Urbanisation is proceeding at full speed in the third world, as the growing mass of fertile persons swarm to population centres for work and meaning. "Where to put these swelling crowds of bodies?" ask the functionaries of third world countries. For a group of Mexican architects, the answer is clear: Put them down the rabbit hole.
This ambitious "Earthscraper" concept from BNKR Aquitectura seeks to address several problems faced by Mexico City - a growing population, the lack of new plots for construction, the need to conserve historic buildings and height restrictions on new structures. "The historic center of Mexico City is in desperate need for a pragmatic make-over," says BNKR. The solution - build an inverted pyramid underneath the main plaza at the heart of the city _Gizmag
A kind of reversal of the historical Aztec pyramid, the Earthscraper would aim to preserve the visual aesthetic of the historic city square whilst also retaining the public space, commonly used year round for events such as concerts, political gatherings, open-air exhibitions and cultural celebrations. The 775,000 square meter design is capped with a glass "roof" and habitable spaces are positioned around the central void, allowing natural light to filter down to even the lowest of levels. _Gizmag
The first ten stories would offer a tourist attraction, with all floors displaying Aztec and Mayan artifacts in a pre-Columbian museum. The design sees the next ten stories filled with retail shops and domestic housing, whilst the deepest levels offer 35 stories of office space. _GizmagIt all sounds rather idealistic, if not utopian. More realistically, if such a hole were dug, it would be used as a high security prison for Mexico's most violent drug gangs and political insurgents. If you dig it, they will come.
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