I started out apprenticing as a carpenter in 1994. A year later, Kobe, Japan, suffered an extremely destructive earthquake that left thousands homeless. Wanting to be useful, I joined a team of carpenters flying to Japan to help rebuild people’s homes. It was meant to be a short-term project, but I found it so rewarding that I stayed for four years.

This experience teaming up with highly skilled Japanese carpenters strongly influenced how I approach carpentry. We had a language barrier, but I was struck by how little it mattered because of our shared clarity of purpose, emphasis on efficiency and mutual support, and disciplined teamwork. I also really appreciated the respect and consideration with which Japanese workers treated each other. I’m grateful for what I learned from my colleagues — from specialized carpentry techniques to approaching every project with efficiency and careful forethought.

Helping people rebuild their lives drove home for me the impact that a pleasing, well-built space can have on our wellbeing, and I’ve carried that into everything I’ve done since then. In 1999, I decided to bring everything I’d learnt back home to Toronto and apply it to building beautiful, functional interiors here.

John Ozimec
Carpenter and owner of Laneway Millwork

 Toronto, Ontario