Urban Underground Space Planning and Development

Rapid urbanisation, land scarcity and demands for sustainable infrastructure have driven cities worldwide to explore the potential of the subsurface. Urban underground space planning and development integrates geotechnical engineering, spatial information systems, urban design and policy frameworks to optimise the use of tunnels, caverns and voids beneath cities. Key components include geological and hydrogeological characterisation, 3D modelling, risk assessment and multifunctional zoning. Advanced data-driven methods, including GIS and building information modelling, enable stakeholders to visualise subsurface assets, simulate interactions among utilities, transport networks, energy systems and ecological services, and balance competing demands. Governance and regulatory instruments establish permissible uses, ensure safety and durability, and foster equitable allocation of underground resources. Global case studies—from metro expansions and underground shopping arcades to groundwater storage and geothermal energy schemes—demonstrate how a coordinated planning approach can alleviate surface congestion, enhance climate resilience and support circular-economy principles. Challenges remain in harmonising cross-disciplinary terminology, managing geological uncertainties, securing investment and engaging communities in a realm often out of sight. Nevertheless, urban underground space represents a critical frontier for sustainable, resilient and compact city development.

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Urban Underground Space Planning and Development publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in urban underground space planning and development across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Urban Underground Space (UUS): All subsurface volumes used for infrastructure, transport, utilities, storage, energy systems and human occupancy beneath an urban area.

Subsurface Planning: A multidisciplinary process of inventorying, evaluating and regulating underground resources and voids to optimise spatial, functional and environmental outcomes.

3D Geological Model: A digital representation of subsurface strata, faults, aquifers and geological properties used to simulate engineering and environmental scenarios.

Data-Driven Framework: A planning methodology that integrates large-scale spatial, environmental and socio-economic datasets to inform decision-making and scenario analysis.

Multifunctional Resource: The concept that the subsurface provides diverse services—physical space, water storage, energy reservoirs and ecosystem support—that must be balanced through strategic management.

References

1. The next frontier: data-driven urban underground space planning orienting multiple development concepts. Smart Construction and Sustainable Cities (2023).
2. Subsurface planning: Towards a common understanding of the subsurface as a multifunctional resource. Land Use Policy (2020).
3. Development of urban underground space in coastal cities in China: A review. Deep Underground Science and Engineering (2023).
4. Underground space, the legal governance of a critical resource in circular economy. Resources Policy (2021).
5. Metro systems: Construction, operation and impacts. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology (2024).