An Adventure In Architecture

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Michael Green founded architecture firm MGA to create meaningful and sustainable change in building through innovation in construction sciences and design. Michael and his team are ambitiously extending the boundaries of mass timber construction, having completed some of the largest modern timber buildings in the world, including The Wood Innovation Design Centre and T3 Minneapolis. He is also the founder of DBR | Design Build Research and TOE | Timber Online Education, a non-profit school and research platform dedicated to teaching the design and construction of socially, culturally and environmentally relevant student-led installations with a focus in systemic change in building for climate, environment, disaster and global shelter needs.

- Shriti Das

Presenting a strong case for wood, Michael Green brings to the forth the merits and certain challenges of wood architecture. Wood construction can play a pivotal role in steering the world away from global warming and climate change. But arguments like the speed of construction, cost, strength, feasibility override most materials, giving preference to steel and concrete over alternative technology, etc. often deter the actualization of such techniques on a large scale. He lists each challenge involved in wood construction and effectively lays down solutions that mitigate the same. Going a step beyond, he also acknowledges the fact that architecture is built largely sans architects throughout the world, yet change is possible at an individual scale. MGA further underlines their endeavors with an online not-for-profit school that imparts knowledge to not only students and designers but also addresses vocations associated with design and construction.