一块石头的命运

一块石头的命运

by | Jun 6, 2025 | Blog, New Journey

一块石头的命运

你相信命中注定吗？

在我 “拆房子” 的那期视频，曾留下关于一块石头的悬念。今天，我想好好讲讲这个故事。那座待拆的老房子门前，有块毫不起眼的石头，粗糙破旧地立在水泥墩上。前租客 Mary 特意叮嘱我要保护好它，还发邮件告诉我这是本地艺术家 Gwen Boyle 的作品。当时的我并未在意，甚至没注意到它何时不见了踪影。

市政树木检查前一天，检验官来电提醒：若有烟囱需人工拆除，破损窗户也要封好。我想起确实有两扇破窗需要处理，便计划接儿子放学后顺道完成。后院有现成木板，这本该是件简单的事。

可那天下午，房子前没有停车位。望着需要来回搬运的工具，再看看不善动手的儿子，我竟临时改变主意：”算了，回家吧。”儿子脸上闪过一丝困惑。回家小憩后，我喝着咖啡，检查工具，决定独自返回。

当我的车再次停到房前时，一幕奇妙的场景映入眼帘：一个遛狗人正弯腰捡起什么，手里还提着个鼓鼓的袋子。下车环顾四周，我猛然发现那块石头不见了！那人没走多远，袋子看起来沉甸甸的。我追上去问道：”Excuse Me, did you take a stone there？”，当我说明石头的来历，他沉默片刻，只说了句 “I am sorry” 便物归原主。

回家清洗后，这块 ”破石头” 竟显出玉石般的光泽。朋友打趣说能做好几副手镯，但我感慨的远非其价值——若我早到或晚到一分钟，它可能就永远消失了。后来 Mary 听到这个结局时欣喜不已。

这让我想起儿子大学申请的事。去年他还说绝不去”No life, so depressing” 的滑铁卢大学，今年却对不太经意申请到的滑铁卢工程专业情有独钟，放弃了多个名校 Offer。这种转变，不也像冥冥中的安排吗？

人生就是如此奇妙。昨天联系到 23 年未见的老同事，他说视频里演奏交响乐的儿子，神情与我初入职场时如出一辙。时光飞逝，那个意气风发的少年已成中年，很快被人唤作”大爷”恐怕也不足为奇。

今天正值中国高考，看到放榜视频时我眼眶湿润。分数固然重要，但唯有保持善良、真诚与敬畏之心，才能在爱恨交织、贪惧并存的人生迷途中守住本真。虽然，我越来越相信: 这一切，或许都是命中注定。

Finally Here – Balancing Ambition with Reality

Finally Here – Balancing Ambition with Reality

by | Nov 3, 2024 | Design & Build, New Journey

Finally Here – Balancing Ambition with Reality

You can’t have everything in life, and architectural design is no exception. Design is a journey of defining your wish list and making compromises along the way.

Starting with the initial bubble diagrams in August, this design has evolved significantly（total 8 versions ）. Vancouver’s Zoning Bylaws have changed over time, opening up multiple possibilities for designers and homeowners, from single-family homes with double garages or laneway houses to duplexes and multi-unit options. My initial concept was a Net Zero single-family house, which offered a 19% density bonus in floor area as an incentive. To pursue this goal, I became a member of HAVAN and completed the two-day Net Zero Course to qualify for the net-zero registration.

However, I decided to forgo the net-zero pathway in this project due to the extended permit process, which would add an estimated six months. With my children graduating from high school and university next year, timing is essential. Net Zero home remains a serious consideration for future projects, though.

The current design features a main house and a two-bedroom laneway house, totaling approximately 3,300 square feet. I’ll share more details and styles later. 

The Only Thing That Never Changes is Change Itself

The Only Thing That Never Changes is Change Itself

by | Aug 8, 2024 | New Journey

The Only Thing That Never Changes is Change Itself

Zoning regulations have evolved, as have technology and lifestyle. To better understand the impact of these changes, I started from conducting a case study of my homes, designed and built nine years ago. Below is the Functional Space Study on my house. 

