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United Kingdom · 51.5074°, -0.1278°

London Map Poster: The Thames Meanders

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Map poster of London (United Kingdom): streets, water and parks drawn from OpenStreetMap

Why this city works as a poster

The Thames does not cross London in a line: it makes several tight loops, including the Isle of Dogs, nearly closed on itself. On a map those meanders produce a strong sinuous shape, very different from the single curve of a city like Bordeaux. Around it the urban fabric is irregular with no dominant grid, which leaves all the legibility to the river.

Recommended framing

Landscape, 12 to 15 km across: that is what it takes to hold at least two loops. Frame too tight and you show only one curve, at which point London becomes interchangeable with many other river cities.

Which theme to pick

Because the London fabric is dense and loosely structured, a dark theme with fine linework avoids a muddy result. The Thames should stay the brightest element on the poster.

Where to centre the map

Isle of Dogs
The nearly closed loop to the east, the most singular shape on the map.
City of London
A core of very fine medieval streets in the middle of a more recent fabric.
Hyde Park
A large green void to the west, useful for balancing an over-dense composition.

How its streets are oriented

Street orientation in London: orientation order 0.07, organic pattern0° (N) – 180° (S): 4.8% of street length10° (N) – 190° (S): 3.4% of street length20° (NNE) – 200° (SSW): 3.6% of street length30° (NNE) – 210° (SSW): 3.9% of street length40° (NE) – 220° (SW): 4.5% of street length50° (NE) – 230° (SW): 5.3% of street length60° (ENE) – 240° (WSW): 7.5% of street length70° (ENE) – 250° (WSW): 10.0% of street length80° (E) – 260° (W): 7.2% of street length90° (E) – 270° (W): 5.0% of street length100° (E) – 280° (W): 3.2% of street length110° (ESE) – 290° (WNW): 3.0% of street length120° (ESE) – 300° (WNW): 3.3% of street length130° (SE) – 310° (NW): 4.4% of street length140° (SE) – 320° (NW): 5.7% of street length150° (SSE) – 330° (NNW): 8.7% of street length160° (SSE) – 340° (NNW): 10.2% of street length170° (S) – 350° (N): 6.4% of street length180° (S) – 0° (N): 4.8% of street length190° (S) – 10° (N): 3.4% of street length200° (SSW) – 20° (NNE): 3.6% of street length210° (SSW) – 30° (NNE): 3.9% of street length220° (SW) – 40° (NE): 4.5% of street length230° (SW) – 50° (NE): 5.3% of street length240° (WSW) – 60° (ENE): 7.5% of street length250° (WSW) – 70° (ENE): 10.0% of street length260° (W) – 80° (E): 7.2% of street length270° (W) – 90° (E): 5.0% of street length280° (W) – 100° (E): 3.2% of street length290° (WNW) – 110° (ESE): 3.0% of street length300° (WNW) – 120° (ESE): 3.3% of street length310° (NW) – 130° (SE): 4.4% of street length320° (NW) – 140° (SE): 5.7% of street length330° (NNW) – 150° (SSE): 8.7% of street length340° (NNW) – 160° (SSE): 10.2% of street length350° (N) – 170° (S): 6.4% of street lengthNESW

Within 3 km of the centre, we measured the orientation of 527 km of streets. Its orientation order is 0.07 out of 1: London ranks 36th of the 64 cities in the study.

The streets run in almost every direction: no axis dominates, the pattern is organic.

See the full study: street orientation in 64 cities

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