Although there have been some tentative attempts at living underground, mostly humans build up, not down. There is lots of space down there and most disasters in mines are caused by improper precautions about proper structure. Building down instead of up would protect against most weather problems and leave the landscape free for agriculture and forests and wildlife. And the deeper you go, the warmer it gets so that heating would be no problem and might provide a natural non-polluting energy source for generating electricity. "Windows" with views could be provided with large television screens connected to cameras around the world so that a simple redirect of video would permit a view of almost anywhere from a Malay rain forest to a Maine seacoast and it could be in real time to view unusual events with wildlife and weather. In earthquake free places there would be good security against almost any danger including even war. Probably this would not appeal to all people but I imagine many would find it advantageous.
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how about the more middle ground of burying architecture that it looks like a natural mound or rocky outcrop with glass ceilings and such. I think architecture can be incorporated in to the landscape much more effectively using underground-thinking... but the need to dig way down is not really economical.
Architecture should have property taxes calibrated to their energy efficiency, and this would spur innovation in insulation and burying units through economics.
A couple of points:
First, you have to contend with the water table. The historical mines I've visited are flooded beyond a certain depth.
Second, as far as war and terrorism is concerned, building down isn't much better than building up, aside from the fact that you wouldn't have to build as far down. (Sprawl isn't as much of a concern if you're underground.)
Caving in the entrances to an underground facility would be just as effective in killing off occupants as collapsing a residential tower. From a terrorism standpoint, it might even be more effective, because of the fear of being buried alive.
I'd still like to see it, though. :)
A University professor built his entire house inside a "dry" cave in the 1960s. The biggest problem he encountered was the buildup of humidity inside the house. A window air conditioner was used as a de-humidifier to solve the problem. Plumbing was another issue, solved with an electric "mud pump."