Escaping from the regular debate that surrounds urban planning — veering away from the economics, the societal balances, the environmental sensitivities — and looking directly into the eye of the urban space from above, it becomes clear that the beauty of a city is not reserved to terra firma alone. Individual buildings and their interiors are a city's paint strokes, street art and urban interventions are the embellishments, but what happens when we see the urban form from the perspective of a bird? We see the full work of art, the lucky things.

The collection of 11 cities in this post gives us an insight into one more dimension of our urban realm – the real-life master plan. Some of the images you see, for example the flying object of Brasília, can be looked at as Rorschach-like patterns where the objects you see might be exclusive to your mind. What can you see?

New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven, Connecticut // Source: Google/USGS

Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

Washington, D.C., U.S.A. // Source: Google

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Belo Horizonte, Brazil // Source: Google/Digital Globe

Brasília, Brazil

Brasília, Brazil // Source: earthobservatory.nasa.gov

El Salvador, Chile

El Salvador, Chile // Source: Google/GeoEye

El Salvador, Chile // Source: Google/GeoEye

La Plata, Argentina

La Plata, Argentina // Source: Google/Geoeye

Palmanova, Italy

Palmanova, Italy // Source: Google/Digital Globe

Jaipur, India

Jaipur, India // Source: Google/GeoEye

Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide, Australia // Source: Google/Digital Globe

Canberra, Australia

Canberra, Australia // Source: Google/GeoEye

Canberra's Capital Hill // Source: GeoEye