Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1915-1975, predominantly 1953-1975 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
19,519 architectural drawings, 26 linear meters of textual records, and other materials
19,519 architectural drawings:
9421 original drawings
10,098 reprographic copies
Other materials:
377 presentation boards
86 photographs
86 maps
30 aerial photographs
25 posters
17 diagrams
12 artworks: 9 drawings and 3 prints
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Arthur Charles Erickson (1924-2009) was born in Vancouver, British Columbia on June 14, 1924. He attended the University of British Columbia (1942-1943) and McGill University (1946-1950) where he received his B.Arch. (Honours). He was awarded the McLennan Travelling Scholarship for architectural research in the Middle East and Europe (1950-1953). He had his own practice from 1953-1962 (Vancouver), then formed Erickson/Massey Architects with partner Geoffrey Massey (Vancouver, 1963-1972). In 1972, he became principal in the firm Arthur Erickson Architects (Vancouver, Los Angeles, and Toronto), and in 1977 he became president of Arthur Erickson Associates (Vancouver, Toronto, Kuwait, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia).
He is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (1953), an Academician of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1953), an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (1978), and a Companion in the Order of Canada (1981). Awards include: Massey Medal, 1955, 1958, 1967 (3 times) and 1970 (3 times); Canada Council Fellowship, 1961; First Prize, Simon Fraser University Competition, Burnaby, British Columbia, 1963; Tokyo International Trade Fair Award, 1965; Centennial Design Award, National Housing Design Council, 1967; Residential Design Award, Canadian Housing Design Council, 1975; Auguste Perret Award, International Union of Architects, 1974; Honour Award (4 times), Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, 1980; Gold Medal, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, 1984; Chicago Architecture Award, 1984; Gold Medal, French Academy of Architecture, 1984; Gold Medal, American Institute of Architects, 1986; Honorary Fellow, Royal Institute of British Architects.
Erickson died in Vancouver on May 20, 2009.
Repository
Archival history
Accession 4A/76.13 was donated to the Canadian Architectural Archives by Arthur Erickson on January 7, 1976. A small additional donation, accession 2017.109, was anonymously donated to the CAA in 2017.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Accession 4A/76.13 was donated to the Canadian Architectural Archives by Arthur Erickson on January 7, 1976.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Fonds consists of architectural drawings, correspondence, photographs, presentation boards, minutes, reports, specifications, and other records documenting the architectural work of Arthur Erickson from 1948 to 1975. The majority of the fonds consists of project records, including drawings, textual files, presentation boards, and photographs, spanning 1953 to 1975. The administration of the Erickson/Massey office is documented in correspondence relating to projects, promotions, awards, and personnel. The fonds includes lecture notes, assignments, and correspondence that documents Erickson’s period teaching at the Vancouver School of Art and the University of British Columbia in the mid-1950s and 1960s. The fonds holds several early artworks by Erickson, likely from the 1940s to 1950s, as well as several artworks gifted to him by others. There are several files that document Erickson’s travels in Japan in 1961 on a Canada Council grant to study Japanese architecture. The bulk of the fonds documents over 200 of Erickson’s projects, largely in Vancouver, but also elsewhere in Canada and the United States, including many of Erickson’s most important works. Among the influential projects documented in the fonds are Filberg Residence, Dyde Residence, Boultbee Residence, Massey College, Danto Residence, Graham Residence, Baldwin Residence, Smith Residence, Expo 67 Canadian Pavilion, Simon Fraser University, MacMillan Bloedel Building, Hauer Residence, Shannon Mews, Expo 70 Canadian Pavilion, University of Victoria Biological Sciences Complex and Humanities Complex, Simons Residence, University of Lethbridge, Bank of Canada Head Office, Village Lake Louise, Robson Square, UBC Museum of Anthropology, and many others. There are six series in the fonds: 1. Personal records; 2. Professional records; 3. Faculty records; 4. Office records; 5. Project records; and 6. Additional donations.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
No further accruals are expected
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Conditions governing reproduction
The University of Calgary fulfills requests for materials in our collections in accordance with Canadian copyright laws. The University of Calgary does not hold the copyright for materials in the Arthur Erickson fonds, however has been authorized to grant permission for the use of Arthur Erickson’s materials for specific uses. The University of Calgary Libraries and Cultural Resources may provide materials for individual study and research purposes under fair dealing and library exceptions in the Canadian Copyright Act. And, upon request, may authorize the use of materials for exhibition and publication. Patrons are responsible for ensuring they use copyright-protected works in accordance with applicable laws.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The Arthur Erickson fonds is split between the CAA at the University of Calgary, the Canadian Centre for Architecture, and the Canadian Architecture Collection at McGill University. The CCA holds the projects from post-1974, as well as some earlier projects and Erickson’s personal, professional, and office records. McGill University’s CAC holds project records for Erickson’s work in the Middle East.
Canadian Centre for Architecture holds the Arthur Erickson fonds: https://www.cca.qc.ca/en/archives/108951/arthur-erickson-fonds
McGill University’s John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection holds the Arthur Erickson fonds: https://archivalcollections.library.mcgill.ca/index.php/arthur-erickson
Notes area
Note
Accessions: Includes archival material from accessions 4A/76.13 and 2017.109