Shell

Shell buildings is the name given for buildings which have a large exterior, but with a smaller playable interior. Examples of these buildings include the pyramids and the dragon cave exterior in The Sims 3: World Adventures. The penthouses of The Sims 3: Late Night are also shell buildings. The Sims 3: Showtime adds shell buildings. In The Sims 3: University Life, university buildings are also shells. In The Sims 3: Into the Future, many community lots are covered in futuristic shells. In The Sims 3: World Adventures, the rooms in the tombs are pitch black if not explored. The Sims 4: City Living added apartment shells that are similar to The Sims 3: Late Night's penthouse shells.

The Sims 3: Late Night
Skyscrapers are shell buildings that were shipped with The Sims 3: Late Night. They are "Shell buildings" and only offer one or two floors (such as the basement; some nicer penthouses have a second floor bedroom.) as a playable area for either residential penthouses or community lots, such as Bars. More than one rabbit hole can be inside a skyscraper. It is the first time in the series that a skyscraper can be made without the use of cheats, though they were available as neighborhood decorations in The Sims 2: Nightlife and The Sims 2: Apartment Life. Skyscrapers can be placed in build mode, though, as any rabbit hole, it has to be placed before a family moves in.