According to experts, the benefits of vertical city development as an urban design concept, rethinks horizontal living where normal cities are made up of hundreds of buildings, vertical cities would be a few slender buildings standing hundreds of stories high.

With finite space and a growing human population, the natural direction of cities is ever upward as architects, developers, and urban planners think toward higher urban environments. The current trend is to create large, multifunctional buildings (MFBs), most typically combining residential, hotel, and retail functions.

It is argued that no true vertical city exists, however, the concept of vertical city development has the potential to create sustainable and dignified life for all. A vertical city is designed to provide all of the necessary functions that a city typically possesses, including recreational and free public spaces, social and governmental services, education, energy, as well as food production.