BOMBPROOF HOUSE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 12

BOMBPROOF HOUSE

BUILT UNDERGROUND - MILLIONAIRE’S HOME ARTIFICIAL SUNLIGHT. Britain’s first bombproof ' underground private home is to be built for a millionaire whose name is not rrcvealed but who wants to be ‘both ‘protected and comfortable in the next war, writes David Darragh -in the Chicago. Tribune. . , ■ This new bombproof house will be specially air-conditioned and flooded with artificial sunlight.- ' ' Its architect, Mr. Alan Daly, ‘of Woolsey and-Company,'Elstrce, revealing the secrets of his plans for the building, said:— ‘ ‘ The experiment is to be carried .out on luxury lines for a millionaire who is willing to spend £30,000 on it. It anticipates the' time, ,o± course, when the air menace may compel the people of Europe to burrow, underground so that they can work, sleep, and play in safety. ... “My plans provide for excavations to a depth.of 12ft over -an area- of 200 ft by lOOftTTho -framework, of - the building will be of- steel, built'in with reinforced concrete. Air Ministry anu gunnery experts are being' consulted about the construction ‘of the robf, which will consist of a 4ft-deep layer of concrete. On top of this is to be a sufficient depth of soil to capiouflage the ro,of as a tennis. court land ‘flower and vegetable gardens. .In. the - centre of the garden roof we are erecting a statue with-a fountain. This disguises a kind of perisc.ope with'which the people living below can i survey the surrounding country.**: j • ■ ENTERED BY TUNNEL Mr. Daly went on to explain ; that the house would be entered by a rtunnel from,the nearest road, which would also serve as.a garage entrance. “The tradesmen's and servants’ approach will be through a sec,ond tunnel at the back of the house,” he continued. “The lounge hall is designed as a circular palm court, and there is a door from this to every room, in the house except the servants ’ quarters. “The walls of the eight bedrooms and four reception ro.oms are to be of glass. Each of them is to have what we call a sunshine window. An electric switch controlling the curtains sweeps them aside to reveal a highly lighted miniature landscape of hothouse plants, flowering shrubs, and tiny lawns. Auxiliary water, heating, lighting, and drainage systems leave t-ie house independent of the public services should they be affected by air raids.” SPECIAL RESEARCHES Mr. Daly added that he was working on the construction ,of the house in consultation with the Reltcal Bar and Engineering Company, of London, whose experis are making special researches into the stresses and strength of the concrete structure. “My whole idea,” he said, “has been to give the inside of the house the appearance of a normal home. We shall, for instance, install concealed daylight lighting. “There is no doubt that the.experience we obtain in the building of this luxury house will bring considerably nearer the day when it will be possible to build underground houses at rents and prices the average man can afford. “The building trade contemplates the time when tens of thousands will live under the ground, not only because they fear ait bombing but because we should in this way preserve the beauty-of ,our countryside. ”