WORKS Office of Brian O'Brian Architect

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WORKS Office of Brian O'Brian Architect

I love buildings.

07/27/2026

196: What the house looks like from the outside is not what it feels like once you enter.

Stretched and opened along its edges, the exterior speaks to the farm buildings around it. Inside, the house changes its voice. Hemlock carries through the rooms, warm and tough enough for country life, while the spaces become quieter, softer, and more lived in.

An Ontario cottage with a restless exterior and a deeply domestic interior, shaped by its place and the people who use it.

More walk-throughs and photographs of this job will be shared as the landscape continues to grow in beautifully, designed by Joel Loblaw
General Contractor: Doug and Matt Hill of Mazenga Building Group  . . . 

03/17/2026

226: Developed and built within an exceptionally short period of time, this installation, AT THE CORE, tells a story of DOWOOD’s 25 years of making - developed through an iterative process that is still ongoing.
The result of rapid discussions and quick decisions made over the course of 3 weeks, there was no long planning phase, and it evolved as it was being fabricated.

Now installed in DOWOOD’s new showroom in Suzhou, China, it begins from a raw wood block and unfolds through layered veneers, sliced boards, and solid pieces, each one refined before being peeled back to meet the bronze frame.

And honestly, it was also just a fun one to figure out together with

01/31/2026

226: The collaboration between and Works Office is grounded in a shared dedication to craft, process, and long-term thinking.

Following an initial visit to China, this second trip marked the formal kickoff of the partnership. The five-day trip included the unveiling of Brian’s anchor installation design for Dowood’s new showroom, the launch of the XULI collection, participation in the annual dealer conference, and in-depth discussions around future product and spatial designs.

This marks the beginning of an ongoing dialogue and collaboration.

12/24/2025

Architecture is the result of many hands and many conversations.
To all our clients, consultants, contractors, trades, friends, and families, we wish you only the most Exquisite of Holidays.

12/05/2025

197: When we addressed the reworking of the porch and the kitchen, it became less about fixing problems and more about understanding what the house was already trying to do. The kitchen, in particular, carries so much of the daily life of a home: the moves, the habits, the way someone leans in to knead bread or turns toward the light.

Each of these moments informs the way we approach the work. Much of the process on our jobs involves working within the constraints rather than against them, and finding clarity through collaboration with the trades who help bring it together.

This is the final piece of the walkthrough of this job near Peterborough. Photographs of the work in this reel by with a full set coming soon.
Structural Engineer: Kieffer Structural Engineering
General Contractor:
Carpenter:
Millwork:
Steel Fabricator:

11/27/2025

196: Ever wondered what it might feel like to live in a drive shed? Enjoy this short teaser of a 3250-square-foot agrarian home near Markdale, moving along the long, narrow corridor that runs through the length of the house. More video and photography are on the way where Brian will guide you through the stories and journey behind the home.

General Contractor: Doug and Matt Hill of

Address

530 QUEEN Street EAST
Toronto, ON
M5A1V2

Telephone

+14169006862

Website

http://www.worksoffice.com/

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