WORKS Office of Brian O'Brian Architect

WORKS Office of Brian O'Brian Architect I love buildings.

226: Developed and built within an exceptionally short period of time, this installation, AT THE CORE, tells a story of ...
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

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

Architecture is the result of many hands and many conversations.To all our clients, consultants, contractors, trades, fr...
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 

11/14/2025

197: This job near Peterborough, Ontario has been an unusual kind of renovation, with a kit-of-parts approach working through the multiple parts of an existing building.
We’ve been on site a lot lately as a few projects come to completion and photography gets underway. This is the first part of job 197 walkthrough, with more to follow.
 
When we first saw the space, it was uncomfortable — cold, loud, and oddly proportioned, with stained glass at the end of a narrow room. The question was how to handle it without stripping away its character.
The work became about allowing those elements to move together, to let the new and the existing overlap, and to let the craft show through in those moments where one material meets another.

Structural Engineer: Kieffer Structural Engineering
General Contractor:
Carpenter:
Millwork:
Steel Fabricator:

11/14/2025

197: Walking into an old farmhouse can sometimes challenge your sense of balance, with nothing straight and every corner seeming to put up a fight. By rethinking the circulation, the once-separated entry of this farmhouse is formed into a single stair volume, leading up toward a quiet reading corner on the second floor.

With a small dome punched through the kinked ceiling of a simple roof, the house slowly reveals its surprises, opening to a sky full of stars stretching over the silent countryside.

Photographs of the work shown in this reel by More walk-throughs of jobs will be released soon.

Structural Engineer: Kieffer Structural Engineering
General Contractor: MW
Carpenter: Custom
Millwork:
Steel Fabricator: 
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209: It's been a pleasure to continue providing smaller and larger modifications to this property, which began with a wa...
07/07/2025

209: It's been a pleasure to continue providing smaller and larger modifications to this property, which began with a water deck and dining pavilion as Work 135. Construction has now largely wrapped up with the house, while the exterior pavilions are underway. With the intention of honouring the efforts of the original architect, Martin Liefhebber, a small indoor-outdoor Dining Room is dropped into a South-facing notch in the building, with a new planted roof echoing those above.
The last two photos show the current state of the 135 pavilion, with the cedar nicely weathered.

General Contractor: MW Curated Homes & Gardens

41:�When sunlight filters through windows, and slips between the gaps of the spiral staircase into the office, it highli...
06/25/2025

41:�When sunlight filters through windows, and slips between the gaps of the spiral staircase into the office, it highlights the scattered models of varying sizes spread across the space. Although model-making isn't always where our design process starts, the analogue approach carries the weight of our thoughts. After rounds of iteration, ideas eventually land at the job sites, while the models transform into tangible rewards, kept on desks, shelves, or in the hands of our clients, as a reminder of the path we've taken.

175: Construction is progressing steadily on this Toronto Laneway Suite. The reclaimed brick volume is fully up, with sl...
06/19/2025

175: Construction is progressing steadily on this Toronto Laneway Suite. The reclaimed brick volume is fully up, with sloped slate shingles installed on the North face. Copper flashing and cap detailing is currently underway, with excellent craftsmanship on-site done by Kosoy Inc. and their trades.
                                   

189: Schoolhouse Blue is under construction and currently in the excavation and surgical removal phase.�The work begins ...
05/15/2025

189: Schoolhouse Blue is under construction and currently in the excavation and surgical removal phase.�The work begins with the structural evaluation of the existing schoolhouse, with efforts to efficiently determine the best way of working with its old and somewhat fragile shell. The forthcoming addition is intended to respond to the form of the original building, and to its evolving relationship with the site. Built in collaboration with our forward-looking client and the wonderfully skilled crew of .

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530 QUEEN Street EAST
Toronto, ON
M5A1V2

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+14169006862

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