warm during the winter. As far as the Edgeland House is concerned, the heating part isn’t so much of an issue. It’s located in Austin, Texas, where in the summer, sweltering 40C temperatures are status quo. Thus the amazing pool on the back of the home, the giant airy windows, and the grass-covered roof.

It’s probably a nice place to hide out from the elements, and you can imagine that no one leaves the pool area in the middle of summer.




[Bercy Chen via Architizer]

Pictures: Bercy Chen


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