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Drones

Gallery: Architectural abstractions – the seductive geometry of buildings from above

By Rich Haridy
March 09, 2019
Gallery: Architectural abstractions – the seductive geometry of buildings from above
Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
View 42 Images
Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
A project called Sicily From Above from London-based photographer Dimitar Karanikolov (Credit: Dimitar Karanikolov Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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A project called Sicily From Above from London-based photographer Dimitar Karanikolov (Credit: Dimitar Karanikolov Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
A project called Sicily From Above from London-based photographer Dimitar Karanikolov (Credit: Dimitar Karanikolov Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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A project called Sicily From Above from London-based photographer Dimitar Karanikolov (Credit: Dimitar Karanikolov Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Catedral de Toledo, Santa Iglesia, Catedral Primada
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Catedral de Toledo, Santa Iglesia, Catedral Primada
Toledo, Spain
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Toledo, Spain
Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
A carpark in Texas (Credit: Daxis, Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0)
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A carpark in Texas (Credit: Daxis, Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0)
A bullfighting ring full of people in Ahuacatlán, Nayarit, Mexico (Credit: Dannyqu, Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0)
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A bullfighting ring full of people in Ahuacatlán, Nayarit, Mexico (Credit: Dannyqu, Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0)
A waterpark in Brazil
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A waterpark in Brazil
Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
A project called Sofia From Above, looking at the city of Sofia in Bulgaria, from London-based photographer Dimitar Karanikolov (Credit: Dimitar Karanikolov Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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A project called Sofia From Above, looking at the city of Sofia in Bulgaria, from London-based photographer Dimitar Karanikolov (Credit: Dimitar Karanikolov Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Geometry in City is a project from Ukrainian photographic agency The Gate Vepryk, looking at the city of Kiev from above (Credit: The Gate Agency Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Geometry in City is a project from Ukrainian photographic agency The Gate Vepryk, looking at the city of Kiev from above (Credit: The Gate Agency Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Geometry in City is a project from Ukrainian photographic agency The Gate Vepryk, looking at the city of Kiev from above (Credit: The Gate Agency Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Geometry in City is a project from Ukrainian photographic agency The Gate Vepryk, looking at the city of Kiev from above (Credit: The Gate Agency Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Geometry in City is a project from Ukrainian photographic agency The Gate Vepryk, looking at the city of Kiev from above (Credit: The Gate Agency Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Geometry in City is a project from Ukrainian photographic agency The Gate Vepryk, looking at the city of Kiev from above (Credit: The Gate Agency Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
An impressive shot of the geometry built into the city design of Madrid in Spain
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An impressive shot of the geometry built into the city design of Madrid in Spain
Royal Garden Project, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Royal Garden Project, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Praça do Comércio, Portugal (Credit: Marco Verch Flickr CC BY 2.0)
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Praça do Comércio, Portugal (Credit: Marco Verch Flickr CC BY 2.0)
An amphitheater in Oregon (Credit: Keith Kendrick Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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An amphitheater in Oregon (Credit: Keith Kendrick Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
A project called Venice From Above, from London-based photographer Dimitar Karanikolov (Credit: Dimitar Karanikolov Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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A project called Venice From Above, from London-based photographer Dimitar Karanikolov (Credit: Dimitar Karanikolov Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Abandoned rollercoaster in an amusement park in Greenland
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Abandoned rollercoaster in an amusement park in Greenland 
Maristas School in Barcelona
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Maristas School in Barcelona
Looking down on the Houston Water Wall (Credit: Ed Schipul Flickr CC BY 2.0)
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Looking down on the Houston Water Wall (Credit: Ed Schipul Flickr CC BY 2.0)
Etzatlán Park (Credit: Dannyqu, Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0)
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Etzatlán Park (Credit: Dannyqu, Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0)
A public square in Wroclaw, Poland (Credit: Wojtek Gurak Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0)
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A public square in Wroclaw, Poland (Credit: Wojtek Gurak Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0)
Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Architecture from Above, a series from Swiss photographer Alex Buschor, based in Zurich (Credit: Alex Buschor Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Liebichshöhe in Wroclaw, Poland (Credit: Wojtek Gurak Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0)
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Liebichshöhe in Wroclaw, Poland  (Credit: Wojtek Gurak Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0)
Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 4 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
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Volume 3 of an ongoing series called Aerial Facades from Camilo Monzón Navas in Colombia (Credit: MonzoonPhoto Behance CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
View gallery - 42 images

Architects have long embedded geometrical patterns into their designs that lay hidden from the view of us ground-dwelling humans. Until the advent of drone photography these patterns were only visible in building plans or from those lucky enough to be flying overhead in helicopters or planes. Now drone photographers are revealing the beauty of these previously obscured designs.

The vast majority of photographs featured in this gallery examine structures that predate the development of drone photography. So these wonderful geometric shapes now reveal themselves as if they were secret symmetries embedded by architects to be discovered by someone in the future.

Camilo Monzón Navas' ongoing series called Aerial Facades is one of the most impressive investigations into these unseen geometries. His work primarily focuses on the architecture of Bogotá, Colombia, uncovering remarkable previously concealed spatial arrangements in the city's 20th century architecture.

Other incredible artists featured in this gallery include architect Dimitar Karanikolov's aerial art examining the cities of Sicily, Sofia and Venice, and Zurich-based photographer Alex Buschor's amazing collection of images simply titled Architecture from Above.

Take a closer look at our gallery for a trip through the hidden architectural geometries uncovered by drone photography.

View gallery - 42 images

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DronesDesignersPhotographyCityArchitectsDrone photography
1 comment
Rich Haridy
Rich Haridy
Rich has written for a number of online and print publications over the last decade while also acting as film critic for several radio broadcasters and podcasts. His interests focus on psychedelic science, new media, and science oddities. Rich completed his Masters degree in the Arts back in 2013 before joining New Atlas in 2016.

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Racqia Dvorak
One of those looks a great deal like a chemical structure of something like proline or Tylenol.