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25Birmingham · Speirs Major

A halo around the lawn.

Dazzle Digest desk · in brief

Birmingham’s Green Heart makes the edge of a building part of the evening landscape.
Green Heart, University of BirminghamWarm vertical surfaces make the route readable at the park’s edge.Photo: James Newton / Speirs Major Light Architecture

At the University of Birmingham’s 12-acre Green Heart park, a halo of light rings the central lawn, and the brightest light goes on the main walking and cycling routes.

From the project

Darker pockets in the middle of the park are crossed by softly lit minor routes, with strong highlights on benches and architectural features to help people navigate1. Everything is warm white except the water cascades, which get a complementary cooler white1.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these public pages. Open the original to check it, or to see more of the project.

  1. Speirs MajorSpeirs Major — Green Heart, University of BirminghamUndated page · checked 2026-09-28
Next · p.26Don’t light the facade. Light the door.From parks to squares, where the people are shoppers, office workers and neighbours.

Chapter 03 · Parks after darkRead it in the issue →

More from Parks after dark

p.16 · San Francisco · HLB LightingA hierarchy of light, fourteen acres widep.17 · London · Speirs MajorThe boardwalk that dims for batsp.18 · London · Speirs MajorA bench with its own reading light

Leave some dark.

This story is from the October 2026 Toronto issue of Dazzle Digest, a free monthly magazine about lighting and life after dark.

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Dazzle Digest is an independent magazine. Stories are written by the Dazzle Digest desk from the public pages linked under each one; photographs belong to the credited studios, makers and photographers and remain under rights review. No brand, studio or manufacturer in these pages is a sponsor.