“Above Scotland: Cities” is a new book containing aerial photographs of Scotland’s six cities from the 1920s to the present. Published by The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), the book is authored by Rebecca M. Bailey, James Crawford and Allan Williams. “From the air, you can read a city and work out puzzles of its development that can be confusing at ground level,” Crawford said: “Rooftops become like geological layers, architectural timelines of social, economic and political history.” Including a 3D viewer for a set of never-before published three dimensional photographs, the book will come out on 1st October 2010 at a price of £25.

RCAHMS Press Release

NEW BOOK CAPTURES BIRDS’ EYE VIEW OF HISTORY OF SCOTTISH CITIES

Dramatic aerial photographs from the 1920s to the present tell the story of the growth of Scotland’s six cities literally from a bird’s eye perspective, in a new book published this month.

The images, including never-before published 3D photographs, feature in Above Scotland - Cities, a new book from The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS).

The striking aerial images are drawn from Scotland’s National Collection of Aerial Photography, held by RCAHMS.

They show the character and development of each of Scotland’s cities – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Stirling and Inverness – during the transformation of the nation from rural to urban over the last 200 years.

For the first time, in a special dedicated section, readers can view images of Scotland’s cities in 3D (3D viewer included), seeing stunning details rise up off the page like scale models, from the imposing castles of Edinburgh and Stirling perched on their rocky crags, to the ordered grid-iron canyons of central Glasgow.

Some of the earliest images included in the book date from just after the end of World War One – the work of Aerofilms, one of the earliest commercial aerial photography companies in the world. Royal Air Force imagery is also showcased in the book alongside recent aerial photography taken as part of RCAHMS continuous aerial survey programme of Scotland.

Co-author, James Crawford said:

“Using aerial photographs taken over the past 90 years, we can actually trace the growth and development of Scotland’s cities over many centuries. Each wave of change – including wars, industrial revolution, economic depression and urban renewal – has left distinctive tide marks on the built environment.

“From the air, you can read a city and work out puzzles of its development that can be confusing at ground level.  Rooftops become like geological layers, architectural timelines of social, economic and political history. Because distance and height put cities in their widest context, the view from above can also help you understand origins that often date back not thousands but millions of years – that Scotland’s cities are built on unique landscapes formed by volcanoes, glaciers and inland seas.”

Above Scotland - Cities, is the second in a series showcasing Scotland’s National Collection of Aerial Photography and the first book to ever cover all of Scotland’s six cities in detail.

The first Above Scotland title was released in October 2009 and its 5000 print run sold out in just three months.

Above Scotland - Cities, priced £25.00 (hardback) will be available from all good booksellers from 1 October 2010

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