Jonathan Speirs

Jonathan Speirs (1958-2012) was a Scottish architect-turned lighting designer whose work helped redefine the role of light in architecture. Trained at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and the Edinburgh College of Art, he co-founded Lighting Design Partnership (LDP) in 1984 and later launched Jonathan Speirs & Associates, ultimately forming Speirs + Major in partnership with Mark Major. His approach treated lighting not as an afterthought but as an integral architectural element, shaping atmosphere, narrative, and spatial experience. Throughout his career, Speirs led high-profile projects - from Barajas Airport in Madrid to the Burj al Arab in Dubai and the Copenhagen Opera House - each imbued with elegant technical rigor and poetic sensitivity.