London Flipped – a topsy-turvy map of the capital

Look closely at London Flipped and you’ll spot something unusual about the capital – it’s upside down! Unexpectedly, the map has been flipped 180° degrees. It’s the first full-size map of the city to be plotted upside down, giving a fresh perspective to the capital’s cartography.

“I can’t pretend it didn’t start from a whim, almost a dare from a friend!” says Charlie Peel, Founder of Urban Good, the social enterprise behind the map. “But I realised it was something much more powerful than just a gimmick. Flipping the map of London forced me to think about familiar spaces in unfamiliar ways, and I hope it will do the same for others.” The whole of Greater London is seen as never before, with north at the bottom and south at the top. It’s designed to help people reimagine the capital, without any of the bias of ‘north up’.

Most of the maps we see have north at the top, but this wasn’t always the case. Historically, notably in the Muslim world, maps have been orientated with important locations, such as Mecca, at the top. North up became standard largely due to European navigational maps used during the Age of Exploration – and it stuck. We tend to think of ‘up’ as being more significant, even if it’s on a subconscious level. London Flipped challenges that bias.

Follow the golden Thames as a visual guide to this unconventional new view. Parks and green spaces stand out in fluorescent orange, while key buildings are shown in bold blue. The city’s connected with overground and underground rail networks, to orientate the reader in an unfamiliar landscape. According to Charlie, the colour scheme is about making familiar elements of the city stand out in a new way. Locals and visitors will recognise the features but be surprised by the unexpected colour choices. “It’s not just about making a functional map but creating something that’s lovely to look at and explore,” he says.

London Flipped was a labour of love, with Urban Good gathering map data for the city, flipping it and then relabelling everything. There was a lot of experimentation, with what to include – ultimately railways but not roads, to keep it uncluttered – and different colours tested out. After many iterations, a handful of variations were printed by Dennis Maps, before the final version was chosen. “It was amazing to see the map come to life,” says Charlie.

London Flipped has received a positive reception so far, with several notable Londoners praising it. “This map is pure liberation. We break free of formal hierarchies and learn to read again,” says Author and Filmmaker Iain Sinclair. Why not get a copy too? It’s sure to flip your perspective!

Image credit

All images courtesy of Charlie Peel at Urban Good.