The dual-layer textile membrane weighs less than 1 kilogram per square meter (3 ounces per square foot). The outer layer is a polyester, coated on both sides with polyurethane (PU), and the inner is a single-sided PU-coated polyester textile. Image: Pneumocell

Inspired by their research on inflatable structures as moon habitats, the team at Pneumocell, Austria, is testing a much more grounded prototype—a subterranean geodesic Earth home called Pneumo Planet.

At the core of the system is a dual-layer textile membrane weighing less than 1 kilogram per square meter (3 ounces per square foot). The outer layer consists of a polyester fabric coated on both sides with polyurethane (PU), making it airtight and moisture- and microbe-resistant, and it is certified as flame-retardant. The inner layer is a single-sided PU-coated polyester textile, with the fabric surface facing the interior.

A person in a black jacket stands at an open door to an underground inflatable structure by Pneumocell, framed by a bright yellow, geometrically patterned interior.
Image: Pneumocell

Both membrane layers are welded together in a modular triangular grid, forming inflatable cushion cells. The dual-membrane design ensures structural redundancy: Damage to one layer does not result in air loss, and any leak can be easily located.

Hook-and-loop tape allows electrical cables to be routed along the walls and enables the attachment of shelves and closets. Eyelets at regular intervals allow for the hanging of pictures on the walls or lighting fixtures.

Pneumocell's geodesic dome structure, partially buried in soil, surrounded by gravel, with contrasting fall foliage in the background.
The team at Pneumocell, Austria, was inspired by its work on lunar habitats to create a single-room prototype of an Earth-bound subterranean inflatable geodesic dome house. Being mostly underground, it wouldn’t need heating and cooling systems. The research work was supported by the European Space Agency; the company is seeking partners to pursue commercialization. Image: Pneumocell

With funding support from the European Space Agency, a single-room prototype with an airlock was installed in Austria in November 2025 and is currently undergoing testing. Early results demonstrate a warm and stable indoor climate, even before the installation of additional window insulation.

Pneumo Planet is seeking funding, investment and pilot projects to scale the system for applications in sustainable housing and lightweight textile architecture, such as tourist cabins.

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The post Inflatable underground geodesic homes tested by Pneumocell appeared first on Fabric Architecture Magazine.



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