FYI, the main reason laundry rooms are usually in the basement is risk of flooding. In a basement with a concrete floor with a drain, flooding isn't much of a problem but on a higher floor it could cause very expensive damage to the surrounding space, the floor itself, and anything in the basement underneath.
I'm sure for some reason the tradeoff is in favour of the second-floor laundry room, but the basement laundry room certainly doesn't count as artificial.
I believe the building code says anything on a higher level needs the washing machine to be in a basin, with the basin connected to a drain. (At least that's what I've heard)
FYI, the main reason laundry rooms are usually in the basement is risk of flooding. In a basement with a concrete floor with a drain, flooding isn't much of a problem but on a higher floor it could cause very expensive damage to the surrounding space, the floor itself, and anything in the basement underneath.
I'm sure for some reason the tradeoff is in favour of the second-floor laundry room, but the basement laundry room certainly doesn't count as artificial.