Franz Sam studied Architecture at the University of Innsbruck where he graduated in 1984. From 1985-1992 he was co-worker and project architect in the planning and construction phase of Coop Himmelb(l)au. Since 1992 he has two architectural offices in Vienna and Krems. Franz Sam is lecturer and assistant professor at the University of Applied Arts since 2002. He is currently member of the cultural senate of the federal province of Lower Austria and Chairman of the architectural advisory board of the Federal Province of Lower Austria. His main emphasis of his work with the students lies on questions related to form and material. At its core is the development of space-forming constructions under consideration of the chosen material and applied technologies.