Sam Auinger

Sam Auinger is a Visiting Lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), associated with the School of Architecture + Planning and the Experimental Sounddesign department within the Sound Studies Master Program. Previously, he served as a visiting professor at the University of the Arts Berlin (2008–2012) and an associate at Harvard Graduate School of Design (2013–2015). Born in Linz, Austria (1956), he has lived and worked in Berlin since 1997.

His artistic and academic work focuses on sound art, urban acoustics, and the intersection of sensory perception with architecture and public space. Collaborating with Bruce Odland as O+A since 1989, he creates large-scale sound installations that transform urban noise into harmonious environments. Key projects include the 'Sonic Commons' initiative (2009–present) and research on Bonn as 'City Sound Artist' (2010).

Awarded prizes such as the Kultur Preis der Stadt Linz (2002) and DAAD fellowship (1997), Auinger also engages in interdisciplinary collaborations, including with architects, urban planners, and the 'stadtmusik' collective. His lectures and symposium participation address themes of urban acoustics and sensory urbanism.