With the intensifying urbanization and the increasing demands for land resources, urban development is gradually expanding into the underground. Rational development and design of underground space can not only improve use efficiency of land, relieve land use pressure, but also facilitate people’s living and improve urban environment. Analysis of the status quo and problems of underground space design researches in China, and the directions of future underground space research and development will contribute to the development and design of underground space. On the basis of reviewing research papers in the past decades, the contents of underground space researches were divided into 10 major categories, the current contents of underground space researches in China and existing problems were analyzed, and it was proposed that the future underground space design researches should be based on traditional research contents and methods, use advanced technologies such as information technology, show the interdisciplinary cooperation, pay attention to human feelings, protection and continuation of cultural context, and adhere to green and sustainable development with consistent innovation and progress. With the intensifying urbanization and the increasing demands for land resources, urban development is gradually expanding into the underground. Rational development and design of underground space can not only improve use of land, relieve land use pressure, but also facilitate people’s living and improve urban environment. Analysis of the status quo and problems of underground space design researches in China, and the directions of future underground space research and development will contribute to the development and design of underground space. On the basis of reviewing research papers in the past decades, the contents of underground space researches were divided into 10 major categories, the current contents of underground space researches in China and existing problems were analyzed, and it was proposed that the future underground space design researches should be based on traditional research contents and methods, use advanced technologies such as information technolo gy, show the interdisciplinary cooperation, pay attention to human feelings, protection and continuation of cultural context, and adhere to green and sustainable development with consistent innovation and progress.