stefanmaassendesign

lighting design · photography · design engineering

ABOUT

I am Stefan Maassen, both highly motivated proactive engineer and student of architectural lighting design. Besides studies two of my biggest passions are photography and travelling. Since I was a teenager the experience of lighting situations always had a deep influence on me and created a big entusiasm for stage lighting. After working in the field of technical design for theatre for 2,5 years I decided to become a professional lighting designer since this profession gives me the opportunity to combines the use of technology with creative and artistic design to create substainable solutions that can inspire others and enhance the quality of architectural and urban spaces.

Starting his career

Stefan was born in 1981 in the lower Rhine plain in Germany. His career started after getting the university-entrance diploma in 2001. He first collected work experiences through internships in the working fields computer and metal working. Inspired by his regular work as a DJ and his 6 month internship in an event engineering company specialising in professional fashion shows, he moved to Berlin in 2003 for becoming a professional in stage lighting and stage engineering.

During his studies he did an internship at the Gothenburg Opera in Sweden over a period of six month. He worked as a lighting technician on stage and had later his own projects in the electrical workshop working on the design of lighting equipment.

After completing his diploma thesis about "Light and lighting in Scandinavia" in Gothenburg and Oslo, Stefan received the academic degree "Diplom Ingenieur (FH) in theatre and event technology" from the university of applied sciences in Berlin in February 2007.

Right after graduating he started working as technical designer for the workshops of The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet in Oslo. In September 2007 he was one of the first employees who started working in the new opera house of Oslo which won the World Architecture Award for Culture in 2008.

Establishing his own company

Besides his permanent position at the opera Stefan established "Stefan Maassen Design" in summer 2008. During summer 2008 he did a project work for the German Company HOAC Schweißtechnik where his field of activity contained 3D drawing and 3D visualisation of standard components.

In summer 2009 "Stefan Maassen Design" was involved in an artistic lighting installation at the Akerhus fortress in Oslo. Stefan's task was the preparing for laser cutting of metal sheets by vectorising images.

Finally lighting design studies

After having the goal of studying lighting design for many years. Stefan finally decided to quit his position as a technical designer at the Norwegian National Opera and Ballett for going to university again to become a professional lighting designer for arcitectural lighting. He started a Bachelor education in lighting design at the Buskerud University College in Drammen, Norway in August 2009.

Life changing inspiration from New York trip

In March 2010 Stefan joined a lighting design study trip to New York City initiated by the teaching staff of the Buskerud University College in Norway.

Both experiencing New York and visiting Parsons New School Of Design and different international lighting design offices was totally inspiring for Stefan.

He attended a lighting design workshop with James Carpenter at the Oslo National Academy Of The Arts and talking to several international lighting designers at the Light+Building 2010 trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany. Regarding his goal to work in leading lighting design office with international projects, Stefan came to the conclusion that he needed to study lighting design on a higher level.

Master studies of Architectural Lighting Design in Germany

Stefan decided to drop out of the lighting design program in Norway after completing the second semester successfully for starting a Master education in Architectural Lighting Design in Germany instead.

Since August 2010 Stefan is a master student of the University of Wismar. He attended the Light Symposium in Stockholm in October 2010 and participated in the lighting design workshop in Neuruppin, Germany in November 2010. Right after that he finished his light sculpture "Interference" which was designed for the harbor of Wismar. He works currently on a design project for the new city centre in Las Vegas, Nevada; and is participating in an international LED design contest.in Bad Doberan, Germany (Oktober 2010), the Light Symposium conference in Stockholm, Sweden(Oktober 2010) and a lighting design workshop in Neuruppin, Germany(November 2010).

Working experience during Master studies

While doing his master studies in Wismar, Stefan is collecting work experience at the same time.

From September 2010 to December 2010 Stefan has been working as a campus scout for paulsway - a company doing social business. Since November 2010 working as a student assistant in the field of lighting design for the University of Wismar.

Photography

Already during the last part of the nineteen nineties Stefan had experiences with early digital photo cameras - both personal and job-related. In 2004 he got his first digital camera with mirror reflex finder which was a big step for his creative development.

Even though his photographic work is focused on landscape, architecture and travel photography, Stefan has also been working with portraits, animals and macro objects. Since he started studying lighting design in Norway focuses on the documentation of light penomenas and architectural lighting.

Active lifestyle

Stefans lifes an active life. In his free time he is doing many different leisure activities like outoor activities, climbing, biking, sea kayaking, dancing, cooking, reading and being together with his friends.

Stefan has a deep passion for traveling and getting to know people from all over the world.
While he resides at the baltic sea in Germany, he frequently makes trips to destinations in Germany and whole Europe.

Last trips:

- lighting design studytrip to New York City (individual stays in Washington DC and Philadelphia)

- Light+Building 2010 (Frankfurt Germany)

- Easter Trip in April 2010 (Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Poland)

- Baltic + Eastern Europe Trip: from Riga to Kiev (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine)

- Bergen, Norway (July 2010)

- biketrip on Lofoten and Vesterålen islands in Northern Norway (July 2010)

- London, PLASA trade fair (September 2010)

- Stockholm, Sweden: Light Symposium (Oktober 2010)

- Lighting Design Workshop in Neuruppin, Germany (November 2010)

- London (November 2010)

- Romania (December 2010 - January 2011)

Trips planned in the near future:

- Groningen, Netherlands (February 2011)

- NYC, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., USA (February 2011)

- Oslo, Norway (April 2011)

- Gdansk, Poland (April 2011)

- Milan, Italy: Euroluce (April 2011)

- Berlin, Germany (April 2011)

- Eindhoven, Netherlands: Philips (Mai 2011)

- Lausanne, Switzerland: Daylight Symposium (Mai 2011)

Stefan taking a photo the university in Drammen, Norway where he studied arcitectural lighting design for one year.

lighting design arcitecture photography