Arthur Erickson was a Canadian architect. Born in 1924 in Vancouver, he died in 2009.
Shame on me for having explored far and away and missed this Canadian, prolific, architect. Well, that is being corrected today. As was pointed out by a friend last week, Erickson, is the architect behind one of my favourite additions in town: the Bank of Canada. His glass building partially envelops the original Art Deco treasure, and creates an easy dialogue respective of their periods and complementary to one another. It had been previously featured in Architecture – Art Deco – Ottawa – Part 1 and in Chateau Laurier Extension – Blog 2.
Initially, Erickson studied Asian language his goal was to be a diplomat. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright (I can see similar lines there) he switched his studies to architecture attending McGill University’s School of Architecture. He was granted a travel scholarship – perhaps academia’s answer to the Grand Tour as done by Sir Robert Smirke and Sir John Soane.
Having been involved in over 700 projects worldwide he leaves us with some of Canada’s most recognizable buildings.
A few quotes from him. “Great buildings that move the spirit have always been rare. In every case they are unique, poetic, products of the heart.” “Space has always been the spiritual dimension of architecture. It is not the physical statement of the structure so much as what it contains that moves us.” “Inspiration in Science may have to do with ideas, but not in Art. In art it is in the senses that are instinctively responsive to the medium of expression.”
Filbert Residence
1959, Comox
Graham House
1963, West Vancouver, British Columbia
MacMillan Bloedel Building
1965, Vancouver, British Columbia
Simon Fraser University
1965, Burnaby, British Columbia
Smith Residence
1965, West Vancouver, British Columbia
Museum of Anthropology
1976, Vancouver, British Columbia
Evergreen Building
1978, Vancouver, British Columbia
Bank of Canada
1979, Ottawa, Canada
Eppich House II
1979, West Vancouver, British Columbia
Roy Thomson Hall
1982, Toronto, Ontario
Robson Square
1983, Vancouver, British Columbia
Canadian Chancery
1989, Washington, DC
The Waterfall Building
2001, Vancouver, British Columbia
Museum of Glass
2009, Tacoma, Washington
