Equation Lighting Design Celebrates Public Vote for the Elizabeth Line

  Posted by: electime      27th October 2026

The Elizabeth Line has been chosen as all-time favourite in a special public vote to celebrate 30 years of the Stirling Prize, recognising the role design plays in elevating and transforming people’s every day lives – connecting communities, humanising the journey and fostering civic pride.

Equation Lighting Design is celebrating further recognition for the Elizabeth Line, which has been named the winner of the RIBA Stirling at 30. Announced at the RIBA Stirling Prize ceremony on 15th of October 2026, the public vote invited people to select their favourite from previous Stirling Prize winners. The Elizabeth Line, which received the highly prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize in 2024, was chosen as the overall favourite.

For Equation, who formed part of the line-wide design team alongside Grimshaw, Maynard Design Consultancy and AtkinsRéalis, the latest accolade carries particular significance. Unlike the Stirling Prize itself, which is determined by an expert jury, this recognition reflects the views of the public, highlighting the importance of how architecture and design are experienced by the people who use them.

Since opening in May 2022, the Elizabeth line has most significantly transformed travel across London in last 20 years, connecting communities and providing a new approach to the design of public transport infrastructure. Central to the project was the ambition to create a consistent, intuitive and visually comfortable passenger experience across the network, bringing together architecture, lighting, materials and wayfinding within a unified design language.

As part of the multidisciplinary team, Equation were responsible for the lighting design, developing an approach that responds to and enhances the architecture while supporting passenger comfort, accessibility and navigation.

Rather than treating lighting as a separate visual feature, the scheme integrates illumination into the architectural environment. Indirect lighting throughout concourses, escalator tunnels and platforms emphasises the scale and form of the underground spaces, creating a sense of openness while minimising harsh shadows and reflections.

The lighting design also plays an important role in supporting intuitive wayfinding. Different colour temperatures distinguish between spatial functions, with cooler white light at 5,000K used within transition spaces and warmer white light at 3,000K in wayfinding areas. This helps passengers recognise different environments and navigate the network.

Visual comfort and accessibility were equally important considerations. Diffused luminous surfaces and carefully controlled illumination help reduce glare and reflections, while good vertical illuminance supports facial recognition, improves the visibility of signage and assists with the detection of obstacles.

A coordinated family of luminaires was designed and detailed to integrate with the wider architectural design, contributing to a consistent visual identity across the line’s underground environments.

Together, these elements demonstrate how lighting design can contribute to much more than the appearance of a space. Within a complex transport environment, it can support the way people move, navigate and experience their surroundings, often without being consciously aware of the lighting itself.

Maida Hot, Managing Director of Equation said, “What makes this recognition particularly meaningful is that it comes from the public. As lighting designers, much of our work is about creating environments that people can navigate comfortably and intuitively, often without being consciously aware of the lighting itself.

“The Elizabeth line was an extraordinary collaborative project, with every element of the design contributing to a shared vision for the passenger experience. To see it recognised again, this time by the people who use and experience it, is especially rewarding and a wonderful acknowledgement of everyone involved.”

The Stirling at 30 Public Vote adds to an established list of accolades for the Elizabeth Line and its lighting design, including the RIBA Stirling Prize 2024, an IALD Award of Merit, a LIT Lighting Design Award and a Build Back Better Platinum Award.

For Equation, the latest recognition reinforces the value of a collaborative, people-focused approach to design, demonstrating how thoughtful lighting can contribute to infrastructure that continues to serve and shape the experience of millions of passengers.

Project Credits

Project: The Elizabeth Line

Client: Crossrail
Architect: Grimshaw
Lighting Design: Equation Lighting Design
Wayfinding and Signage: Maynard Design Consultancy
Engineering: AtkinsRéalis
Location: London, UK

Photography credits: Scott Little