Pier Approach | Bournemouth, UK

The project focused on two main adjoining areas: Pier Approach and the Lower Gardens.

Pier Approach serves as the gateway to seven miles of sandy beaches, attracting over 7.5 million visitors annually. It is a large urban space designed to host major events throughout the year. While it functions as a bustling gateway during the day, it was relatively underutilised at night, with much of the evening economy concentrated in the town centre.

The Lower Gardens, a Grade II-listed landmark, connects the town centre with Pier Approach. Despite its historical and natural appeal, it was another underutilised asset by night. This green space features a Victorian bandstand and a stream running through it, alongside two pedestrian routes. The main route, originating from the Town Square, was lined with historic Victorian lanterns that had fallen into disrepair. The secondary path meandered behind the bandstand and through the pine trees.

Crafting a Cohesive Lighting Narrative

Recognising the different uses of these spaces at night, we aimed to create a cohesive lighting narrative that connected the areas, sparked interest, and fostered civic pride within the local community. To achieve this, we drew inspiration from Bournemouth’s longstanding tradition of summer candlelit evenings, a custom dating back to 1896 and the story of Princess Eugénie of France. In the late 19th century, Bournemouth was renowned as a health spa resort. The princess visited the town on the advice of her physician, and during her stay, candles were used to illuminate the path through the gardens to the sea. This story has been celebrated ever since with an annual summer event, which became the cornerstone of our project’s narrative.

In terms of design, we wanted the lighting columns to be simple, elegant, and harmoniously integrated with the environment. We developed a range of bespoke wooden lighting columns shaped like pine needles from the garden’s trees. These columns varied in scale and featured illuminated finials at the top, designed to shimmer like candles and guide the public from the town centre through the Lower Gardens to Pier Approach. At Pier Approach, we designed two 25-metre-high wooden columns incorporating additional spotlights and projectors. These were used to create a series of projections celebrating Bournemouth as a beach destination, transforming an underused and underperforming space into a vibrant and inviting area by night.

Dynamic Lighting for Year-Round Events

Michael Grubb Studio also developed a range of lighting scenes tailored for specific events and times of the year, such as the Air Festival, Wheels Festival, Arts by the Sea Festival, and Christmas Festive Lights. The scheme created a dynamic, bright, and lively atmosphere, reinforcing a strong sense of place.

As part of a separate commission to promote Bournemouth’s tourism, Michael Grubb Studio was engaged by Bournemouth Council, in collaboration with Bournemouth Coastal BID, to design a one-night-only lighting scheme for the iconic pier. This event celebrated the launch of the Golden Ticket experience, with photographs from the night used in national press and promotional campaigns on social media.

The bespoke lighting design highlighted the key architectural features of Bournemouth Pier, using over half a mile of cabling and various LED technologies to achieve the desired effect.

Expanding Lighting Innovation Across Bournemouth

In subsequent years, BCP Council appointed Michael Grubb Studio for several additional projects across the town, including the Bear Pit Subways, Lansdowne Regeneration, and Chine Forest. Each project showcased the studio’s commitment to creating innovative and engaging lighting solutions that enhance the town’s spaces and boost its appeal.