Studio DL

What Studio DL does

Studio DL is a privately held professional lighting design firm founded in 2000 by Norbert Wasserfurth-Grzybowski and headquartered in Hannover, Germany, with offices in Stuttgart (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherlands), and Warsaw (Poland). The firm delivers end-to-end lighting design services across three principal practice areas: urban lighting masterplans (including the digital redesign of Stuttgart's 70,000 municipal light points and Warsaw's 42,414-fixture modernization), architectural and cultural-heritage lighting (Binnenhof/Dutch Parliament, Norblin Factory Museum, Martinitoren Groningen, Commercial Court Stuttgart), and adaptive lighting research with ecological monitoring (Heiningen and Maschsee projects). Its technology stack combines computer-assisted 3D visualization, an AI-based lighting planning tool co-developed with TU Berlin, digital masterplan infrastructure (ILS integration), and an AI-powered insect recognition camera system from Faunabit for non-invasive ecological impact measurement.

The firm's revenue model is project-based professional services billing on government, municipal, cultural, and commercial commissions, acquired through competitive bidding, public tenders, and direct relationships. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Client concentration is dominated by European public-sector entities — including cities of Warsaw, Stuttgart, Hannover, Groningen, The Hague, and Jarocin — with supplementary work for cultural institutions and heritage commissions; repeat municipal relationships suggest some framework-style continuity, but revenue remains tied to individual tender outcomes. Distribution is direct enterprise sales, supported by a multilingual website (German, Polish, English, Dutch), LinkedIn, Instagram, industry publications, and an award-winning portfolio (MIPIM Gold 2019, Deutscher Lichtdesign-Preis, LIT Awards, LUCI, DGNB Gold pre-certification).

The business is founder-controlled (Norbert Wasserfurth-Grzybowski) with managing directors Philip Lentz and Johannes K\u00e4ppler, ~20-25 specialist staff across the four offices, and no disclosed external institutional capital. Differentiators combine a multi-disciplinary talent base (architects, lighting engineers, landscape planners, product designers, digital masterplan specialists), two decades of project portfolio, and research-grade AI tooling developed in partnership with TU Berlin, HAWK Hildesheim, and Enercity, positioning the firm in the niche of ecologically responsible, data-driven municipal lighting design.

Name

Studio DL

Legal name

STUDIO DL – Norbert Wasserfurth e.K.

Website

https://studiodl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Studio DL is a privately held European lighting design firm, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Hannover, that provides urban masterplans, architectural lighting, and adaptive-lighting research to municipalities, cultural institutions, and government agencies across Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Lighting Design Services: Studio DL provides professional lighting design consulting services from initial concept through project completion. Services include lighting planning, lighting concepts, and lighting consulting for architectural, urban, and public space projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Studio DL is a professional lighting design consultancy delivering lighting planning, lighting concepts, and lighting consulting services from initial sketch through project completion. Core offerings include urban and outdoor lighting design, city-wide digital lighting masterplans, adaptive lighting systems with ecological monitoring, cultural and architectural lighting, and AI-assisted lighting planning tools developed in partnership with universities. Projects are acquired through competitive bidding, public tenders, and direct client relationships with municipalities, government institutions, and cultural organizations across Germany, Netherlands, and Poland.

