MASS TIMBER INNOVATION AND DESIGN CENTER
VANCOUVER, CANADA
The project seeks visions for a Mass Timber Innovation and Design Center that showcases advanced timber systems through design research, prototyping, and public exhibition—a habitat-sensitive, high-performance campus woven into Stanley Park’s meadows, forests, and trail network.
Winners Announcement - September 7, 2026.
BRIEF
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.
SITE
Prospect Point is a civic gateway where forest meets sea and millions encounter Vancouver’s harbor. As Stanley Park’s highest lookout, it commands sweeping views of the First Narrows, Lions Gate Bridge, and the downtown skyline, and sits on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations—land shaped by enduring relationships to water and place.
Linked by one of North America’s most celebrated urban trail networks, Prospect Point is reached via pedestrian and cycling routes that weave through old-growth forest, rocky shoreline, and quiet meadows, connecting to beaches, landmarks, and the iconic Seawall. Any intervention should enhance this delicate choreography of movement, ecology, and experience.
JURY
Each jury undergoes meticulous nomination, consisting of top-tier professionals whose expertise closely aligns with the competition's theme. This rigorous selection process ensures that every jury member embodies excellence and relevance in their respective fields.
Outstanding participants may receive job or internship offers, supported by the jury panel and their connections, to advance their careers in design and architecture.
Principal, Anderson Anderson Architecture; Founding Partner, Bay Pacific Construction; Professor of Architecture, UC Berkeley; Former FAIA.
Mark Anderson has broad experience in building design and construction as an architect, builder, and educator. In partnership with his brother, Peter Anderson, in the firm, Anderson Anderson Architecture, he has designed and constructed numerous award-winning building projects in the United States and Asia and has also directed construction technology research projects, exhibitions, and public art installations for museums and events in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
He is a founding partner of Bay Pacific Construction, and has built extensively as an architect and a general contractor in California, Washington State, and in Japan, where he has also lectured widely on construction technology issues and served as a consultant and project collaborator with government agencies.
In addition to extensive experimental works in drawing, prototyping and urban design, Mark Anderson’s work in building design and construction focuses on technology innovation and off-site prefabrication applied to unique sites and cultural conditions. His architecture work has received many competition prizes, design awards, and international publications and exhibitions. Mark is honored as a Peer in The United States Commission for Excellence in Architecture and the Arts, and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
He is Professor of Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, where he teaches advanced design studios in architecture and urban design, with a particular emphasis on design for rapidly developing cities in Asia. He is a frequent lecturer at universities and museums in The United States, Europe and Asia, and has written and published extensively on issues of architecture and urban design.
Song He is a Design Director at GOA (Group of Architects), recognized for leading complex public and cultural projects with a distinctly global lens.
Prior to joining GOA, he advanced through Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Toyo Ito & Associates (Japan), directing work across China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East—including signature high-rise and mixed-use landmarks such as Shenzhen Energy Headquarters and a major commercial hub in Singapore.
His portfolio has earned top honors, notably the Guangdong Provincial First Prize for Survey & Design and recognition from the CTBUH for best tall buildings. A committed educator, he has taught at the China Academy of Art and served as a guest critic at Tianjin University, Tongji University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
David Jaehning is a licensed architect in California and Oregon. Prior to founding the studio, he led a variety of project types — including museums, civic, commercial, residential, and hotels — at internationally renowned architecture firms including David Chipperfield in Milan, Italy, and Herzog & de Meuron in Basel, Switzerland, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in San Francisco, and Marlon Blackwell in Arkansas.
While at David Chipperfield, he was the team leader on the Restoration of Castello Sforzesco in Milan and the Urban Redevelopment of the University Hospital of Santa Chiara in Pisa. At Herzog & de Meuron, he was part of a team that oversaw the completed design and construction of the New de Young Museum in San Francisco. At Marlon Blackwell, he was the project manager for the Steven L. Anderson Design Center at the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas, and managed projects for Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, Tennessee.
Alongside his practice, David teaches undergraduate and graduate design studios and construction courses at UC Berkeley’s Department of Architecture. He also writes on the disciplinary concerns of architecture. His forthcoming book, "Construction: The Aspiring Architect’s Handbook" is an introductory textbook on contemporary construction practices, intended for students in NAAB-accredited programs. Co-authored with fellow professor Dana Buntrock, it is under contract with Birkhäuser Verlag GmbH with an anticipated release in 2025.
Kristoffer Tjerrild Lund is an Architect at Cobe in Copenhagen, contributing significantly to innovative architectural projects.
His previous roles include a design position at renowned firms such as 3XN/GXN, OMA and Snøhetta.
Kristoffer's academic journey spans from a bachelor’s degree in architecture from KADK in Copenhagen to earning his master’s degree in architecture at SCI-Arc in Los Angeles. This educational background has equipped him with a deep understanding of architectural theory and practice. Fluent in navigating diverse cultural and professional landscapes, Kristoffer is known for his innovative approach and commitment to pushing the boundaries of architectural design. His insights and expertise will undoubtedly enrich the evaluation process of this competition.
Karen Seong is the Director of the School of Architecture at the Academy of Art University (and the Acting Director of the School of Landscape Architecture).
She is a proponent of online education as a means to meaningfully diversify the architectural profession. She also advocates for community-based design projects founded on her belief that architects have a responsibility to serve in the interest of the public. Under her leadership, student work was recognized with AIA SF Leadership Award, ACSA Conference Presentation, and NBC Bay Area news coverage.
Karen developed her professional expertise while with the multi-national firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Karen held leadership positions working collaboratively with large international teams on award-winning projects ranging from high-rises in Manhattan and Kuwait, a bioscience research building for Rice University, college campuses for the Kuwaiti government, and artist James Turrell’s Roden Crater Fumarole in Arizona. She is a licensed architect in California and New York, a LEED accredited professional, and NCARB certified. She serves on the board of the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects and is a professional member of the National Organization of Minority Architects.
Karen received a Master of Architecture from Columbia University, with distinction, and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with High Honors from UC Berkeley. Karen has previously taught at UC Berkeley and has been a guest critic at various institutions in the US and in Korea.
Thomas Tannert, PhD, PEng — Canada Research Chair; BC Leadership Chair in Tall & Hybrid Wood Construction; Professor, University of Northern British Columbia
Thomas Tannert brings a rare blend of research depth and real-world timber know-how to the jury. Since joining UNBC in 2016, he has led work on tall and hybrid wood systems, with particular strength in connection behavior, system reliability, and full-scale testing.
He holds a PhD from UBC, an M.Sc. in Wood Science and Technology from Universidad del Bío-Bío (Chile), and a Civil Engineering degree from Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (Germany). Before UNBC, he worked in multidisciplinary teams in Germany, Chile, Switzerland, and at UBC Vancouver. He also serves on the executive of the CSA O86 technical committee (“Engineering Design in Wood”), helping shape the codes and standards that advance mass-timber practice.
WINNERS
All winning projects will be showcased on various websites, in magazines, and across architectural platforms. Additionally, they may feature prominently in national and international architectural exhibitions and events.
We appreciate all those who dedicated their time, materials, and resources to the competition. These supports and contributions were instrumental in creating a unique and enriching experience for all participants.