  1. Basement
    Total 1005 sf (from the outside of exterior wall)
    Two-bed suite: 520 sf
    Mechanical u/s stairs: 58 sf
    Rec room: 207 sf
    Laundry: 59 sf
    Full Bath: 41 sf
  2. Main Floor
    Total: 897 sf  (from the outside of exterior wall)
    Entry: 60 sf
    Living: 168 sf
    Dining: 164 sf
    Kitchen: 166 sf
    Family: 145 sf
    Powder rm: 35 sf
    Stairs: 71 sf
    Covered front porch: 64 sf
    Deck (partially covered): 120 sf
  3. Second Floor: 914 sf (from the outside of exterior wall)
    Master bed: 174 sf
    Master ensuite: 72 sf
    Master walk-in closet: 48 sf
    Master bed total: 294 sf
    Bed 1 w/ ensuite: 184 sf
    Bed 2 w /ensuite: 196 sf
    Stairs & hallway: 122 sf
    Closet & storage: 30 sf

Current building bylaws permit a significantly larger above-grade floor area. We plan to retain a one-bedroom rental suite in the basement, accessible solely from the main street. The laundry area will be relocated to the second floor for maximum convenience. While this offers advantages, it’s important to consider the increased potential for water damage in case of an accident. As our children mature and pursue their careers, their future living arrangements are uncertain. Nevertheless, we will always maintain their rooms in this, their forever home.

Attached is a bubble diagram outlining the functional space planning. We anticipate developing a preliminary floor plan shortly.

 

Receding Glaciers and People’s Life

Receding Glaciers and People’s Life

by | Jul 28, 2024 | Blog, New Journey

Receding Glaciers and People’s Life

从阿拉斯加的冰川游轮回来不久，有些发热，似乎在那里遇到了 Mr. 寇韦德（虽然测试几次都是阴的，这个不重要啦）。今天，烧已退，趁记忆仍犹新写点东西留下来，老的时候可以回来翻阅一下。

我们乘坐的是 Princess Cruise，一艘不大不小、不新不旧的游轮。船上提供各式西餐、Buffet，还有 7、80 年代的音乐与各类表演。记得船上有一期《Guess The Beatles》的 Show，居然让我感觉自己也属年轻人行列了。

在成行之前看了他们的 YouTube 宣传片，心里也似有期盼：洁白无瑕的茫茫冰川、漂浮在海面的巨型冰山、拍打海面的鲸鱼、岸边觅食的阿拉斯加大灰熊，还有岸边冰崩落入大海的巨响…… 而实际上呢，下面先分享一些旅途中的照片吧。

我看到的是：消退的冰川和暴露出来的黑黑的泥土，海面上零星的浮冰，温暖的气温伴随着我带的过多的衣物，全球变暖是个不争的事实。景观与体验依然壮观无比，却不禁让我想到 receding glaciers and people’s life 在人生层面的意义。

While I won’t delve into the environmental implications of diminishing ice on people’s daily lives. Nevertheless, in other ways. The experience of witnessing a glacier in far north Alaska was a little different from what I had expected, it is still very gorgeous, and a truly unforgettable life experience. 

Considering its inevitable transformation over the years, I can’t help but wonder what the future holds? It’s likely to be vastly different, but same GORGEOUS and inspiring, right? We humans only live once, and have a finite time on Earth. Everyone will be filled with countless experiences and encounters. Should the purpose of our life be to fully appreciate these moments without regret? It’s a question worth pondering! 

I put together a YouTube video using clips from my #FujiXT5 from this trip and the beautiful song from #玫瑰的故事. It’s a reflection on life, and I hope you enjoy it.

Flower-Kissed Cottage

Flower-Kissed Cottage

by | Jul 17, 2024 | New Journey

Flower-Kissed Cottage

Thrilled to Announce! We recently purchased a lot before the new capital gains tax came into effect in Canada on June 25th. The seller was eager to close before that date, which hopefully translates to a good deal for us.  Now, the fun part begins – designing and building our dream home!

With the new R1-1 zoning implemented in October 2023, you can build a smaller single family house with 0.6 floor space ratio (compared with 0.7 fsr before) and a bigger laneway house with 0.25 fsr. The policy maker did this to promote more density so called “adding missing middle housing”. 

If you don’t want to build a duplex or multiplex (3 units for this lot), the only way to increase the floor space from 0.6 fsr is to utilize the density bonus by building Net Zero homes. This maximizes space by allowing for up to 19% more floor area. While it might be more expensive and time-consuming due to its innovative nature, we’re excited about the chance to explore sustainable building practices.

The property boasts beautiful flowers in both the front and back yards. Let them continue to flourish this summer.