An Unexpected Project

The Hobbit Hole - A Bespoke Underground Garden Retreat

Not every project needs to be a cinema. Created as a fully immersive fantasy-inspired retreat, The Hobbit Hole is one of the more unusual spaces to emerge from the same design thinking and craftsmanship that underpin Torii Garden Cinemas today.

Constructed beneath a landscaped garden, the structure combines traditional timber craftsmanship with a subterranean shell to create a characterful and highly individual retreat. Handcrafted joinery, bespoke furniture, integrated storage and carefully considered interior details make use of every available part of the unconventional space.

Building underground presented a very different set of challenges from a conventional garden building. Structure, waterproofing, ventilation, lighting and practical living features all had to work within the constraints of the design without compromising the atmosphere of the finished space.

Although very different from a private cinema, the project represents an approach that remains central to Torii today: start with the idea, understand the space, solve the difficult problems and create something completely personal to its owner.