Lighten up!

Speirs and Major Architects shed some light on the evening city.

Over the course of the last century, cities have changed profoundly.  Traditional notions of “the working day” and leisure time” have become outdated.  More people work, shop and play later into the evening and night than ever before.

Much of this activity takes place after dark, especially in our winter months of limited daylight.  More and more of us live out more and more of our lives under artificial light. The quality of these after-dark experiences is critical to the quality of urban life.

Birmingham’s core retail area has very little evening activity beyond the Bullring; few shops are open after 5.30pm, without even a once-a-week late shopping night. The streets become thoroughfares to hurry along, rather than destinations in themselves. They’re routes that get you to your train, to your bus… not places to linger, to explore, to shop, eat, drink and socialise into the evening. After dark, much of the area is generally dim, colourless, and unattractive. Existing lighting is old, poorly maintained and some streets can even feel unsafe. It doesn’t compare well with successful European city centres.

If Birmingham’s retail core is to be improved, let’s take the opportunity to sort out the evening, to use creatively, sensitively, intelligently designed lighting to make it a pleasant place to be after-dark.

What if the evening streets were well-lit, safe and attractive places, with the forgotten beauty of the architecture revealed through sensitive illumination. They could have lighting integrated into street furniture, artworks and signage, reducing clutter in the streets and making them places where people feel comfortable. Retailers open in the evening, with inviting, beautifully lit window displays and cafes, bars and restaurants would be buzzing with the city’s workers and shoppers?

What if the people came back to the streets after dark and spent some time living, rather than passing through?

How does this sound as a resident? How does this sound as a business owner?

Doesn’t it sound like the kind of vibrant evening that Birmingham deserves?