Imagine if city maps were puzzles. Have you ever really looked at the shapes involved? One clever artist looked at a map and decided to try a “city autopsy” and the results were interesting, graphic and ***oh so fun*** to study.

This is Berlin:

And this is Berlin in pieces:

When you look at a city by sorted shape, it gives you a feel for how it is to travel those crocked (or straight) streets and explore all the hidden treasures around every corner. Be sure to read the full article and see the other stunning dissected cities, including New York, Paris and Istanbul (not Constantinople).

Originally posted on NPR’s blog on September 13, 2012 9:03 by ROBERT KRULWICH http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/09/12/160996525/odd-things-happen-when-you-chop-up-cities-and-stack-them-sideways