Call for Submissions: Mass Timber Innovation and Design Center

British Columbia’s forestry strength and progressive codes put Vancouver at the forefront of tall timber. Design a Mass Timber Innovation & Design Center that turns research and prototyping into public learning, advancing best practices in timber construction through exhibition, studios, code/testing labs, and open-air mock-up yards organized as welcoming indoor–outdoor rooms, with respect for the local Nations on whose unceded territories this site sits.

Make every joint a lesson: light-touch pavilions and shaded courts threaded through meadow and forest to protect trees and soils while framing outward views. Connect to local trail and path with accessible spurs, trail-edge learning nodes, native planting, and park-calibrated wayfinding.

Deliver a high-performance building with a credible pathway to net-zero operations—using responsibly sourced mass timber, efficient spans, design-for-disassembly, rainwater capture, bioswales, and durable coastal detailing—to create an elegant, low-impact landmark for British Columbia’s mass-timber future.

This competition embraces an open registration to all students and young architects worldwide.

Registration:

• Standard Registration: February 2 – May 17, 2026 | $59
  • First 50 teams or end date (whichever comes first)
• Late Registration: May 18 – June 14, 2026 | $79
  • First 50 teams or end date (whichever comes first)
• Final Week “Rush”: June 15 – June 20, 2026 | $89

Submission Guidelines:

• Deliverables
  • Project Cover Image (No Text)
  • Project Panel x2
  • Project Statement
  • Submission Form
• Submission requirements
  • Project Title: A unique and finalized title for your project. (Note: This should be different from the Competition’s official Name, “Mass Timber Innovation and Design Center.”)
  • Attach each item as a separate file (no compressed archives: ZIP/RAR/7z, no download links).
  • Email to submissions@design-unlimited.online with the subject line: Submission – [Your Registration Code] – [Competition Name]. Example: Submission – ABC123 – Mass Timber Innovation and Design Center
  • Each Material shall follow the naming format: Your Registration Code + File Name:
    i.e., ABC123 – Cover_Image, ABC123 – Panel_1, ABC123 – Panel_2, ABC123 – Statement, ABC123 – Submission_Form
  • Submissions that do not follow the subject line and file-naming format will be disqualified and not reviewed.