Janelle Zhao

House Diary #11: A year later

An update on the state of the house, after almost a year since the last update.

It’s January, the middle of a cold Canadian winter and the frame of the house, against all pandemic odds, is up!

Okay, I’ll admit it, I shed a tear when I finally held the permit in my hands. After months and months of delays…

How a popular soft drink from Japan inspired me to think differently about conventional design wisdom.

A short video of architects Katy Woollacott and Patrick Gilmartin’s family home. Inspired by its eclectic use of materials, light, and angles.

I share three objects that left an impression on me for their refreshing exploration of materiality.

Moon Gates, a circular gate leading to a garden, is a common architectural element in the Chinese landscape.

I draw a connection between John Cage’s 4’33 silent composition and Hiroshi Nakamura’s Optimal Glass House.

I share three design features of the house: circular windows, fiber cement cladding, and wooden screen. Plus, a progress update.

At the age of 23, Mariah Hoffman, had set out to build a house from scratch. “The process of building a home is a process back to self.”