Speirs and Major Associates

Speirs + Major is a UK lighting design practice originally 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,^[1][2] 30 St Mary Axe (‘The Gherkin’), the Millennium Dome and the interior of St. Pauls Cathedral.^[3] The firm has also developed lighting master plans for several British cities, including Cambridge, Coventry, Durham,^[4] Newcastle, and for major private developments including Greenwich Peninsula and King’s Cross Central, London.

Speirs + Major has been credited with helping to raise awareness of the lighting design profession in the UK.^[5] Today it employs approximately 30 people drawn from disciplines including architecture, art, lighting, interior, graphic and theatrical design. Its studios are based in London and Edinburgh, UK.

Lighting architects

Both founding members Jonathan Speirs, who died in 2012, and Mark Major trained and practiced as architects before focusing on lighting design. In interviews^[5][6] they have argued that light should be embedded at the heart of the architectural design process rather than applied as a ‘cosmetic add-on’.^[5] This integral approach to light^[7] has led them to adopt the term ‘lighting architect’ to describe their role as ‘building with light as opposed to bricks and mortar’.^[5]

Notable projects

• Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London (2014)
• Maggie's Centre Lanarkshire (2014)
• In Lumine Tuo, Utrecht, The Netherlands (2013)
• Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees, UK (2009)
• Armani Fifth Avenue, New York, United States (2009)
• Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2008)
• Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing, PRC (2008) ^[8]
• The restoration of the Royal Festival Hall, London (2007)
• Armani/Ginza flagship store, Tokyo, Japan (2007) ^[9]
• BBC Scotland exterior lighting, Glasgow, UK (2007)
• Durham Lighting Strategy, Durham, UK (2007) ^[4][10]
• Terminal 4, Barajas Airport, Madrid, Spain (2006) ^[2]
• The interior of St Paul’s Cathedral, London (2006) ^[3]
• The Sackler Crossing, Kew Gardens, London (2006) ^[11]
• 30 St Mary Axe, (The Gherkin), London (2004)
• The Copenhagen Opera House, Copenhagen, Denmark (2004)
• World Squares for All (Trafalgar Square) London (2003)
• Gateshead Millennium Bridge, UK (2002)
• Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham, UK (2001) ^[12]
• The Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London (2000)
• Burj Al Arab Hotel exterior, Dubai, UAE (1999)

RIBA Stirling Prize collaborations
Speirs and Major Associates have designed lighting for a number of buildings that have either won or been nominated for the RIBA 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
• 30 St Mary Axe (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:

• Maggie's Centre Lanarkshire (Reiach and Hall Architect) in 2015
• 5, Aldermanbury Square, London (Eric Parry Architects) in 2009
• The Royal Festival Hall 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

• Outstanding Achievement, AL Light & Architecture Design Awards 2015
• Scottish Design Award 2015
• IALD Radiance Award 2014
• 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.^[13] The book is co-authored by Anthony Tischhauser and published by Swiss architectural publisher Birkhäuser.^[14]

• Jonathan Speirs; Anthony Tischhauser; Mark Major (2006). Made of Light: The Art of Light and Architecture. Birkhäuser. ISBN 978-3764368609. 

Notes and references

External links

• Speirs + Major website