Design Drool: A Modern Cave

Two words we never thought we'd put together:
Modern and cave.

A few of us at ShelterPop were drawn to this strange modern cave residence we discovered in a recent New York Times article; we all thought this was one of the most extreme homes we'd seen in a long time.

The property in Festus, Missouri is located in a 15,000-square-foot gouge in the earth, which was created by a 1930s sandstone mine.

Prior to becoming the site for a family home, the cave was once a roller-rink/concert venue. (In fact, there is still a stage located inside, where apparently Tina Turner once performed!)

Curtis and Deborah Sleeper along with their two children Kian and Perry, saw the unoccupied land listed on eBay in 2003. The Sleeper family decided this undeveloped lot held the promise of a much better place to live than their current cramped ranch home.

After purchasing the property they built a three-bedroom structure inside the cave, creating an enormous self-insulating structure about 45 feet underground.

Do you think they shared the cave with any bats? Photo: Ann Summa for The LA Times

The exterior looks quite modern, made of glass panels and other used materials bought from a local store but inside the cave walls are clearly the most striking architectural element. I bet it's hard to hang a piece of art! According to Curtis, the home requires no air conditioning or heating, as the cave provides a comfortable temperature of 70 degrees all year round. There are also freshwater springs and waterfalls on the property. Sounds like paradise, right?

As a teenager it must have been super cool to have your friends over to the cave on a Saturday night. Photo: Lars Tunbjork for The New York Times

Inside, the Sleepers created a three-chamber living space. Most of the actual living area is in the front third -- all 2,000 square feet of it! The middle area houses a laundry room, storage and a playroom. The back chamber was where the roller rink and stage are located, and where the Sleeper kids ride bikes or skateboards. The rule "don't play ball in the house" probably doesn't apply here!

I wonder who owns this natural wonder now? Photo: Ann Summa for The LA Times

Unfortunately, the Sleeper family fell on hard times due to the economic crisis and had to sell the home on eBay.