Urbanarium has launched Decoding Timber Towers, a global ideas competition which aims to have real-world impact.

This marks the Vancouver organization’s fourth installment in its affordable housing competition series, which addresses the impact of climate change on housing and offers winners international portfolio recognition and cash prizes totaling $50,000.

This year’s competition is asking participants to consider residential and mixed use design solutions that use mass timber and to design creative solutions to some of the challenges facing mass timber construction today. These include unfamiliarity with the resource, steep upfront costs, the requirement for specialized consultants, insurance coverage, and the design issue of creating all-wood balconies.

Registration is open until May 2, 2025, and submissions will be due August 25. Winners will be announced at an awards event on September 15.