When we look at towering skyscrapers, we usually enjoy how majestic they make the skyline look. But every structure casts a shadow.

The subreddit 'Urban H**l' is a place where modern concrete jungles are called out for all the chaos and disarray that they entail.

Created back in 2013, this online community now has 1.2 million members, who are regularly sharing pictures of buildings and cities that suggest we're already living in a dystopia.

Whether it's the dirty slums against the shiny downtown in the background, abandoned stadiums, or packed streets under neon lights, is this really the best we humans can do?

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#1 Light Pollution From Train Line Over Old Houses In China

#2 Hong Kong, Enough Said

According to Yan Liu, a professor of geographical information science at the University of Queensland, and Rachel Gallagher, a Ph.D. candidate at the same institution, zoning has been the key tool used by urban planners to influence how our cities grow and change for almost a century.

"Contemporary zoning truly developed after the Second World War," the researchers wrote. "A combination of large real estate interests and the emerging field of urban planning created low-density, car-centric suburbs."

Urban plans called for standardized subdivisions and land uses, and engineering of streets and infrastructure.

#3 Balcony Facade Of A Famous Hotel In Thailand

#4 Gurugram, India

#5 Satellite View Of New Delhi (A City Of Some 20 Million People)

Urban development was largely characterized by detached houses in residential suburbs, while large road networks separated these suburbs from commercial and industrial areas of the city.

However, in the late 1980s, many cities began to introduce planning mechanisms to restrict outward expansion. Changes in zoning allowed for increased density and a mix of land uses—the aim was to encourage redevelopment of existing urban areas.

#6 Naples, Italy

#7 Caribbean Coast Estate, Hong Kong

#8 Egyptian Times Square, Cairo, Egypt

#9 Istanbul Traffic

Yet, as cities become denser and the traditional suburban "house and garden" is redeveloped, buildings are replacing trees, and settlements become grayer.

Replacing an existing home with a larger house or with several townhouses typically results in all existing vegetation being stripped from the site.

#10 The Other-Side Of Rio De Janeiro

#11 Contrasts

#12 Mumbai Water Pipes With Garbage And Slums, Those Pipes Supply Water To Localities With Apartment Rates Exceeding A Million Dollar For 3bhk In Bandra, Santacruz

#13 Once Upon A Time, These Houses Have A Sea View, Now They Have This View

Compact city land-use policies and urban forest policies need to work together to ensure that there could be both high-quality built environments and extensive tree cover.

Experts argue that cities urgently need more strategic identification of small and large lots that are suitable for more intensified development, particularly to reduce the need for the widespread low-level consolidation that threatens tree cover.

#14 Hong Kong Apartments

#15 Metro Manila, Philippines

#16 Burlington Beach, Ontario

#17 Small City In China

At the same time, land-use regulation should ensure that both low-yield and higher-density redevelopment maintain the contribution of private land to the urban forest. Existing and new approaches to achieving this outcome need to be considered, whether that's done through local rules, government programs, or incentive schemes.

#18 Mansion Under Bay Bridge In San Fransisco, Ca

#19 Phnom Penh New Gated Community

#20 Merry Christmas Sign On A Blast Furnace At Brazil

#21 Tokyo From Skytree

Rapid urban consolidation can change urban landscapes significantly over the next few decades, and the right decisions need to be made to ensure we don't end up with more "urban H**l," which can be further explored in our previous publications on the subreddit here and here.