MGA Michael Green Architecture
1535 West 3rd Avenue V6J 1J3 Vancouver, BC, Canada

KATERRA’s latest building, designed with Michael Green, aims for both zero energy and zero carbon. https://www.architecturalrecord.com//14843-catalyst-by-kat

On the latest episode of Design Milk DMTV Milkshake, Michael Green shares how timber skyscrapers represent a commitment to the organic materials that will challenge steel and concrete and the role designers play in the global conversation around climate change.

Hello Design Milk DMTV! (coming soon)

The Catalyst building is the first office building in Washington State constructed out of cross-laminated timber (CLT). It is pursuing Net Zero and Zero Carbon certification by the International Living Future Institute, which would make it one of the largest buildings in North America to meet both standards.

Today as we celebrate the achievements of architects past and present, we must also remind ourselves of our global collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. We believe that together, we can begin to transform the industry to serve both people and planet in a meaningful way. #WorldArchitectureDay #WAD2020

Is COVID stressing you out? Yeah, us too. So grab your favourite wobbly pop and let's talk about it. We promise to try to make this the most fun you have on Zoom all week!... https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/connections-cocktails-covid-sur

Excited to announce that we will be starting construction soon on two prominent buildings sitting at gateways to downtown Victoria, BC! The Scott Building, is located at the southeast corner of Hillside Avenue and Douglas Street, and the Parkway Building will be on the site where the Wellburn’s building is at Pandora Avenue and Cook Street. We want to balance celebrating the historic buildings but bring them into modern times with housing and density. We’re adding to them in the most cost-effective way to give the community rental options and hopefully enhance the neighbourhood. #mgarchitecture

As we all sit at least 2m apart under smoke-filled skies, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and alone. Join #ArchitectsDeclare tomorrow for a much needed dose of connection and empowerment. Through collaboration, we can regain our momentum and strengthen our call to action. #globaldayofclimateaction

We are honoured that the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (Official) Dock Building has received a 2020 RAIC - IRAC Governor General’s Medal, the highest distinction given to an architectural project in Canada. The jury remarked from its simple form and efficient organization arise an architectural experience both poetic and sensible. Modest, it exhibits careful thinking about composition and materials on almost every level. To coin a phrase, sometimes less is more than enough. Th...e design team’s ambition was to demonstrate that all projects from working industrial buildings to boutique museums can and should be realized with grace and architectural dignity. Whereas museums are few, these practical buildings are a common part of our communities. Delivering architecture on a shoestring is always possible. We believe it is important to celebrate the common. Congratulations to the entire team: Heatherbrae Builders, RDH Building Science, Equilibrium Structural Engineers, Ema Peter Photography, Worley Parsons, Jarvis Engineering Consultants Ltd., and AME Group. http://mg-architecture.ca//dock-building-awarded-raic-gov/

What will we take away from the current crisis, when all is said and done? Says Vancouver architect Michael Green of MGA, There’s a failure in our ability to deal with surge problems, like a pandemic that puts an exponential degree of pressure on hospitals. How can we build and design in a way that thinks about how to solve these problems when they happen? he asks. For instance, can we find ways to build much faster in times of crisis, other than deploying the military? As architects, we should be leading this conversation, says Green.

Timber construction may seem like old news, harking back to days of log cabins. But it might just be the eco-friendly building material needed to combat climate change on a major scale. Brave decisions come with complexity, and this is about doing the right thing [...] and not thinking about next year’s political fortunes.

When harvested responsibly, wood is arguably one of the best tools architects and engineers have for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and storing carbon in our buildings.

We are very encouraged to hear that the French government has announced plans for a sustainability law that will ensure all new public buildings are built from at least 50% timber or other natural materials by 2022. Les Groues is our new 9-storey mixed-use building located in a suburb of Paris, France. It is envisioned to be a fully mass timber project, offering 7 levels of market, intermediate, and social housing, as well as commercial spaces such as retail, offices, and co-working spaces. Through the connection of various program users, our intention is to create a diverse yet harmonized community.. #mgarchitecture Team: Woodeum CALQ

We have spent the last year working with Sidewalk Labs to explore and develop a proof-of-concept for the world's tallest mass timber building! This 35-storey project is called Proto-Model X, or PMX. Learn more about our work in a new mini series on the Sidewalk Talk blog!

