Some Real-Life Aerial Views of Cities for Designer Inspiration:

[Deville]

"Berlin combines the culture of New York, the traffic system of Tokyo, the nature of Seattle, and the historical treasures of, well, Berlin." Hiroshi Motomura

I didn't know the traffic system in Tokyo totally sucks, often doesn't work at all and if it does usually is incredibly late.

 

[Sotrax]

Well, compared to other cities and metropols the traffic system in Berlin is quite excellent. Car traffic mostly flows and don't get stuck for hours (exept there is an accident, but that doesn't count) and the public transport is amazing. You don't need a car, you can get everywhere, everytime and that quite easy and cheap. If the S-Bahn isn't on strike, of course. But, the amout of cars per person proves, that the public transport is quite good. I love it.

 

[Vvolkov]

Go Seahawks!!

OP #3 Seattle
You can see Century Link field just below Mt. Rainier. Home of the last Super Bowl champs! (For those who care about american football)

 

[cRAGGLE]

some VERY nice aerial pics here: http://photographyheat.com/35-beautiful-and-wonderful-aerial-photography/

 

[mskero]

i really like chicago, boston, barcelona and bern

but this also will be nice.
lot of pedestrian areas + green areas + marinas = absolute perfection

 

[mazman34340]

Charlotte stronk!
Charlotte relevant!
Charlotte has culture! (cries)

Charlotte, NC.

 

[VincentX]

This is a PERFECT example regarding how being close to a "big enough" body of water increases residential land values and causes high-rises especially.. This is the gold coast.. but the same thing happens in Chicago and other cities:

Water proximity = taller residential buildings/ higher residential demand (nicer, richer houses etc).

of course, being near a large body of water shouldn't be as big a deciding factor in a skyline as the Central Business District effect.. However, large bodies of water and proximity to those should have a very noticeable effect on land values.

Actually, no. There is something else all those cities have in common: they're all port cities. Being close to a large body of water doesn't directly cause high residential value or high-rises. It does affect economic growth though, and through that demand. Highrises are built there where the most labour forces are needed, which is usually near the city's port, if it has one. There are large cities at the sea/ocean but without their highrises anywhere near the sea because their ports are deeper inland or because those ports are so enormous that highrises can't be built there.

 

[lemonsquid]

New fav, stolen from reddit:

Barcelona!

I think im the only one who hates the way that looks.

 

[Sinname]

I love this one.

Paris.

 

[JerkyJerry]

Just an eye candy bump

 

[Shiggs]

I think im the only one who hates the way that looks.

No, it looks hideous from the sky view, I agree.

 

[Sinname]

No, it looks hideous from the sky view, I agree.

Couldn't you say " I don't like it"? It's your opinion, not the truth and, this ways, it's more polite

 

[Shiggs]

well I did say looks, implying it is my opinion. If I wanted to say it as a matter of fact, I would have said it is hideous... simple misunderstanding.

 

[Lord Canterbury]

And for post-urban-sprawl depopulation and abandonment, you can't beat Detroit. The perfect example of why not to plough motorways through your inner suburbs. (All the green bits used to be houses):

More pics here: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...posures-detroit-by-air-alex-maclean.html?_r=0

 

[RorySheen]

My three favourite cities.


Sheffield:

Spoiler

Edinburgh:

Spoiler

Dublin:

Spoiler

 

[Black_Shade]

I think im the only one who hates the way that looks.

No, I'm not a fan either. The problem is every building looks the same in the sky view, so not only is it a super-grid, it has no building variation. Very bland, very boring. I'm sure it's much better in person.

 

[Lord Canterbury]

No, I'm not a fan either. The problem is every building looks the same in the sky view, so not only is it a super-grid, it has no building variation. Very bland, very boring. I'm sure it's much better in person.

Lol - Not too many people would accuse Barcelona of having boring, bland buildings. Check out this photosphere from the area pictured (Casa Batlló, about halfway up the street that this slightly off-vertical in the aerial view.): https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place...2!3m1!1s0x12a4a258081714c9:0x24bef7ac8842bdc4

 

[Tsouks]

New fav, stolen from reddit:

Barcelona!

I see what you did there Moo.

 

[Sinname]

North American cities are, exactly the same, cuadricular and nobody says New York is boring and ugly.
Moreover, that's just a part of Barcelona. Its name is Eixample.
Defenitely you should come and visit Barcelona, it's one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I'm pretty sure you'll fall in love with this city
Personally, I did haha

 

[barrygreybeard]

definitely looks a lot better from the ground, thanks to Gaudi's influence, a fun city with interesting architecture...