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Part lightning spire and part futuristic super-tower, the Hyrdra Skyscraper was designed by Milos Vlastic, Vuk Djordjevic, Ana Lazovic, Milica Stankovic, and was an honorable mention in the 2011 Evolo Skyscraper Competition. It’s meant to be implemented in the tropics, where 70% of all lighting occurs – this includes areas like Singapore, Central Florida, Venezuela, and Kifuka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

When lighting strikes, the spire’s super-conductive graphene skin channels electricity into a massive array of batteries in the tower’s base. This energy is then used to split water into hydrogen gas through electrolysis. The tower’s twisting form was inspired by the Hydra, a simple freshwater animal. The project also includes a research facility, housing, and recreational areas for scientists and families – which we assume are a pleasure to use when the skyscraper isn’t being blasted with one billion volts of electricity.