Design Unlimited launches the Mass Timber Innovation & Design Center of Canada, an international architecture competition supported by leading voices in timber research and construction. 

The project seeks visions for an advanced timber structure through design research, prototyping, and public exhibition—a habitat-sensitive, high-performance campus woven into Stanley Park’s meadows, forests, and trail network.

The renowned jury team includes Dr. Thomas Tannert, Canada Research Chair and BC Leadership Chair in Tall Wood and Hybrid Structures Engineering, alongside Mark Anderson, CEO of Bay Pacific Construction, reflecting a rare alignment of academic excellence and industry leadership.

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.

Timeline

Early-Bird Registration: Jan 1 - Feb 1, 2026 (First 30 teams or end date, whichever comes first) — $39

Standard Registration: Feb 2 - May 17, 2026 (First 50 teams or end date, whichever comes first) — $49

Late Registration: May 18– Jun 14, 2026 — $79

Final Week “Rush": Jun 15 –  Jun 20, 2026 — $89

Submission Deadline: Jun 21, 2026

Jury Review: Jun 22 – Jul 5, 2026

Winner Announced: Jul 6, 2026

*The above are local times (PT) in the competition host country. Dates are subject to change. Please refer to the official website for updates.

Site Location: Prospect Point, Vancouver, Canada

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. It 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.

Prizes

Prize Fund: $10,000

Grand Prize: $4,000 (Minimum) + Certificate + Publication 

2nd Prize:  $700 (Minimum) + Certificate + Publication 

3rd Prize: $300 (Minimum) + Certificate + Publication 

3 Honorable Mentions (Up to 7): Certificate + Publication 

Community’s Choice Award: $1,000 (Minimum)  + Certificate + Publication 

Community's Choice Nominees (Up to 10): Certificate + Online Gallery Feature

All Registered Participants: e-Certificate of Participation (Upon Submission and Jury Decision)

* All winning projects have the potential to be showcased on various websites, in magazines, and across architectural platforms. Additionally, they may feature prominently in national and international architectural exhibitions and events.

Jury

Each jury is rigorously selected from top-tier professionals whose expertise directly aligns with the competition theme, ensuring evaluations that are both deeply informed and grounded in real-world practice. 

This panel is led by Dr. Thomas Tannert (Canada Research Chair and BC Leadership Chair in Tall Wood and Hybrid Structures Engineering) and Mark Anderson (Owner of Bay Pacific Construction, professor at UC Berkeley), and brings together distinguished voices from leading global firms and academia: Song He (Design Director at GOA; formerly at BIG and Toyo Ito & Associates), David Jaehning (formerly at David Chipperfield, Herzog & de Meuron, and SOM; teaches at UC Berkeley), Kristoffer Tjerrild Lund (Architect at Cobe; previously with 3XN/GXN, OMA, and Snøhetta), and Karen YunJin Seong (Director of the School of Architecture at AAU; formerly at SOM).

Outstanding participants may receive job or internship offers, supported by the jury panel and their connections, to advance their careers in design and architecture.

Program Overview

The competition seeks a public-facing hub where timber innovation is clear and inviting. A legible entry leads to a hands-on Discovery Lab, auditorium, café, and materials store, with trail-edge public amenities for park users. A central Timber Gallery anchors the visit through full-scale mockups and life-cycle storytelling.

Behind the scenes, create a flexible making ecosystem: research labs, tool-safe maker studios, and digital fabrication (CNC, laser, robotics), organized around a double-height assembly hall with crane access for 1:1 prototyping. Support spaces—offices, loading, timber storage—connect to outdoor yards, green infrastructure, and trail links, with a covered prototype canopy and outdoor classrooms.

Certificate

All eligible winners will have the opportunity to receive official Design Unlimited certificates in electronic format, acknowledging their achievement. In addition, the winning team is entitled to order a high-quality, beautifully framed physical print of the certificate. This print will be crafted with attention to detail, ensuring a lasting and impressive representation of their work.

Publication

Design Unlimited's official publications showcase the inspiring outcomes of our International Design Competitions. The Yearbook edition offers an insightful look at a selection of groundbreaking competition case studies, featuring some of the most impactful projects from our recent events. Each yearbook serves as a celebration of innovative design and a platform for emerging talent, while also looking ahead to a future in which these designs help shape a better, more sustainable design world.

Organizer

Design Unlimited is a platform dedicated to organizing architecture design competitions and providing construction opportunities for passionate young architects, designers, recent graduates, and students. It has attracted thousands of talents from over 20 countries since its establishment. Design Unlimited catalyzes creativity and collaboration, fostering a vibrant ecosystem where emerging talent can thrive, ideas can flourish, and innovative solutions can take shape.

The top image in the article is courtesy of Design Unlimited.

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