The design world has lost another great. We are saddened to learn of the passing of Nigel Dunnett — a visionary landscape designer, plantsman, and one of the most extraordinary collaborators we have had the privilege of working with.
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We had the honour of working with Nigel on two deeply meaningful projects — Grosvenor Square, a transformation that will see over 70,000 plants and 44 new trees breathe new life into one of London’s most iconic spaces, and the King’s College Hospital Critical Care Garden — a project so close to our hearts. We were days away from completing something truly special: a healing space for patients facing the hardest moments of their lives. We did not know that Nigel himself was a patient of another kind. That he poured himself into creating beauty and restoration for others, while carrying his own quiet heath battle, moves us beyond words.
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His legacy spans the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Tower of London Superbloom, the Barbican, Buckingham Palace, Grey to Green Sheffield, and so much more. He reshaped how we think about public landscapes — weaving ecology, biodiversity and bold, painterly beauty into the very fabric of our cities.
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Nigel, these gardens will continue to grow. They will go on living, breathing and healing — just as you intended. And we will carry you with us in every project that follows.
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Our deepest condolences to his family and all who knew and were inspired by him.
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🌿 Rest in the meadows you made.
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#NigelDunnett #LandscapeDesign #GrosvenorSquare #KingsCollegeHospital #lightingdesign
MultiPly — London Design Festival 2018 | Milan Salone 2019 | Madrid Design Festival 2020)
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Following International Day of Forests last weekend, some of our collaborations on wood structures offer a timely reminder of how timber innovation continues to influence the way we design social space, urban living and the experience of architecture after dark.
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Designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects with engineering by Arup and commissioned by American Hardwood Export Council, MultiPly explored the spatial and social potential of modular mass-timber construction. Formed from interlocking tulipwood CLT panels, the installation created a sequence of inhabitable rooms, thresholds and elevated viewpoints — demonstrating how engineered timber can support adaptable and resource-conscious approaches to urban living.
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SEAM developed a lighting concept that responded to the installation’s evolving configurations as it travelled internationally. Integrated low-glare luminaires articulated circulation routes, emphasised spatial layering and enhanced the warmth and tactility of the timber surfaces. After dark, the structure transformed into a navigable landscape of light, shadow and structure — extending public engagement and reinforcing the installation’s civic presence.
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Through its modular logic and material efficiency, MultiPly contributed to broader conversations around circular design thinking and the responsible use of forest-based materials in contemporary architecture.
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As timber research continues to evolve, so too does our understanding of how light can reveal material character, support community and extend the life of architecture into the night.
. Architecture: @waughthistletonarchitects Structural Engineering: @arupgroup
Commissioned by: @ahec_europe
Lighting Design: @seamdesign
Photo credit Image 1 - @editphoto
Photo credit Image 2 - @petr_krejci Krejci
Photo credit Image 3 - Eugenio de Vila Martinez
#MassTimber #LightInArchitecture #LondonDesignFestival #UrbanLiving #SEAMDesign
Endless Stair — London Design Festival 2013
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Following International Day of Forests over the weekend, it is a timely reminder of how engineered timber can shape bold structural expression and new forms of public experience in the city.
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Installed on the forecourt of Tate Modern for the London Design Festival 2013, Endless Stair was a monumental installation celebrating cross-laminated timber as a contemporary architectural material. Designed by dRMM with structural engineering by Arup commissioned by American Hardwood Export Council, the project demonstrated the strength, precision and spatial possibilities of large-scale prefabricated timber construction.
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SEAM developed a lighting strategy that reinforced the vertical rhythm and spatial layering of the stacked stair forms. Carefully positioned spotlights and grazers articulating the volumes created by the stacked stairs, the lighting emphasised the installation’s sculptural clarity against the night skyline — supporting safe occupation and enhancing the drama of the weaving stairs after dark.
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By showcasing the structural capability of cross-laminated timber, the installation contributed to wider conversations about more sustainable construction and the evolving role of responsibly sourced forest-based materials for projects in urban environments.
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Architecture: @drmm_architects
Structural Engineering: @arupgroup
Commissioned by: @ahec_europe American Hardwood Export Council
Lighting Design: @seamdesign
Lighting sponsor: @lumenpulse
Photography by: @jnphotographs
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#TimberArchitecture #LondonDesignFestival #LightAndMaterial #PublicArt #ArchitecturalLighting
In celebration of the International Day of Forests over the weekend, we revisit a few of our projects combining the beauty of light, shadow and timber.
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Timber Wave — London Design Festival 2011
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Celebrating the expressive potential of timber during the London Design Festival, Timber Wave transformed the main Grade I listed entrance of the V&A into a temporary inhabitable landscape of intricate lattice geometry. Designed by AL_A , the installation explored movement, porosity and spatial rhythm through digitally fabricated timber components assembled into a sweeping architectural form.
