Abstract

With the emergence of the aerial photo, the “God’s eye view’ was brought to the perception of the ubiquitous man. Today, the aerial view of the Earth is much more accessible due to the prevalence of digital mapping software with user-friendly interfaces. Moreover, mapping software has created a virtual globe that is accessible to everyone. This globe contains an ever-growing amount of geographic, urban, spatial, and even touristic information about the world. In this manner, digital maps composed of satellite images offer an alternative perception and representation of the world. An aerial voyage across the virtual globe allows a new mode of transportation and the embedded data provides a fresh way of communicating. The tools of transportation and communication are thus united on the satellite image. This paper explores how this simultaneity led to transformations in the way the world is constructed and shaped. The current idea of what a map is, new concepts of scale triggered by the satellite image, and new tendencies in urban design will be analyzed through this perspective.