In a city famed for fleeting sunshine and fiercely contested patio tables, Londoners have long mastered the art of chasing the light. But now, a clever new app is turning that scramble into a science.
Meet SunSeekr – a sleek, architect-designed tool that tells you exactly where the sun is shining right now in London, and more importantly, which pub gardens and café terraces are basking in it.
What Is It?
Created by London-based architect Mo Dawod, SunSeekr began as a personal project: a digital way to stop sipping cold flat whites in chilly shadows. Using real-time sunlight simulation and precise mapping data, the app highlights outdoor seating areas that are catching the sun at any moment.
Within weeks of launching, it went from niche curiosity to word-of-mouth sensation—praised by “Time Out” and trending on social media as the must-have alfresco tool of the season.
How It Works
- Live Sun Mapping: A tappable map reveals which London pubs and cafés currently offer sun-soaked seating. A bright sun emoji means the place is basking in sunshine; a shaded icon means better luck later.
- Time Traveller Tool: Planning drinks at 5pm? Use the app’s slider to forecast where the sun will be by the hour.
- Urban-Scale Accuracy: The app takes building height, orientation, and solar angle into account—great for winding lanes, west-facing rooftops, and leafy squares.
- Multi-City Reach: While London is the app’s spiritual home, SunSeekr now works in New York, Berlin, Amsterdam and other sun-starved urban playgrounds.
Why It Matters
In a city where sunlight is a social currency, SunSeekr is more than novelty – it’s a quietly brilliant utility. No more wandering Soho in search of golden-hour tables, or enduring shade on a chilly terrace in Clerkenwell. You can now plan your café crawl or pub session with confidence, guided by sunshine rather than sheer chance.
Better still, it benefits hospitality businesses: some venues have reported a rise in off-peak footfall, and a growing number are adding perks or geotagged tips for SunSeekr users.
Field-Tested Magic
There’s something deeply satisfying about arriving at a South Bank pub just as the last shard of sunlight hits the terrace – or scoring a Spitalfields flat white under full midday sun. What was once down to weather apps and wishful thinking is now beautifully visible in real time.
As one user put it: “It’s like Google Maps for the Vitamin D deficient.”
Final Sip
For both locals and visitors, SunSeekr has quietly redefined the city’s relationship with its rarest commodity – sunlight. It isn’t just tech for tech’s sake; it’s a digital companion for those who know that, in London, a well-timed ray can be the difference between average and unforgettable.