What connects Mexico City, Mumbai, Oslo, Dusseldorf and now Ipswich?

Ipswich Star: The Winerack development, including four blocks of apartments, commercial space and an automatic car stacking syste, is on track for completion before the end of 2019. Picture: DAVID VINCENTThe Winerack development, including four blocks of apartments, commercial space and an automatic car stacking syste, is on track for completion before the end of 2019. Picture: DAVID VINCENT (Image: Archant)

The Suffolk town - alongside some of the world's most famous cities - will soon boast the latest in German car parking technology.

Futuristic car stacking systems have been built, allowing apartment owners' and office workers' cars at the Winerack to be automatically stored on shelves, within the body of the building.

In Mexico City a 424-space Multiparker system has been built inside the award-winning Torre Reforma skyscraper, a stunning building which is currently the tallest in the country.

It has been said to resemble an open book, with shapes inspired by Aztec pyramids.

Ipswich Star: The award-winning Torre Reforma skyscraper in Mexico City, the tallest building in Mexico, has a car stacker system similar to the one in the Winerack Picture: W�HR AutoparksystemeThe award-winning Torre Reforma skyscraper in Mexico City, the tallest building in Mexico, has a car stacker system similar to the one in the Winerack Picture: W�HR Autoparksysteme

Meanwhile In Ipswich, within the core of the apartments on the Waterfront, a 264-space German-made Wohr automatic car stacker system is being created.

It is one of only a handful built in the UK.

It is a computer-controlled parking system, and the answer for difficult sites where space is at a premium.

Similar Multiparker parking schemes have been included in landmark buildings around the world, from Madrid to Mumbai, and Dusseldorf to Oslo

Ipswich Star: The Torre Reforma skyscraper in Mexico has a muliparker system similar to the one being built for the Winerack in Ipswich. Picture: W�HR AutoparksystemeThe Torre Reforma skyscraper in Mexico has a muliparker system similar to the one being built for the Winerack in Ipswich. Picture: W�HR Autoparksysteme

There is also one in The 25-storey Cube mixed development in the centre of Birmingham.

This £26m Winerack re-generation project, under main contractors the regional building specialists RG Carter, is making rapid progress and is on track for completion by the end of the year.

It had stood empty and unloved for a decade following the recession in 2008 but it is now being completed, providing vital town centre homes in a stunning setting.

Developer John Howard said: "The builders are making very good progress."

Ipswich Star: The Torre Reforma skyscraper in Mexico City has a Multiparker 750 car stacking system inside, similar to the one being built in The Winerack development in Ipswich. Picture: W�HR AutoparksystemeThe Torre Reforma skyscraper in Mexico City has a Multiparker 750 car stacking system inside, similar to the one being built in The Winerack development in Ipswich. Picture: W�HR Autoparksysteme

The project will create 150 new apartments many with panoramic views over the marina and down the river Orwell.

There are four separate blocks of homes in the scheme, and apartment owners will be able to park their cars with the computer-controlled Wohr autoparking scheme.

A car owner drives their car on to a turntable, switches it off and leaves it.

The turntable spins around 180 degrees, and then the car is lifted and deposited on a parking shelf, and is left facing forward for when it is next needed.

Ipswich Star: The tallest building in Mexico, the Torre Reforma skyscraper, has a multiparker car stacking system similar to the one being build for the Winerack Picture: W�HR AutoparksystemeThe tallest building in Mexico, the Torre Reforma skyscraper, has a multiparker car stacking system similar to the one being build for the Winerack Picture: W�HR Autoparksysteme

Returning for their car the owner can dials it up and it is returned automatically and ready to drive away.