Ideas worth spreading

Why we should build wooden skyscrapers

1,458,604 views | Michael Green • TED2013

Building a skyscraper? Forget about steel and concrete, says architect Michael Green, and build it out of … wood. As he details in this intriguing talk, it's not only possible to build safe wooden structures up to 30 stories tall (and, he hopes, higher), it's necessary.

Building a skyscraper? Forget about steel and concrete, says architect Michael Green, and build it out of … wood. As he details in this intriguing talk, it's not only possible to build safe wooden structures up to 30 stories tall (and, he hopes, higher), it's necessary.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Michael Green

See speaker profile

Michael Green wants to solve architecture’s biggest challenge -- meeting worldwide housing demand without increasing carbon emissions -- by building with carbon-sequestering wood instead of concrete and steel.

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.