What Maffeis Engineering does

Maffeis Engineering SpA is an Italian structural and façade engineering consultancy founded in 2000 by Massimo Maffeis and headquartered in Solagna, Italy. The firm specializes in technically demanding built-environment projects, with deep expertise in tensile membrane structures, ETFE and PTFE cladding systems, glass structural engineering, and complex building envelopes. Its core service offering covers the full project lifecycle from concept design through construction supervision for stadiums, arenas, bridges, cultural buildings, and high-profile commercial and institutional structures. The company operates 31 offices across 5 continents and serves clients in 35+ countries, with notable landmark projects including Qatar 2022 World Cup stadiums (Khalifa International, Al Janoub), Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, Roland Garros retractable roof, Rottweil Test Tower, King Fahad National Library in Riyadh, and Casablanca Stadium for FIFA 2030. Its client base spans tier-1 architects (Zaha Hadid Architects, Populous, ingenhoven, Shigeru Ban, Jean Nouvel), specialist membrane and façade contractors (Taiyo Europe, Frener & Reifer), and government bodies, and the firm operates as a sister company within the Sidara group alongside Dar Al-Handasah.

The firm's revenue model is primarily project-based professional services fees for engineering consulting, supplemented by a recently launched proprietary software product. In June 2025, Maffeis launched GLASSS, a cloud-based glass structural analysis SaaS platform that performs stress and deformation calculations compliant with European (EN16602) and American (ASTM1300) standards, including an AI-driven neural-network prediction prototype. GLASSShopper, a complementary Grasshopper plugin for Rhino, bridges parametric design workflows with the GLASSS cloud engine. Both products are currently distributed on a freemium basis (free commercial use with mandatory branding on reports), positioning them as both delivery tools and marketing/lead-generation assets. Geographic expansion has been a defining strategic theme, with overseas offices established from 2013 onward in Dubai, Hong Kong, London, New York, Paris, Sydney, Toronto, Dallas, and additional regional hubs, embedding local regional directors in each market to support direct enterprise sales on major international tenders.

Name

Maffeis Engineering

Legal name

Maffeis Engineering SpA

Website

https://maffeis.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Maffeis Engineering SpA is an Italian structural and façade engineering consultancy specializing in tensile membranes, ETFE/PTFE cladding, and glass structures, serving architects, contractors, and governments on landmark international projects across 35+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Solagna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Project-based fee arrangements for structural engineering, façade engineering, and tensile membrane design services on major construction projects. Services span concept design through construction supervision, including value engineering, IFC, shop drawings, and third-party checking.
2. GLASSS Software as a Service: Free commercial use of GLASSS software with mandatory logo inclusion on reports. Free tier available; potential future fee-based tiers for specific services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Maffeis Engineering is a specialist structural and façade engineering consultancy providing design services for tensile membrane structures, ETFE and PTFE cladding systems, special structures, civil works, and bridges on major international construction projects. The firm operates across the full project lifecycle from concept through construction supervision, including value engineering, IFC, shop drawings, and third-party checking. Complementing its services, Maffeis sells GLASSS, a proprietary cloud-based software for glass structural analysis and verification.

Product overview

Maffeis Engineering SpA is an engineering consultancy specializing in structural design for complex architectural projects. The company offers a dual portfolio: (1) engineering services for tensile membranes, special structures, façade engineering, civil works, and bridges; and (2) proprietary software products. The core software product is GLASSS, a cloud-based SaaS platform for glass structural design and verification, which performs calculations for all glass geometries including double-curvature panels. GLASSShopper is a complementary Grasshopper/Rhino plugin that connects directly to GLASSS, enabling parametric glass verification within CAD workflows. Together, these products serve structural engineers, architects, and façade designers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GLASSS: Cloud-powered software for designing glass elements, performing stress and deformation calculations with compliance to European and American standards.
• GLASSShopper

