In an effort to explore the architectural possibilities in addressing sustainability and population density, Luca Curci Architects have imagined Vertical City, a conceptual project proposal for a vertical "city-building" settled in a body of water.

The group began by analyzing the contemporary skyscraper, which it sees as "a compact element, smooth and alienated from the surrounding [landscape]" and reimagines it as an open structure, realized through modular prefabricated construction. The concept structure is encased by a membrane of photovoltaic glazing, intended to enable the city-building for energy-independence.

Green zones and exterior perforations encourage light on each level as well as a natural circulation of air. Standing 180 floors (750 meters) high, Luca Curci sets Vertical City at a total volume of 3,750,000 cubic meters, with over 200,000 square meters of green area. Aimed to host up to 25,000 people, the ambitious thought experiment is a what the architects call "a modular interpretation of the idea of [the] contemporary city. And possible futures."