Product overview

Studio DL is a lighting design office with over 20 years of experience offering professional lighting planning and design services. Their portfolio spans urban lighting masterplans (including digital masterplans for cities like Stuttgart with 70,000 light points), adaptive lighting systems with ecological monitoring, specialized projects for cultural buildings, public spaces, and commercial interiors, and research-driven approaches combining AI and ecological considerations. The company operates across Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands with offices in Hannover, Stuttgart, Warsaw, and Amsterdam.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lighting Design Services Professional lighting design consulting spanning outdoor illumination, indoor lighting, healthcare facilities, cultural buildings, urban masterplans, and public spaces. Designed for municipalities, cultural institutions, and commercial clients from initial concept through project completion.
• Urban Lighting Masterplans Comprehensive city-wide lighting strategies including digital light masterplans for municipalities. Includes environmental protection, energy saving, and intelligent light management integration for large-scale municipal deployments.
• Adaptive Lighting Systems Intelligent lighting control systems with variable dimming levels and color temperatures, tested in real-world conditions for insect-friendly urban lighting and energy-efficient street illumination. Includes adaptive dimming concepts with latest sensor technology, control technology, and camera systems.
• Ecological Lighting Research Research services combining lighting design with ecological monitoring, including AI-powered insect tracking camera systems to study light pollution effects on nocturnal insects and develop environmentally friendly urban lighting solutions. Non-invasive monitoring approach using motion pattern recognition and classification from family to species level.
• AI and Data-Based Lighting Planning Tool Online AI-based planning tool that uses AI for comprehensive, data-driven, and automated lighting design including luminaire selection, with target luminous intensity distribution (LVK) for each light point. Optimizes LED retrofit planning processes in public urban spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70,000 light points managed under digital masterplan for Stuttgart
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• EnercitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint research partner with Studio DL and Landeshauptstadt Hannover on the Maschsee project studying how artificial light impacts nocturnal insects using intelligent light control for environmentally friendly urban lighting solutions.
• FaunabitcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Provides the AI-powered camera system used in the Maschsee insect monitoring project. The system automatically captures images every 10 seconds and classifies insects by form and size without invasive trapping methods.
• FaktorGruenflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Landscape architecture firm that won the competition for Marxloh lighting concept together with Studio DL. The project involves redesigning August-Bebel-Platz and Weseler Straße in Duisburg-Marxloh to improve quality of stay, ensure accessibility, and enable new uses in public space.
• Urban Lighting Innovations GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in the adaptive lighting research project on federal roads combined with insect monitoring in Heiningen. The project tests new dimming concepts using latest sensor technology, control technology, and camera systems while measuring effects of light pollution on insects and environment.
• Netze BW GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in the adaptive lighting research project in Heiningen, contributing to environmentally friendly and energy-efficient street lighting development.
• SchrédercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in the adaptive lighting and insect monitoring research project in Heiningen, providing luminaire technology for testing new dimming concepts.
• Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Studio DL and TU Berlin are conducting a cooperation project to develop AI and data-based lighting planning tools for optimizing LED retrofit planning processes in public urban spaces. The online planning tool uses AI for comprehensive, data-driven, and automated lighting design including luminaire selection. The project is funded through the BMWi's Innovationsprogramm für Geschäftsmodelle und Pionierlösungen (IGP).
• HAWK Hildesheim (University of Applied Sciences and Arts)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio DL maintains close collaboration with HAWK Hildesheim. Current research findings flow into their work, and new developments in light and color research are developed and presented together with universities and their students. Studio DL researches, teaches, and promotes the next generation from conviction.
• Rijksvastgoedbedrijf (State Real Estate Agency, Netherlands)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio DL is engaged as lighting design firm in the renovation of the Binnenhof in The Hague on behalf of the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf, handling outdoor spaces and facades of the entire complex including the new entrance for the Dutch House of Representatives.
• Karres en BrandsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture firm collaborating with Studio DL on the Binnenhof renovation project in The Hague, designing the green and pleasant public areas around the new entrance building.
• BeersNielsenflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLighting design firm collaborating with Studio DL on the Binnenhof renovation project in The Hague for outdoor spaces and facades.
• LUG Light FactoryflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStudio DL Polska worked on behalf of LUG Light Factory and in close cooperation with ZDM Warszawa to complete Stage I of luminaire modernization in Warsaw, resulting in the 'Best Lighted Municipality and City 2022' award.
• ILS Intelligent Light SpacecoreTechnology or IntegrationLighting infrastructure management application used by Studio DL for organizing and managing large-scale municipal lighting projects like Warsaw's 42,414 fixture modernization.
• IRIS ArchitectsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural firm that redeveloped the former Dudok gas station in Groningen into a contemporary pavilion. Studio DL created lighting design that subtly references the distinctive neon lighting that once characterized the station's nighttime silhouette.
• TSP.DESIGN, HAWK Hildesheim (Prof. Markus Schlegel)minorOthersConsultant specializing in color design, color and space, contributing expertise in paint, varnish, and plastics chemistry.
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Paul W. Schmits (HAWK Hildesheim)minorOthersConsultant providing teaching at HAWK and expertise in lighting design and luminaire design.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP Lighting Design: International engineering consultancy with a specialized lighting design group delivering urban lighting, public realm, and architectural projects across Europe, often competing for large municipal masterplans.
• Arup Lighting: Global engineering consultancy with a large dedicated lighting design practice. Competes with Studio DL in major European urban lighting masterplans but offers much broader multidisciplinary services.

Direct peers

• BeersNielsen: Dutch lighting design consultancy that directly collaborated with Studio DL on the Binnenhof renovation in The Hague, sharing lighting design responsibilities for outdoor spaces and facades. Closest peer by geography and practice focus.
• Licht Kunst Licht: Berlin-based lighting design firm with comparable scope across urban, architectural, and interior lighting projects in Germany. Direct competitor in DACH municipal and cultural tenders.
• Tropp Lighting Design: Munich-based lighting design office delivering urban, architectural, and interior lighting projects in Germany and internationally, frequently appearing alongside Studio DL in German design awards.
• Speirs + Major: UK-headquartered lighting design consultancy with similar urban masterplan and architectural lighting focus. Comparable in award recognition and project prestige across Europe and the Middle East.
• Ulrike Brandi Licht: Hamburg-based independent lighting design studio with a comparable mix of urban masterplans, cultural buildings, and interior projects across Germany, frequently shortlisted alongside Studio DL for Deutscher Lichtdesign Preis.
• Bartenbach: Austrian lighting design and applied research firm with strong scientific capabilities (similar to Studio DL's TU Berlin work) and comparable European project portfolio spanning urban and architectural lighting.
• AG Licht: German lighting design office offering professional lighting planning for urban spaces, facades, and interiors, frequently competing with Studio DL in German design awards and tenders.
• Lichtvision Design: German lighting design consultancy with comparable urban and architectural lighting portfolio and similar academic partnerships, operating as a direct peer in the DACH lighting design market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studiodl
• Instagraminstagram.com/studiodl_lightingdesign

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Studio DL