Tower For The Dead

Over the next four decades the number of people over 65 years old will increase by more than three-fold in developing countries, reaching 1.6 billion by 2050. On the other hand, Mexico City’s buildable area is extremely scarce and limited growth is only possible towards the outskirts of the city, with the consequent loss of agricultural land and environmental consequences.

This project proposes an underground vertical cemetery for Mexico City – a vision that takes into consideration the overpopulation, the scarcity of land, and the psychological and sensory experience of grieving. The ‘Tower for the Dead’ allows the family members of the deceased to be reborn, after a trip to the underworld, where they just buried their loved one.

The proposal was conceived as a large-scale screw with curved retaining walls and ramps with an enormous light-well that provides light and ventilation.