diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/render/svg.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/render/svg.py
index b611b3d6..6386a69c 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/render/svg.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/render/svg.py
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ class SVGRenderer:
             # shadows are directly calculated and added by the SVGImage class
             for altitudearea in geoms.altitudeareas:
                 svg.add_geometry(bbox.intersection(altitudearea.geometry.difference(crop_areas)),
-                                 fill_color='#eeeeee', altitude=altitudearea.altitude)
+                                 fill_color='#eeeeee', altitude=altitudearea.altitude,
+                                 stroke_width=0.05, stroke_px=0.2, stroke_color='rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15)')
 
                 for color, areas in altitudearea.colors.items():
                     # only select ground colors if their access restriction is unlocked
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/svg.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/svg.py
index eb3f92fa..6a879896 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/svg.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/svg.py
@@ -279,15 +279,20 @@ class SVGImage:
             if not geometry:
                 return
 
-            if altitude is not None or elevation is not None:
-                if elevation is not None:
-                    if elevation:
-                        self.add_shadow(geometry, elevation)
-                else:
-                    for other_altitude, other_geom in self.altitudes.items():
-                        self.add_shadow(geometry, altitude-other_altitude, clip_path=other_geom)
+            if False:
+                # old shadow rendering. currently needs too much resources
+                if altitude is not None or elevation is not None:
+                    if elevation is not None:
+                        if elevation:
+                            self.add_shadow(geometry, elevation)
+                    else:
+                        for other_altitude, other_geom in self.altitudes.items():
+                            self.add_shadow(geometry, altitude-other_altitude, clip_path=other_geom)
 
-                self.clip_altitudes(geometry, altitude)
+                    self.clip_altitudes(geometry, altitude)
+            else:
+                if elevation is not None:
+                    self.add_shadow(geometry, elevation)
 
             element = self._create_geometry(geometry, attribs, cache_key=shape_cache_key)