Michael was recently featured in a video in collaboration with WWF, World Economic Forum, and the Netflix documentary series Our Planet, to show what’s possible when people try to find new ways of tackling climate change and restoring nature I think there’s been this disconnect as we’ve moved and become increasingly urban around the world. We know that natural materials, whether it’s parks, trees or wood products, coming into an urban environment fundamentally make us much more healthy as a population and connect us back to this idea that we live in a natural world. #VoiceForThePlanet

Excited to see that we were included in the Architizer A+ List of 136 Architecture and Design Firms to Watch in 2020! "As one of the leading players in the use of cross laminated timber for large scale buildings, Michael Green Architecture simply cannot be ignored. While the firm is already well known for its high rise timber buildings including Minneapolis T3 (the largest modern timber building in the United States), MGA scooped the plaudits in last year’s A+Awards with a more modest but no less innovative project: The Dock Building in Vancouver, Canada, shows how glulam beams can be employed on a smaller scale to wonderful effect. As the timber revolution continues in 2020, it’s worth watching Michael Green Architecture closely in the coming months."

Michael recently spoke to The New York Times about the future of mass timber in the building industry - where economic and quality-of-life factors are driving the movement as much as global climate considerations. We need to change the conversation around what to celebrate in architecture. This movement is about switching out the concept of what good design is. There has to be a new framework of what we see as beautiful. #masstimber #timber #architecture

KOKKO | Richmond, BC KOKKO is a designer clothing store which sells carefully selected brands featuring both beautiful tailoring and up to the minute trends. To express these values on a small budget MGA chose to highlight one element of the store, the changing room. We enveloped the room in a gigantic version of a woven herringbone textile made out of rigid wooden verticals and flexible nylon webbing. This allowed us to create a distinctive organic form and a conceptual link back to the fashion industry. #mgarchitecture

The Dock Building has won two Architizer A+ Awards in the Commercial Mixed-Use and Architecture + Facades categories. This is the largest awards program celebrating the year’s best architecture and products, and their mission is to nurture the appreciation of meaningful design in the world and champion its potential for a positive impact on everyday life. We are thrilled to have The Dock Building celebrated! We believe that all projects regardless of budget or function are op...portunities to create beautiful, meaningful new spaces. Architizer A+ 2019 Award Winners: https://awards.architizer.com/winners-gallery/

We are pleased to announce that Kevin Nyhoff has joined the MGA team as a Principal alongside Michael Green and Natalie Telewiak. Kevin comes to Vancouver after a decade leading his own award-winning architecture and design firm in Calgary, Alberta. Originally building his professional design foundations in Portland, Oregon, Kevin has worked with industry-leading clients Nike, Adidas, Virginia Tech and Stanford University, and he has extensive experience working on a range of... typologies including adaptive re-use, historic conservation, museum, creative arts, residential, retail and interior design. Kevin is currently working on several high-profile projects at MGA, including the Sidewalk Labs Proto Model in Toronto, Ontario and a new residential development in Austin, Texas as well as expanding the Business Development profile. http://mg-architecture.ca/news/kevin-nyhoff-joins-mga/

Our Maple Street residence in Vancouver with interiors by h.t.be was an extensive renovation of a tired 1980’s duplex. Photo by Ema Peter Photography.

Excited to see The Dock Building has won a Rethinking The Future Architecture, Construction & Design Award! Congratulations to everyone who worked on this great project: Client: Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (official)... Photography: Ema Peter Photography Civil: Worley Parsons Electrical: Jarvis Engineering Mechanical: AME Consulting Group Structural: Equilibrium Consulting General Contractor: Heatherbrae Builders Building Envelope: RDH Building Science Inc. Marine Structural Consultant: Worley Parsons See more

It’s very exciting because to the consumer it means better buildings, more sustainable buildings and more affordable buildings, which are essential things for our world today" https://trib.al/jHZhA0O

Sidewalk Labs is planning a timber smart city to showcase state-of-the-art technology.