Michael Green

Architect, Designer, Educator/Teacher, Environmentalist, Inventor, World traveler, Writer/Editor

I spoke at TED2013 in Longbeach on Tall Wood Buildings and how they benefit climate as we move from carbon and energy intensive steel and concrete into renewables. My firm MGA design advanced wood buildings around the world and here in BC. We have current projects in Paris, NY, Chicago, Portland and of course Canada. In addition to my mid sized architecture firm I run a not for profit school and an advocacy group for west coast designer makers. I also have a new company called Five that is trying to unlock the formula for Plant based building structures. I spoke on Five at TED in NY in 2023. Finally I love adventure. From ice climbing to kayaking to last weeks work trip to Tajikistan and the northern border of Afghanistan to provide urban design support to a remote alpine community. Adventurous spirits inspire me. I have kayaked seven continents with my kids and still try to do annual big mountain trips climbing in the Himalaya including 7000m AMA Dablam last year and 8400m Makalu this year.

Adventure, climbing, kayaking, environment, design, community, climate, education, architecture, making.

Architecture + Design, Kayaking, Mountaineering

I spoke at TED2013 in Longbeach on the importance of shifting the way we build in cities from carbon and energy intensive materials like concrete and steel to wood. We developed the concept of tall wood buildings and have now built one here in Canada. That began my relationship with TED. Since then I have started a school for Design and Building called DBR and my students build each year for TED. For TED2014 we built the Community Theatre Stage, for TED2015 we built a large outdoor picnic shelter that is becoming a market for the homeless now in Vancouver. For TED2016 we are building an outdoor structure that will become a pavilion for BC Parks after TED.