Former eVolo Skyscraper Competition finalist BNKR Arquitectura addresses Mexico City’s urban constraints with an inverted Aztec pyramid, or “Earthscraper,” at the heart of the historic city center. This proposal would conserve today’s  historical aesthetic of buildings and public space, endure Mexico City’s growing population, and adhere to city center’s 8-story height restrictions. A 1,000 foot long reversed pyramid is embedded into the ground, where a mini-city is layered 65 stories (300 m) deep. The structure’s glass roof is embedded at the city’s ground level, followed by habitable spaces around the perimeter of the void, allowing natural light to descend to the deepest levels.

Visitors in the first ten stories would enjoy museums and tourist attractions that celebrate Aztec culture, followed by commercial stores and residences in the mid-levels and finally about 35 stories of office space. This proposal seeks to address Mexico City’s shortage of plots for new development and consequently centralizes Mexico City’s businesses below a main plaza. Metaphorically speaking, the Earthscraper’s excavated nature would uncover Mexico City’s Aztec roots by digging deep into the earth past layers of historical Spanish and Aztec territories.  

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