Speirs Major Light Architecture (SMLA) (formerly Speirs + Major, Speirs and Major Associates) is a UK lighting design practice founded by Jonathan Speirs (1958-2012) and Mark Major in 1993. The practice is noted for its illumination of many prominent buildings, including Barajas International Airport,Slessor, Catherin
"Spanish Soft Machine"
'' Architectural Review'', July 2006

30 St Mary Axe 30 St Mary Axe, previously known as the Swiss Re Building, is a commercial skyscraper in London's primary financial district, the City of London. Its nickname, The Gherkin, is due to its resemblance to the vegetable. It was completed in Decem ...

(‘ The Gherkin’), the

Millennium Dome The Millennium Dome was the original name of the large dome-shaped building on the Greenwich Peninsula in South East (London sub region), South East London, England, which housed a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millen ...

and the interior of St. Pauls Cathedral.Kolb, Jaffer
"Divine Light"
''Architectural Lighting'', November 2006 The firm has also developed lighting master plans for several British cities, including

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

, Durham,"Plan to illuminate historic city"
''

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

'', August 2007 Newcastle, and for major private developments including Greenwich Peninsula and King’s Cross Central,

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. Speirs Major has been credited with helping to raise awareness of the lighting design profession in the UK.Kennett, Stephen
"Setting the world alight"
''Building Services Journal'', January 2006 Today it employs approximately 38 people drawn from disciplines including architecture, art, lighting, interior, graphic and theatrical design. Its studios are based in

, UK and

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Japan.

Light Architecture

Both founding members Jonathan Speirs, who died on 18 June 2012, and Mark Major trained and practiced as architects before focusing on lighting design. In interviewsMansfield, Susan
"That warm glow of success"
''

The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact (newspaper), compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until ...

'', June 2002 they argued that light should be embedded at the heart of the architectural design process rather than applied as a ‘cosmetic add-on’. This integral approach to lightAlexander, Kaye
"Seeing the light"
'' Architects' Journal'', September 2008 led them to adopt the term ‘lighting architect’ to describe their role as ‘building with light as opposed to bricks and mortar’. Keith Bradshaw was appointed as a principal in 2009, and the studio was rebranded as Speirs + Major in August 2010, with the studio at that time terming themselves as 'designers who work with light' to reflect the breadth of skill in their team and to encompass their work that included not only lighting architecture, but strategy and branding projects as well as product and innovation. On 24 November 2020, the studio announced a change in name and brand identity to SPEIRS MAJOR LIGHT ARCHITECTURE to reflect their evolution from an atelier practice to a broader organisation headed by several Partners under the creative directorship of Keith Bradshaw and Mark Major. Moving away from 'designers working with light' they instated use of the term "Light Architecture" to better reflect their design ethos, describing themselves as having a "fascination with light, form, space and time." and a desire to "progressively and responsibly use light to improve the experience of the built environment, promote well-being and generate a unique sense of place.”

Notable projects

* K11 Musea, Hong Kong (2019) *Interior lighting for

Norwich Cathedral Norwich Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Norwich, Norfolk, England. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Norwich and the mother church of the dioc ...

, Norwich, UK (2019) *The Beverly Center, Los Angeles, United States (2018) *The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience, Scotland, UK (2018) *Gasholders London, Kings Cross, UK (2018) * Gasholder Park, King's Cross,

, UK (2016) *La Nuvola (The Cloud), EUR Congressi,

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

(2016) * Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport,

Shenzhen Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A Special economic zones of China, special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River (China), Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong ...

, PRC (2015) * Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, UK (2014) * Maggie's Centre

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark (; ), is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the Central Lowlands and Southern Uplands of Scotland. The county is no l ...

, Airdrie, UK (2014) *In Lumine Tuo (the lighting of the Dom Church and Dom Tower),

Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...

The Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

(2013) * Burlington Arcade, London (2012) *Marianne North Gallery,

Kew Gardens Kew Gardens is a botanical garden, botanic garden in southwest London that houses the "largest and most diverse botany, botanical and mycology, mycological collections in the world". Founded in 1759, from the exotic garden at Kew Park, its li ...

, UK (2011) * Infinity Bridge,

Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in County Durham, England, with a population of 84,815 at the 2021 UK census. It gives its name to and is the largest settlement in the wider Borough of Stockton-on-Tees. It is part of Teesside and the Tees Val ...

, UK (2009) * Armani

Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, USA (2009) *3 More London Riverside, London, UK (2009) * Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque,

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most popu ...

UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a federal elective monarchy made up of seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi serving as i ...

(2008) * Beijing Capital International Airport,

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

, PRC (2008) Basulto, David
"Beijing Airport / Foster + Partners"
''Arch Daily'', May 2008 *The restoration of the

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London, England. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a G ...

