The evolution of cities may be a lot weirder than you think. Instead of sprawls, they may become ultra-high density constructions that look more like one gigantic building. Here are some incredible plans for buildings that will one day be metropolises.


Vertical Urban Sprawl (by Jake Murray, 2010)

Above, you can see a work of speculative concept design showing how cities might evolve.


(via DeviantArt)

Crystal Island (designed by Norman Foster for Moscow, 2007)

The 1,476 ft (450 m) high structure doesn't want to be the highest, but it has a "second skin" to shield the structure from Moscow's weather and could minimize the winter heat loss. The complex would use renewable energy sources. It will be completed in 2014, according to the original plans, but due to the global economic crisis the whole project was postponed.

(via Wikimedia Commons and demyment)

Dubai City Tower or Dubai Vertical City (designed by Meraas Holding, 2008)


If ever constructed, the 7874 ft (2400m) high building will have 400 habitable stories and a 1312 ft (400m) high energy-producing spire on the top. The main elevator will be a really fast one, it could travel local inhabitants with an amazing 125 mph (201 km/h) speed. The energy will come from renewable sources including wind, thermal and solar energy.

(via Wall Street Pit)

The Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid (over Tokyo Bay, Japan, designed by Dante Bini and David Dimitric in 2003)


It would be 14 times higher than the Great Pyramid at Giza – 6574 ft or 2004 m – and would house almost one million people. The structure would be composes of 204 smaller pyramids on eight layers.


Left: high-rise residential building, right: a skyscraper for offices.

(via Wikimedia Commons, Geekwidget and the Project's Site)

X-SEED 4000 (near Tokyo, Japan, designed by Taisei Construction Corporation and Peter Neville, 1995)


A 13,150 feet high (4000 m) skyscraper that could house one million people.

(via skyscrapercity)

Tokyo Tower of Babel (designed by Toshio Ojima/Waseda University, 1992)


If the construction begin, it took 100 to 150 years to complete this unbelievably high (32,808 ft or 10,000 m) tower, and it could cost about $306 trillion. It's big enough to 30 million people live inside.

(via Japanese Wikipedia, Skyscraper Page and Tower Ten)

Ultima Tower (Eugene Tsui, 1991)


This 10,560 ft high (3,218.7 m) tower would cost US$150 billion and would have a huge, 6000 ft (1,828.8 m) diameter at the base. One million people would live here on 500 stories.


(via Tsui Design)

Sea City 2000 (1979)


(via Paleo-Future)

Burj Dubai's Inspiration: Mile High Illinois or The Illinois (described by Frank Lloyd Wright, 1956)


It would have included 528 stories and nearle twice as tall (5,280 ft or 1,610 m without the antenna spire) as the Burj Khalifa. The famous architect began planning this in the 1920s, but only described in his 1956 book A Testament.


(via Fabiofeminofantascience)

What We Are Coming To (1895, Grant E. Hamilton for the Judge Magazine)


This city has its own railway system, school, telephone exchange, armory, theatre, saloon, fire department, meat market and everything that a usual settlement has.

(via Paleofuture)