Burrowed in an outdoorsy suburb of Zurich, Switzerland, is this little community that looks fit for a band of Hobbits. These nine (Middle?) "Earth Houses," spotlighted today on My Modern Met, are a product of eco-obsessed Swiss architect Peter Vetsch, who dreamt of creating a neighborhood that's "subordinate to nature." Vetsch's greenery-cloaked creations, while perhaps not the only grass-topped structures on the globe, use about a third of the energy that regular homes suck up, thanks to the insulating superpowers of, um, dirt. Having the bulk of a home hidden away probably creates a secret-clubhouse feel, though don't be deceived by those cute-looking façades: of the nine houses, three have a whopping six bedrooms, and one is a seven-bedroom underground mansion.
· Hidden Earth House Oasis in Switzerland. [My Modern Met]
· The Lovely Grass-Topped Homes of the Rich and Eco-Stylish [Curbed National]