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Google Street View Hack Transforms NYC Into Urban Jungle
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 17, 2014
Modified Mar 17, 2014
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 17, 2014
Modified Mar 17, 2014
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Care to see New York City covered in overgrown flora, but don't want to watch I Am Legend again? Einar Öberg has a hack for you! He's placed plants and vines all over your Google street view (he Tweeted that he's "breaking terms of use like it's no tomorrow"), which makes urban areas look post-apocalyptic, or like Grey Gardens, or like some magical greenhouse...
With Öberg's Urban Jungle Street View site you can "visit any place available in Street View by entering a location, drag the map to browse around and drop the little guy on a road. It works best in environment with large buildings surrounding the streets. Some locations need a little more imagination than others." It may not be around for long, as The Verge points out: "Google has been quick to shut down similar map hacks, including one in 2011 that turned Street View into a first-person shooting game, but there's no word yet on the fate of this odd and imaginative website."
We reached out to Google (sorry!) for a comment, and will update when we hear back.
Tagged
google maps
hack
street view
urban jungle
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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