A Groundscraper in Mexico City? Turning the Box on its Head

According to an article posted in the DesignBuild section of Australia’s Architecture Source, civic leaders of Mexico City, as part of an effort to “uplift and modernize” the significant buildings of the city, may soon offer a building that “throws the very concept of a skyscraper, on its head.” The article reads:

“Architectural team BKNR Arquitectura of Mexico have inverted all the standard architectural rules for skyscrapers, in fact they have inverted the idea of a skyscraper in its entirety. What they hope to uplift [in] the city’s centre is not in fact an overwhelming skyscraper, but a 65 storey earth-scraper. This is a concept that does not even have an associated vocabulary. It is the concept of a world class building that doesn’t deal in height, but depth, a completely revolutionary idea.”

City ordinance prohibits buildings taller than 8 floors in the area, which inspired the design team to suggest an inverted building which would descend nearly 985 feet below ground level, and would include a museum, residential, office and retail space.(Be sure to check out the drawings on the BKNR Arquitectura website under the “on going” tab, then "earthscraper".) The article explains:

“What is incredible about this ongoing project idea is that the gaping hole that covers the introverted building space will be covered by highly durable and thick glass that would allow the square to continue moving as it always has, with an entire community living and breathing underneath.

“The most prominent questions architects would be asking are in regards to light and ventilation with a big ‘how’ attached to the end. While the designers ensure the open, inverted triangular shape will allow for natural sunlight and air to infiltrate, even offering a promotion of subterranean flora, the technicalities behind this are yet to be clarified.

“If they are really clever they may even be able to work the earth’s thermal energy into the logistics, but much like the concept, that is simply an out of the box idea. The concept itself has opened up a range of possibilities, and instead of communicating as a false hope concept, offers an exciting look into future architectural possibilities.”

An interesting idea to say the least. I wonder how they will deal with the possibility of earthquakes? You have to admit that it is a novel and out of the box design for Mexico City or any other city on the planet.