SkyriseCities headquarters is closed for the holidays. We'll be back with our regularly scheduled editorial on January 4th, but we've collected skyscraper visions from around the world to give you something to read while we're away.

A global city of immense cultural and economic importance, London has a love-hate relationship with skyscrapers. Often built to address the city's massive demand for housing and desire for modern office space, a number of quirky towers taking on all shapes and sizes have risen above the busy streets of London. 10 St. Mary Axe has been nicknamed 'The Gherkin,' The Leadenhall Building has earned 'The Cheesegrater' title, and 20 Fenchurch is playfully known as 'The Walkie-Talkie.' Each of these towers has received both acclaim for its unique design and disdain for what some see as an infringement on London's iconic spire-filled skyline.

New City Tower, London, image via Populararchitecture

With a number of proposals in the pipeline, including a potential new tallest dubbed 1 Undershaft, London's pursuit of tall towers continues unabated. Though the height and scale of these plans are unlike anything London — and most of Europe — has ever seen before, visionary proposals like the New City Tower remain improbable.

Dreamt up by local firms Populararchitecture and Teatum and Teatum, that tower would have housed an unimaginable 100,000 people in a vertical city stretching a kilometre and a half into the sky. Certainly a radical way of easing London's housing problems, the building would have been divided into several distinct sections, including three 'super-districts' of 33,000 people each. The tower would be large enough to earn itself a representative in the House of Commons.

New City Tower skating rink, image via Populararchitecture

The hollow building would not have had a central core, freeing up space in the middle for public squares every 20 floors. Large circular openings in the facade act as amenity spaces for the thousands of residents living within. The largest openings contain space for a variety of recreational activities, including ice skating, tennis, soccer, and swimming. The building truly would function as a living city, complete with a farmers' market, university, and its own fire and police stations.

New City Tower, London, image via Populararchitecture

The tower would rise to such an incredible height that fresh water could be captured from the clouds engulfing its upper floors and reused within the building itself. New City Tower would have been constructed in stages of a manageable 20 storeys each, allowing residents to occupy the building as construction continued. Though the idea seems more plausible in a futuristic city like Dubai rather than London, it does give local policy makers a vision, albeit an outlandish one, for addressing the city's housing shortage.

New City Tower public plaza, image via Populararchitecture

What do you think of this project? How do you think London and other major cities should house growing populations? You can share you opinion by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page.