Michael Green (architect)

Michael Green^[1] is a Canadian architect, co-founder of Michael Green Architecture which he leads with firm partner Natalie Telewiak, and an author of books on mass timber construction. The Case for Tall Wood Buildings ^[2][3] is a case study on using materials such as cross-laminated timber panels and engineered glulam wood beams to build skyscrapers as tall as 30 storeys, originally prepared in 2012 by Green, Equilibrium Consulting, LMDG Ltd. and BTY Group.^[4][5] Green also coauthored Tall Wood Buildings: Design, Construction and Performance, which was published by Birkhäuser in 2017.^[6][7] In March 2020, Birkhäuser published the second and expanded edition of this book.^[8][9] In 2013, Green gave a TED talk titled “Why we should build Wooden Skyscrapers’.^[10] In 2014, Green received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Northern British Columbia.^[11]

Michael Green is the founder of Design Build Research^[12] and Timber Online Education,^[13] 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. Green’s architecture firm Michael Green Architecture designed the seven-story T3 building in Minneapolis, which was built using 3,600 cubic metres of wood, and is intended to sequester about 3,200 tonnes of carbon for the life of the building.^[14][15]

In 2021, MGA | Michael Green Architecture was chosen as Best Firm in North America by Architizer Magazine.^[16]

Publications

• The Case for Tall Wood Buildings, -2012^[17]
• Technical guide for the design and construction of tall wood buildings in Canada, FP Innovation -2014^[18]
• Alpenglow, -2015^[19]
• The Case for Tall Wood Buildings (2nd Edition), -2017^[20]
• Tall Wood Buildings: Design, Construction and Performance., Birkhäuser -2017^[21]
• Tall Wood Buildings: Design, Construction and Performance (2nd Expanded Edition), Birkhäuser -2020^[22]
• Technical guide for the design and construction of tall wood buildings in Canada (2021 Edition), FP Innovation -IN PROGRESS

Recognition

Michael Green was the Project Principal for MGA's four Governor General’s Awards for Ronald McDonald House,*^[23] Wood Innovation and Design Centre,^[24] North Vancouver City Hall,**^[25] and the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club Dock Building.^[26]

*Project began at McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design and completed at Michael Green Architecture **Lead Design Architect: Michael Green, formerly of McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design, now of Michael Green Architecture