Though its aims and design goals are ultimately honorable, it's difficult to deny the spookiness of the Tower of the Dead. Its name even gives me shivers!
Clocking in at 820 feet, the underground cemetery goes directly down and boasts themed floors, each representing a stage of grief. The architectural concept is poetic, but almost seems obtrusive. Family members are meant to take a spiritual and literal trip to the underworld, walking down winding stairs until they reach the crypt of their loved one. After passing by each stage of bereavement, the survivors return to the surface, presumably closer to finding peace and inner-happiness. Designed primarily by Israel López Balan, the Tower of the Dead is a response to growing urban population and space restrictions, and the Mexican architect hopes to find closure and conserve space in his country's capital.
If you're ever in Mexico City, try to stay away from this building at night, as there's a strong chance it will be haunted within days of opening.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Subterranean Cemetery Cities
- Opportunity for innovative designs of underground cemeteries that offer unique grieving experiences.
- Themed Floors
- Opportunity to create themed environments in cemetery spaces to enhance the grieving process.
- Urban Space Conservation
- Opportunity to address space limitations in urban areas through the construction of underground cemeteries.
Where This Applies
- Architecture
- Architects can explore new designs for underground cemeteries that incorporate themed floors and provide a unique grieving experience.
- Funeral Services
- There is potential for funeral service providers to offer specialized experiences in subterranean cemetery cities with themed floors.
- Urban Planning
- Urban planners can find innovative solutions to address the issue of limited urban space by integrating underground cemeteries into city planning.
