Over the years there have been quite a few maps and illustrations attempting to put New York City in perspective, starting with Daniel K. Wallingford's "A New Yorker's Idea of the United States of America" in 1935 and perhaps most famously, Saul Steinberg's 1976 take on the same subject. But none have done it the way London design firm Schulze & Webb have, by warping it.

"Here and There" is Schulze & Webb's project "exploring speculative projections of dense cities. These maps of Manhattan look uptown from 3rd and 7th, and downtown from 3rd and 35th. They're intended to be seen at those same places, putting the viewer simultaneously above the city and in it where she stands, both looking down and looking forward."

Why do it this way?

"Because the ability to be in a city and to see through it is a superpower, and it's how maps should work."

At first I thought this was just a gimmick, but after looking at it more closely and thinking about it, I realize it's kinda brilliant. If they could make a virtual map like this that scaled in real time and say, put it on your iPhone or a car's GPS, I'd use it continuously. To blend simple nearby perspective with an overhead view of where you'd like to go gives a sense of distance and travel you simply can't get with a regular map. Here's to hoping this becomes a cartographic trend.

via kottke