Michael Pawlyn

Michael Pawlyn

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Toronto, Ontario

Architect, Systems Thinker, Regenerative Design And Biomimicry Expert

Michael Pawlyn is recognized as an authority in the fields of regenerative design and biomimicry, respectively. In 2007, he launched his own business under the name Exploration Architecture with the intention of specializing in high-performance buildings and providing solutions for the circular economy. He is regularly booked as a keynote speaker on innovation and hisTED talk has had over 2 million viewings. Michael jointly initiated the widely acclaimed Sahara Forest Project; the latest version of which was opened by the King of Jordan in 2017.

MICHAEL PAWLYN BIOGRAPHY

Michael Pawlyn, the visionary Founder of Exploration Architecture, is a recognized expert in regenerative design and biomimicry. Since establishing his firm in 2007, he has focused on high-performance buildings and solutions for the circular economy, developing groundbreaking projects such as an ultra-low energy data center and a zero-waste textiles factory.

Before founding Exploration Architecture, Michael worked with Grimshaw for ten years, where he was central to the team that revolutionized horticultural architecture with the Eden Project. Michael Pawlyn’s innovative work on the Eden Project took place in Cornwall, England, showcasing his vision and implementation to prove that sustainable, carbon-neutral designs can be more efficient and cost-effective.

He was responsible for the design of the Warm Temperate and Humid Tropics Biomes and played a pivotal role in initiating Grimshaw’s environmental management system.Pawlyn’s inspiration from nature and focus on geodesics resulted in a structure that could be built regardless of final ground levels, reflecting his commitment to cutting carbon emissions and saving money through innovation.

Michael’s commitment to regenerative design goes beyond conventional sustainability, aiming to restore ecosystems, build resilient communities, and generate clean energy. His philosophy emphasizes truly restorative designs that learn from nature’s 3.5 billion years of evolution, providing solutions for genuinely sustainable building design and technology.

Michael Pawlyn is a sought-after keynote speaker on innovation. HisTED talk has garnered over 2 million views and he is in high demand as a speaker, consultant and thought leader. He jointly initiated the acclaimed Sahara Forest Project, opened by the King of Jordan in 2017, and co-initiated the ‘Architects Declare Climate & Biodiversity Emergency’ in 2019, an international movement with over 7,000 companies signed up to address the planetary crisis.

Since 2018, Michael has increasingly provided advice to national governments and large companies on transformative change. His influence is further evidenced by his writings, including his best-selling RIBA title “Biomimicry in Architecture” and his latest book, “Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency,” co-authored with Sarah Ichioka, published in December 2021.

Michael’s books are essential resources for architects, urban designers, product designers, and anyone interested in radical increases in resource efficiency. He proposes a set of bold regenerative principles that have the potential to transform how we design, make, and manage our buildings, infrastructure, and communities.

His work has been featured in esteemed media outlets such as Wired, Icon, The Guardian, The Economist, and National Geographic. Awards and recognition, including his collaboration with renowned global figures, reflect the global reach of his influence.

In a world facing unprecedented challenges, Michael Pawlyn stands as a beacon of innovative thinking, melding design, nature, and sustainability into a promising vision for the future of our planet. Whether addressing professionals, activists, policymakers, or clients, his expertise, passion, and vision make him an ideal speaker for any event seeking to inspire, challenge, and build a thriving future together.

Videos

Podcasts

Play

Michael Pawlyn- Regenerative Design, Biomimicry And Systems Change

SBC

Michael Pawlyn Topic Presentations

leading through disruption: harnessing innovation for transformative change

  • Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
  • In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, disruptive innovation has become more than a buzzword; it’s a critical force shaping industries, markets, and our very way of life. Michael Pawlyn, an architect at the forefront of sustainable and regenerative design, embodies this spirit of innovation by challenging traditional norms and ushering in transformative changes.His visionary leadership extends beyond architectural designs to influencing how businesses approach sustainability, resource efficiency, workforce accountability and corporate responsibility.

    In this thought-provoking presentation, attendees will gain insights into the principles and practices that foster disruptive innovation. Pawlyn will delve into the importance of cultivating a mindset that embraces change, nurtures creativity, and encourages collaboration across disciplines. He’ll also share practical strategies for leveraging disruptive innovation to drive leadership and transformation within organizations.

    This topic is an inspiring call to action for business leaders, decision-makers, and change agents who are ready to transcend traditional boundaries and catalyze meaningful change. Michael helps leaders reshape their organization to be ready for the future to maintain alignment with the societal and shifts occurring within younger generations. It’s about recognizing the untapped potential within and seizing the opportunities that disruptive innovation offers in shaping a more resilient, equitable, and prosperous future.

beyond sustainability: embracing regeneration as the next transformation

the gathering storm: responding to the surge in natural disasters and climate change

biologically inspired innovation

responding to our planetary crisis: a vision for regenerative change

sustainability reimagined

energizing the future: clean energy and sustainable architecture

the urban oasis: green cities and the future of living spaces

Testimonials

One of the finest talks I’ve ever seen on nature and design  

Amory Lovins

Chairman and Chief Scientist
Rocky Mountain Institute

I have just watched the talk that Michael Pawlyn gave for TED and thought it was one of the most amazing and interesting things I have ever heard about. Thank you for thinking outside of the box

Hanna Sankowska

Your talk was a tremendous inspiration to all and the response has been fantastic. Personally it was the best presentation I have ever experienced -thank you Michael

Torben Thyregod Jensen

VELUX A/S X lab

Michael was fantastic! The audience absolutely loved his lecture. Couldn’t have been a better way to launch the series.

