Christian Penzel and Martin Valier founded their Zurich-based firm Penzel Valier in 2008. Penzel studied design at HFBK in Hamburg and graduated in architecture from TU Berlin. Valier graduated as a structural engineer from HTW Chur (today University of Applied Sciences Graubünden) in Chur, Switzerland. Leonore Daum holds degrees in architecture from TU Berlin and the University of California Los Angeles. Friedrich Tellbüscher graduated in architecture from Leibniz University in Hannover. They are both managing partners with Penzel Valier in Zurich.