Decoding Timber Towers is a global competition that drew 44 submissions from six countries, exploring how mass timber can shape new housing solutions. Run by Urbanarium, a Vancouver-based non-profit, the competition awarded $50,000 in prize money. “At a time when we urgently need low-carbon, livable, and affordable housing, it is vital to share ideas and pursue scalable solutions,” said competition juror Natalie Telewiak, principal at Michael Green Architecture. Telewiak said the competition attracted provocative proposals that challenge regulation, reimagine mass timber at scale, and spark strategies for change. First place went to Timber Commons by team MT3, which also received part of the DIGITAL Prize for innovation in standardizing housing construction. …Second place went to KAPLA by Team Softwood, an 18-storey design that combined modular efficiency with prefabricated balconies. Third place went to Vancouver’s Culture House by team 637427, which tied for the DIGITAL Prize for its on-site prefabrication factory concept.