Colleen McLaughlin

Natural History Museum of Utah

Articles & Media

Financial Times

SBC

View

Books

Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency
Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency
Biomimicry in Architecture Paperback
Biomimicry in Architecture Paperback

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How to book Michael Pawlyn for an event?

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Interested in booking Michael Pawlyn for an event?

Are you looking to hire Michael Pawlyn for your event? Michael Pawlyn Toronto, Ontario is a dynamic and engaging speaker that offers audiences researched content paired with expertise and a dynamic speaking ability. Michael Pawlyn is also a Canadian corporate consultant and coach and facilitates workshops and training sessions for a corporate audience. Michael Pawlyn is an expert keynote presenter and speaks on wide variety of topics. Hiring a great speaker for your event is important and working with a thought leader like Michael Pawlyn from Speakers Canada's roster will engage audiences into the content of the presentation to bring awareness and a fresh perspective for their approach to their work and their lives. Book Michael Pawlyn to educate, motivate and activate the audience through an interactive and entertaining presentation at corporate meetings and gatherings.

Known as a popular key note speaker in Canada, Michael Pawlyn creates life changing experiences for the participants with practical insights and strategic advice they can implement right after the session. Working with a one our leading expert speaker like Michael Pawlyn from Toronto, Ontario offers organizations a fresh perspective to assist the people of the organization. No matter if it is a government, association, or business crowd, Michael Pawlyn is a perfect speaker for your event. Through unique practical insights for trending topics and years experience speaking to different organizations, Michael Pawlyn focuses on changing individuals to make better decisions at work and their lives. No matter if you are holding an in person or virtual event, having an influential speaker such as Michael Pawlyn will engage, motivate, and activate the audience to make a change in their lives and inspire action for results to meet organizational goals. Your workforce will benefit from Michael Pawlyn's presentations and speeches, with measurable results set to shift the people of the organization and core direction of the company. Book Michael Pawlyn speaker for your annual general meeting, conference, summit, or convention in Canada.

How much does it cost to hire Michael Pawlyn for a keynote presentation or virtual event?

Michael Pawlyn is an expert professional key note speaker with a lot of experience speaking and delivering engaging talks to organizations and audiences in Canada. Each of Speaker Bureau Canada's talent have different ways to assess their fees, and Michael Pawlyn speaker fee ranges depending on the size of the audience, event format (in person or virtual), event location, and if the organization booking them is a non profit, association, government department/government agency or business/corporation. The speakers we work with are flexible with their fees, and it is important for us to learn more about your event before we approach them, as it is our role to work for you, and to help you find a speaker within budget. 

Please contact Speakers Bureau of Canada and provide us with your event details so that we can contact Michael Pawlyn to check availability or confirm the pricing and associated costs to hire a great speaker like Michael Pawlyn for your event. As Michael Pawlyn's agent and as a Canadian top speaker bureau and talent agency for speakers, we are able to propose each event opportunity from each host organization's behalf to try to help you get in touch with Michael Pawlyn and confirm them for your in person or online meeting/event. We can also provide and advise on the booking process and potentially negotiate their fee. Speakers Canada is a client focused speaker agency, and we work for you in finding good speakers for your team meetings and booking processes.

Michael Pawlyn Disclaimer

Speakers Bureau Canada assists companies and event planning teams seeking to hire talent like Michael Pawlyn for speaking engagements, virtual meetings, conference appearances, training sessions and workshops facilitations. Our Canadian speakers bureau does not claim to exclusively represent Michael Pawlyn, however they are represented by Speakers Canada, and we work with them closely for their Canadian speaking opportunities and bookings. As Canada's top speaker bureau, we represent Canadian motivational keynote speakers and professional guest speakers that will be available on your upcoming events date and location that are withing the budget. Our talented bureau speaker booking agency can help find business speakers or celebrity speakers that aligns with each organization, audience, event theme and the topic themes you hope for the speaker to address in their presentation. 

When SBC receives a request to book Michael Pawlyn we provide you with their speaker fees, travel costs and check their schedules. We work closely with the host organization's event planning team and the speaker to handle the logistics and to relay or negotiate associated costs. Our talented team members then will work with our talent directly or their agent/manager/assistant to confirm the Canadian speaker fee and travel expenses, so that event planning teams can receive an official quote for the speaker appearing at the event. Speaker fees and travel costs vary per speaker and our role is to contact Michael Pawlyn about your event, after we have connected with the event organizers to learn all the event details and/or conference program. Each booking request is unique since session durations and audience sizes can vary which may affect the speaker's fees. If you are looking to hire Michael Pawlyn, we recommend filling out the booking request form so a booking agent from Speakers Bureau Canada can get in touch with our talent to help you coordinate with your team to engage the speaker for a successful event.