Visualizing the New London Through Beautiful Data-Powered Graphics

Within a given 12 months, trains on London’s subway systems will travel more than 46 million miles. The city’s residents take around 2.4 billion bus journeys annually, while last year London’s emergency services dealt with 32,500 people incapacitated by binge drinking alone. These are just some of the head-spinning facts explored by a beautiful new book on London published today.

Created by Geographer James Cheshire and visual designer Oliver Uberti, London: The Information Capital brings data on the city alive through stunning visualizations. Turning potentially dull figures into striking images, the pair has created maps and diagrams that variously resemble patchwork, colored vapor trails, and melting metal. Some of these visualizations show how how difficult life in London can be (the book contains a map showing how areas affordable for a couple on the city's median income are shrinking fast, for example). The overall impression, however, is of the city’s incredible vitality—a place teeming with variety and constant movement, where citizens engage with each other through intensely held affiliations. Here are a few preview images from the book. Click the links below the images to enlarge.