Global undergrounds - exploring cities within
'Global Undergrounds – Exploring cities within'
By Paul Dobraszczyk, Carlos Lopez Galviz and Bradley L. Garrett.
Reaktion Books, 2016
Tipped as a ‘bunker-Baedeker’ this book takes the reader on to a journey through the cities below our cities, looking at a variety of often forbidden underground structures from tunnels to bunkers, sewers and caverns.
The book starts with a historic outlook at the famous Cloaca Maxima, Rome’s ancient sewer and the Chinese terracotta army that joined their dead emperor in his underground funerary complex.
It looks at the ways humans have created underground spaces by making use of existing caves and digging tunnels.
The authors investigate our fascination with the unknown below and its almost magical character; one only needs to look at the catacombs of Paris and the neatly arranged bones of the long-dead, but also the cathedral like vaults of modern underground railway systems.
Underground spaces have, and continue to serve as shelters during wars, help us travel from place to place peer into the past, and even prepare for our future, through facilities like CERN and the Svalbard Seed Vaults.
Illustrated with stunning photographs this book of case studies makes a fascinating read for everyone interested in the urban subterranean.
This article was originally published here by ICE on 22 June 2017. It was written by Annette Ruehlmann.
--The Institution of Civil Engineers
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
ECA, JIB and JTL back Fabian Society call to invest in skills for a stronger built environment workforce.
Women's Contributions to the Built Environment.
Calls for the delayed Circular Economy Strategy
Over 50 leading businesses, trade associations and professional bodies, including CIAT, and UKGBC sign open letter.
The future workforce: culture change and skill
Under the spotlight at UK Construction Week London.
A landmark moment for postmodern heritage.
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.