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SEAM developed a discreet lighting approach that revealed the depth and curvature of the structure after dark through a play of light and shadow unifying both a contemporary arch with a historic facade. Carefully positioned spotlights by @iguzzini illuminated the beauty of the arch while maintaining a soft civic atmosphere within the museum context, allowing the installation to shift from sculptural object by day to immersive environment by night.
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Architecture: @al_a.uk
Structural Engineering: @arupgroup
Lighting Design: @seamdesign
Photography by @dennisgilbertgrey@tomlorton
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#TimberArchitecture #LondonDesignFestival #LightAndMaterial #ArchitecturalLighting
Welcoming the start of Spring 2026, we look back at a public realm and garden project close to our hearts.
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In June 2022, the transformation scheme for the Grade II-listed Grosvenor Square received unanimous planning approval from Westminster City Council, marking an important milestone for the re-imagining of this historic six-acre civic landscape in the centre of London.
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SEAM developed the RIBA Stage 2 lighting concept and planning statement for the proposed garden led by Tonkin Liu in collaboration with landscape designer Nigel Dunnett and structural engineers AKT II, RIBA stage 3 and 4 by BDP.
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The lighting strategy formed part of a wider vision to position Grosvenor Square as a contemporary urban landscape that remains culturally active and ecologically responsive after dark. In a city where half of daily life unfolds at night, the concept explored how the careful curation of light and shadow could create a calmer and more connected public realm — extending opportunities for pause, gathering and orientation while respecting the square’s historic character and evolving natural systems. Here are some illustrations and diagrams of our design together with an aerial of the original design model and daylight shading study.
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Special thanks to Emory Smith @emorysmithdesign and Revan Li @rev.an.l for their thoughtful design contribution in shaping an approach that balanced atmosphere with technical rigour.
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We are looking forward to seeing the evolution of the design and its completion just in time for Summer.
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Concept Master Plan design: @tonkinliu
Concept Structural Engineers: @akt_ii
Horticultural Design:@nigel.dunnett
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#LightingDesign #PublicRealm #UrbanLandscape #GrosvenorSquare #SEAMDesign
Humanise Wall — Seoul
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Created for the 5th Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, the Humanise Wall by Thomas Heatherwick invites public interaction through texture, movement and collective participation.
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While biennales are often experienced primarily during the day, SEAM’s lighting design sought to extend the perceptual life of the installation into the evening — revealing depth, shadow and the changing imprint of human presence.
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By supporting meaningful night-time engagement, lighting contributes to the civic afterlife of temporary cultural events, allowing cities to be enjoyed across a fuller spectrum of time.
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Although the Biennale programme concluded in November 2025, the installation remains visible in Seoul — continuing to offer moments of discovery after dark
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Special thanks to @emorysmithdesign and @lajuliajulieta for their dedication and talent giving the Humanise Wall a presence at night. Thank you @officialheatherwickstudio for bring us on this journey.
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📷 Recent night photographs by @reserved_seat
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#seamdesign #architecturallighting #seoulbiennale2025 #heatherwickstudio #publicrealm
Planning Approved for Liverpool Street Station!
Yesterday, the @cityoflondoncorp Planning Committee granted permission for the transformational scheme at London Liverpool Street Station. We are proud to be part of the team shaping the future of Britain’s busiest station — a place that already serves 118 million passengers a year and will welcome many millions more in the decades ahead.
Our role sits at the intersection of infrastructure and experience. The challenge is both technical and spatial: to bring clarity, confidence and coherence to an extraordinarily complex transport environment, while honouring the historic fabric and civic presence of this gateway to the City.
For SEAM, this project carries particular meaning. Our studio began just around the corner, where Liverpool Street Station formed part of our daily rhythm — the commute, the meetings, the late evenings leaving the City. To now contribute to its next chapter — with ambition, precision and long-term care — is both a professional responsibility and a personal honour.
Congratulations to @networkrail , ACME and the entire consultant team on reaching this important milestone.
@acmespace - Architecture
@aecom - Multi-disciplinary Engineering & Environment
Certo MS Ltd- Project management
@newmark – Planning & Development
@gleedsglobal - Cost Management
@insallarch - Heritage & Townscape
@giasurveyors – Daylight and Sunlight
@jll - Valuation
@avrlondon & @the_boundaryuk - Visualisations
@sla_architects – Landscape Architecture
@sharedvoice - Communications & Engagement
Intelligent Data Collection - Pedestrian modelling
Mima group | Certified B Corp™ – Accessibility & Inclusive design and wayfinding consultants
@seamdesign – Lighting Design
RWDI – Wind Engineering
@plowman_craven Craven - Surveys
@swecouk – Building Control Advice
@addleshawgoddard Goddard – Legal
@publica_studio – Cultural Strategy
Platform4
Onwards!
