Michael Green is an award-winning architect, speaker, and author known for using design to create meaningful, sustainable built environments that benefit both people and planet. A leader in wood construction and innovation, Michael is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the recipient of an honourary doctorate degree from the University of Northern British Columbia, lecturing internationally on the subject of mass timber and new building technology, including his TED talk, “Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers.”
He serves as a government policy advisor on mass timber design and is the co-author of the first and second editions of ‘The Case for Tall Wood Buildings’ and ‘Tall Wood Buildings: Design, Construction and Performance.’ Michael founded Vancouver-based architecture and design firm MGA in 2012, and alongside fellow Principal Natalie Telewiak, the team is now ambitiously extending the boundaries of mass timber construction on a range of projects, from private homes to large-scale masterplans. The studio has completed some of the most significant timber buildings in the world, and has been recognized with over forty international awards for design excellence, including the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Firm of the Year, Architizer’s Best in North America Firm Award, four Governor General’s Medals, two RAIC Innovation Awards, and the American Institute of Architects Innovation Award.
Michael 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, focused on systemic change in building for climate, environment, disaster, and global shelter needs. An avid traveler and adventurer, Michael has explored remote regions of every continent and loves ice climbing, mountaineering, ocean kayaking, and biking. These journeys through nature are what inspire his work.
