Maps Never Meant for Human Eyes

The above map of New York City, created by Clement Valla, is admittedly unintelligible. Views of the city from all angles implode on top of each other. Upon close inspection, random glimpses of yellow taxis appear to navigate streetscapes as Picasso might have envisioned them. Scan the entire scene, and it mostly looks like a video game gone horribly awry.

The essential data, though is intact. This is a 3D satellite view of New York City, expressed in two dimensions, from Valla's wonderfully disorienting web project "3D maps minus the 3D." You're looking at visual data meant to be processed by computers in re-assembling three-dimensional aerial views from satellite data for online platforms you might more readily recognize, like Google Satellite.