Imagine lying in the cool grass on a warm spring day, soaking up the sun, feeling the earth between your toes, counting the clouds—then climbing down off your roof to go inside and get yourself a glass of lemonade.

An earth-sheltered house just might be the next best thing to living in a Hobbit hole—and for some of us, they’re a dream come true.

Architect and author [1] Malcolm Wells wrote the book on earth-sheltered houses. And now that book is back in print, with a new foreword by the author. Chelsea Green is proud to re-release [2] The Earth-Sheltered House: An Architect’s Sketchbook, a classic in the field of green building.

This video gives a brief tour of the entrance to the courtyard of Wells’ underground office in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Thanks to [3] Greg LaVardera for the video.