If you haven't got a head for heights, you may welcome the arrival of a new 'earth scraper', Mexico City's latest attempt to solve their housing shortfall.
Once built, the inverted skyscraper will extend into the soil to offer large amounts of accommodation, much needed in a city with a population that has recently hit 21.2 million. While there is a limit on buildings over 8 stories being constructed in the city, the earth scraper will be 65 stories in total.
The top ten storeys will house a museum of historical artifacts, while the levels below will contain a mixture of shops, offices and homes. A shaft runs down the middle of the construction offering light and ventilation to all levels of the building.
The design by BNKR Arquitectura was a finalist in eVolo Magazine's Skyscraper competition last year.
Discussing the plans, a spokesperson from BNKR said: "The Earth scraper is the skyscraper's antagonist in an historic urban landscape where the latter is condemned and the preservation of the built environment is the paramount ambition. It preserves the iconic presence of the city square and the existing hierarchy of the buildings that surround it."
Prefer to live above ground? Search for available properties in Mexico
Picture courtesy of BNKR Arquitectura