Why are household brands that sell us kitchen appliances or snack food now commissioning science fiction authors and artists? Chris Baraniuk reports

What will be the world’s tallest building is actually shorter than originally planned. What’s stopping us from going higher? There’s one problem we can’t solve.

Writer Tara Isabella Burton imagines a future New York City where people avoid the smog-filled streets and lead their lives through avatars.

Over the years, many have dreamed about what a future New York might look like. BBC Future presents the best retro visions of the Big Apple.

New York has become one of the world’s most populous, densely packed cities. What if you could redraw the city’s map – and build it from scratch?

What’s better, living in a new city raised from the ground or in an existing city that’s free to adapt? Here’s where designers and dwellers disagree.

Does your neighbourhood make you happy or sad? Researchers are realising that how we feel about our local surroundings is vital to a city's success.

Mankind is consuming the ocean’s resources at an alarming rate. How do we sustain this vital resource for generations to come?