The city is a combination of the past, present and future. Acid rain continually pours down on the streets. The people of the streets developed a new language from Japanese, Spanish and English. Neon signs advertise products, some Japanese and some American. Flying barges advertise for the Off-World Colonies.
Animals are scarce enough to make manufacturing animoids a common industry.
The largest temple-like buildings belong to the Tyrell Corporation, the manufacturers of replicants. Finally, it is uncertain what, if anything, lies outside of the city. In Dick's novel. World War Terminus has occurred, and not much is left beyond the city. People must escape to the off-world before they are mutated to the point they must stay or endanger the new community.