Quantifiable outcome

• Wanda Metropolitano Stadium awarded Best Stadium in the World at World Football Summit 2018
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Frener & Reifer SrlcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrener & Reifer is a long-standing collaboration partner on façade engineering projects including Durst Headquarters (Bressanone) and Kö-Bogen II (Düsseldorf). Maffeis Engineering executed full façade design in collaboration with Frener & Reifer on complex curved and green façade projects.
• Taiyo Europe GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaiyo Europe is a primary membrane and tensile structure partner, collaborating on Wanda Metropolitano Stadium (96 PTFE panels, 80,000 m²), Marseille Vélodrome (70,000 m²), Luxembourg Pavilion at Expo 2020, and numerous other stadium and cultural projects. Maffeis provides full design from concept to construction for Taiyo's membrane installations.
• Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDar Group is a major international engineering consultancy and repeat client. Maffeis Engineering collaborated on Coca-Cola Arena (Dar Al-Handasah as engineer of record), Lusail Sports Arena (45,000 m²), and multiple stadium projects in the Gulf region. Dar Group also commissions Maffeis for façade design on their own headquarters (150 Holborn, London).
• PopulouscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPopulous is one of the world's leading stadium architecture firms. Maffeis Engineering has collaborated on multiple stadium projects including Casablanca Stadium (FIFA 2030), Stade de la Meunau (Strasbourg), ANZ Stadium (Sydney), and the proposed La Cattedrale stadium for AC Milan and Inter Milan. Maffeis provides structural and tensile engineering within Populous-led design teams.
• Dar GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaffeis Engineering is a sister company within the Sidara group (which includes Dar Group). Projects such as the Asiago Ice Rink are conducted in collaboration with sister company Dar and other Sidara group entities. Dar Group commissioned Maffeis for structural and façade work on multiple international projects.
• Shigeru BanflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban on the Centre Pompidou in Metz, France (8,000 m² PTFE roof over glued laminated timber structure). Maffeis provided full construction-stage design of the PTFE roof and timber structure.
• Zaha Hadid ArchitectsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Zaha Hadid Architects on CityLife Podium (Zaha Hadid Tower, Milan) and Al Janoub Stadium (Qatar 2022). Maffeis Engineering provided façade engineering, ETFE roof design, and structural analysis for ZHA's iconic projects.
• Jean NouvelflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with architect Jean Nouvel on the Stelios Ioannou Learning Resource Center at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia. Maffeis designed the fabric façade covering with fixed and movable sun screen elements.
• Werner Sobek / Helmut JahncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Rottweil Test Tower (246m) for ThyssenKrupp. Maffeis Engineering and Taiyo Europe executed construction documentation of the PTFE fiberglass textile façade and designed the movable platform for façade installation.
• Perkins&WillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerkins&Will is the architect for 150 Holborn, London. Maffeis Engineering provided special structures and tensile façade design for the project, which consolidates Dar Group brands under one roof.
• Ingenhoven ArchitectsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Kö-Bogen II in Düsseldorf, Europe's largest green façade. Maffeis Engineering executed the full façade and roof design of the complex inclined and curved façade with two entirely green planted hornbeam hedge façades.
• Mario Cucinella ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMario Cucinella Architects is the architect for Iperceramica Headquarters in Fiorano Modenese. Maffeis Engineering developed detail design of timber structures, foundations, and metal roofing for this sustainable office building.
• UK Government / Department for International TradecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaffeis Engineering studied installation phases and verified overall stability of the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, themed 'Innovating for a Shared Future', featuring a 20-metre cone-shaped cross-laminated timber structure.
• Fédération Française de TennisflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Roland Garros stadium renovation in Paris. Maffeis Engineering served as main designer of the retractable roof steel structures, mechanical movement systems, fabric roof, and installation methodology for the renowned tennis venue.
• Gerber ArchitektenflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on King Fahad National Library in Riyadh (86,500 m²). Maffeis Engineering developed the rhomboid textile awning façade system with filigree steel cable structure achieving only 7% solar penetration.
• Monovolume Architecture + DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Monovolume on Durst Headquarters extension, connecting the new modern tower with the historic low-rise building via complex double-curvature aluminum façades.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bollinger + Grohmann: European engineering firm with deep façade and complex-structure specialism serving high-profile architects. Comparable to Maffeis on curved and bespoke façades, ETFE/PTFE design and integration with tier-1 architecture practices.
• Werner Sobek: Stuttgart-headquartered structural design practice with strong credentials in glass structures, lightweight construction and sustainable engineering. Comparable to Maffeis on glass engineering (parallel to GLASSS) and architect-led facade projects such as Rottweil Test Tower.
• Schlaich Bergermann Partner: Stuttgart-based structural engineering firm renowned for cable structures, lightweight roofs and stadium engineering (e.g., World Cup and Olympic venues). Overlaps with Maffeis on tensile, cable and stadium-roof specialism.
• Eckersley O'Callaghan: London-headquartered structural and façade engineering consultancy with a signature specialism in structural glass and complex envelopes. Highly comparable to Maffeis on ETFE/PTFE façade engineering, glass structural analysis and high-end commercial / cultural project base.
• Knippers Helbig: German advanced structural engineering consultancy focused on complex geometry, free-form surfaces and lightweight structures. Directly comparable to Maffeis on tensile membranes, ETFE cushions and architect-led landmark buildings.
• Base Structures: UK specialist tensile architecture firm delivering fabric, ETFE and tensile membrane structures. Comparable to Maffeis on stadium and cultural-venue membrane installations as a downstream specialist.
• Front Inc: Toronto-originated specialist façade engineering consultancy working with leading architects on complex building envelopes. Comparable to Maffeis as a similarly-sized specialist in custom façades, glass and high-performance envelopes.
• Tensys Ltd: UK specialist consultancy focused exclusively on tensile and fabric membrane structures. Directly comparable to Maffeis on the ETFE/PTFE tensile membrane core practice and stadium-roof analysis.

Broad incumbents

• Arup: World's largest privately-held engineering consultancy with deep sports, façade and advanced-technology practices. A broad incumbent competing with Maffeis on marquee stadium and envelope projects at the top end of the market.
• Buro Happold: Global multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy operating across structures, façades, MEP and infrastructure. Overlaps with Maffeis on stadium and façade work (e.g., World Cup venues) but as a much broader incumbent rather than a tensile-membrane specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC94BDlN2bFWibTGuFgdy6dA
• Facebookfacebook.com/maffeisengineering/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3023454/admin/updates
• Instagraminstagram.com/maffeisengineeringspa
• Xx.com/maffeisengineer

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maffeis Engineering