Cities are growing horizontally, not vertically: 3 reasons why this is a problem

Jillian Du e Anjali Mahendra — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 20:42:00 +0000

Imagine Lagos, Nigeria, a city of 22 million people. What was once a small coastal town just a few decades ago has exploded into a sprawling megacity stretching over more than 1,170 square kilometers. This rapid growth has strained municipal services to their limit: less than 10% of people live in homes connected to sewer networks, and less than 20% have access to running water. Many homes are in slums or informal settlements on the city’s periphery.

Author: Jillian Du e Anjali Mahendra | ArchDaily

Cities are growing horizontally, not vertically: 3 reasons why this is a problem