#LiverpoolStreetStation #CityOfLondon #PlanningApproval #ArchitecturalLighting #UrbanInfrastructure #PublicRealm
#TransportDesign #CivicArchitecture
Thank you to all of our Clients, Design Collaborators, supporters and friends around the globe! You’ve made 2025 another special year! Our SEAM Team wishes you all a joyous holiday, and a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! Onwards and upwards in 2026!
We are proud to see SEAM’s work featured on the cover of the November/December issue of the Lighting Journal, alongside a thoughtful write-up of @marcisongdesign recent ‘How to be Brilliant’ talk for the ILP.
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The cover showcases our lighting design for the Tower of Light in Manchester, created in collaboration with @tonkinliu , with the concept and development led by @emorysmithdesign and @rev.an.l from the SEAM team. The photograph is by @david_valinsky_photography
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This project reflects our commitment to integrated architectural lighting that is technically rigorous, carefully considered, and emotionally resonant.
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Inside the issue, “Crafting a Lighting Legacy” explores how thoughtful lighting design contributes to long-term value for places, communities, and future cities.
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Thank you to the @the_ilp and Nic Paton for the feature — and thank you to our SEAM team in London and Bangkok for the dedication, intelligence, and care you bring to each project.
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Read the issue:.uk/
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#LightingDesign #SEAM #LightingJournal #LegacyOfLight #Architecture #FutureCities #Manchester #TonkinLiu #ArtLight #PublicRealm #CivicDesign
Extending some recent celebrations - we are thrilled that both of our submissions to the 2025 LIT Lighting Design Awards received recognition.
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UGG Flagship Knightsbridge received an Honourable Mention in this year’s awards. Positioned within one of London’s most renowned luxury retail corridors, and delivered in close collaboration with @gensler_design and @deckersbrands and @ugg , the project demonstrates how rigorous technical detailing, precise colour fidelity, and thoughtful brand alignment can elevate a high-street flagship with clarity and warmth.
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The LIT Awards received over 1,000 entries across 62 countries, and we’re delighted to see both projects recognised among this year’s selected work.
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With 1,000+ submissions from 62 countries, we’re proud to see these very different projects acknowledged.
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Grateful to our collaborators, clients, and the wider teams who made these projects possible. Congratulations to all the 2025 awardees.
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#LITAwards #LightingDesign #ArchitecturalLighting #LightAndArchitecture #DesignExcellence #Placemaking #RetailLighting #BrandExperience #FlagshipDesign #RetailDesign #SEAMDesign #deckersbrands #ugg
Extending some recent celebrations - we are thrilled that both of our submissions to the 2025 LIT Lighting Design Awards received recognition.
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Sunderland Sundersea received the award for Industrial Building Lighting Design, celebrating a collaboration that reimagines a multi-storey car park as a civic landmark of colour, movement, and community identity. Through @tonkinliu façade artwork and a carefully calibrated lighting system, the building now plays an active role in Sunderland’s urban life — a responsive, inclusive, biophilic intervention that brings art, place and infrastructure together. 📸@david_valinsky_photography
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The LIT Awards received over 1,000 entries across 62 countries, and we’re delighted to see both projects recognised among this year’s selected work.
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With 1,000+ submissions from 62 countries, we’re proud to see these very different projects acknowledged.
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Grateful to our collaborators, clients, and the wider teams who made these projects possible. Congratulations to all the 2025 awardees.
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#LITAwards #LightingDesign #ArchitecturalLighting #LightAndArchitecture #DesignExcellence #PublicRealm #UrbanLighting #Placemaking #CivicArchitecture #FaçadeLighting #LightArt #SEAMDesign
#tht Throwback - If what is said about the East End is true, then it will evade any attempt to be defined. A gestalt, a sense of a place, a time, a place of human sensory engagement, a flaneur’s favourite wander, adjacency and overlap. Others follow, but Shoreditch creates trends. Idiosyncratic and individualistic, it is held together by a common aspirational vision of now/tomorrow. Our task was to design a lighting system that can cultivate atmospheres for the creative class.
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We revisit one of our projects that started 10 years ago in a neighbourhood that inspired us then and still inspires us today.
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Client: IGI-UK
Architecture by ODA NY / Fletcher Priest Architects
Landscape Design by Alexandra Steed URBAN
Lighting Design by SEAM
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#longandwaterson #shoreditch #hoxton #eastend #loftliving #luxurywarehouse #lifestyle #adaptivereuse #sustainabledesign #architecturaldesign #residentialdesign #lightingdesign #seamdesign