, UK (2007) * Armani / Ginza flagship store,

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

(2007) Donoff, Elizabeth
"New Giorgio Armani Flagship Store in Toyko's Ginza District"
''Architectural Lighting Magazine'', April 2008 *

BBC Scotland BBC Scotland is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Scotland. Its headquarters are in Glasgow, employing approximately 1,250 staff as of 2017, to produce 15,000 hours of television and radio programming per year. BBC Scotla ...

exterior lighting,

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, UK (2007) *Durham Lighting Strategy, Durham, UK (2007) *Terminal 4, Barajas Airport,

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

(2006) *The interior of

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

, UK (2006) *The Sackler Crossing,

, UK (2006) Sadighian, David
"Speirs and Major treads lightly at the Sackler Crossing"
''

Architectural Record ''Architectural Record'' is a US-based monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design. Its editor in chief is Josephine Minutillo. ''The Record'', as it is sometimes colloquially referred to, is widely-recognized as an important ...

'', November 2007 *

, ( The Gherkin),

, UK (2004) * The Copenhagen Opera House,

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

(2004) *World Squares for All (

Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...

)

, UK (2003) * Gateshead Millennium Bridge,

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

, UK (2002) *

Magna Science Adventure Centre Magna Science Adventure Centre is an educational visitor attraction in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. Location The site used to be home to the Steel, Peech and Tozer steelworks (also known as Steelos). In 50 AD it was the site of ...

Rotherham Rotherham ( ) is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies at the confluence of the River Rother, South Yorkshire, River Rother, from which the town gets its name, and the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don. It is the largest settlement ...

, UK (2001) "The Magna Science Adventure Centre"
''

'' * The Millennium Dome,

Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...

, UK (2000) *

Burj Al Arab The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab (, ), commonly known as Burj Al Arab, is a luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Developed and managed by Jumeirah, it is one of the tallest hotels in the world, although 39% of its total height is made up of ...

Hotel exterior,

Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...

(1999)
RIBA Stirling Prize collaborations
Speirs Major have designed lighting for a number of buildings that have either won or been nominated for the

RIBA ''Riba'' (, or , ) is an Arabic word used in Islamic law and roughly translated as " usury": unjust, exploitative gains made in trade or business. ''Riba'' is mentioned and condemned in several different verses in the Qur'an3:130

Stirling Prize for architecture. Stirling Prize winners: * Maggie's Centre London ( Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) in 2009 *Terminal 4, Barajas Airport, Madrid ( Richard Rogers Partnership) in 2006 *

( The Gherkin), London ( Foster and Partners) in 2004 *The Gateshead Millennium Bridge ( Wilkinson Eyre) in 2002 *The Magna Centre, Rotherham ( Wilkinson Eyre) in 2001 Stirling Prize shortlisted projects: *The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience ( Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) in 2019 * Maggie's Centre Lanarkshire
Reiach and Hall Architect
in 2015 *5, Aldermanbury Square, London (Eric Parry Architects) in 2009 *The

Restoration ( Allies and Morrison) in 2008 *The Dresden Main Station Redevelopment ( Foster and Partners) in 2007 *The Phoenix Initiative, Coventry ( MJP Architects) in 2004 *The Dance Base, Grassmarket, Edinburgh ( Malcolm Fraser Architects) in 2002

Recent awards

*Winner, Community + Public Realm, Lighting Design Awards 2017 *Lighting Design Winner, FX Awards 2016 *Outstanding Achievement, AL Light & Architecture Design Awards 2013 & 2015 *Scottish Design Award 2015 *IALD Radiance Award 2014 *Winner, Heritage, Lighting Design Awards 2013 *Design Practice of the Decade, Lighting Design Awards 2012 *IALD Radiance Award 2010 *PLD Recognition Award for Best New Project 2009 *IALD Radiance Award 2009 *IALD Radiance Award 2008 *Light and Architecture Award 2008 *FX Design Award for Best Lighting 2008 * IESNA Award of Merit 2007 * IESNA Award of Distinction 2007 *Lighting Designer of the Year (UK) 2007 *FX Design Award for Best Lighting 2007 *FX Design Award for Best Lighting 2005 *IALD Award of Excellence 2005 *Lighting Designer of the Decade, Light Magazine (UK) 2005

Bibliography

In 2006 Jonathan Speirs and Mark Major authored the book ''Made of Light: The Art of Light and Architecture'', a series of visual essays on lighting design. The book is co-authored by Anthony Tischhauser and published by Swiss architectural publisher Birkhäuser."Made of Light: The Art of Light and Architecture"
''Amazon.com'' *

Notes and references

External links

Speirs Major Light Architecture website
{{Authority control Architectural lighting design Lighting designers Architecture firms of the United Kingdom