Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
General material designation
- Moving images
- Records in electronic form (digitized)
- Textual records
- Sound recordings
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on the name of the fonds creator.
Level of description
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
-
[194-?] - 2019 (Creation)
- Creator
- Erickson, Arthur
Physical description area
Physical description
Analogue originals:
153 moving images (124 original, 29 copy) : videocassette, film reel
15 sound recordings : audiocassette, open reel
2 books
1 cm of textual records
Digitized copies:
58 moving images (1604.6 GB) : mkv (preservation copy), mp4 (access copy)
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Arthur Charles Erickson was an award-winning Canadian architect and urban planner. He was born in Vancouver, BC on June 14th, 1924. Erickson gained formal training at McGill University, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture in 1950. Throughout his career, Erickson designed private residences, city plazas, and buildings for governments, commercial enterprises, cultural centres, medical centres, universities, and colleges. His designs have been constructed or conceptually incorporated into buildings throughout the world, including in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Japan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.
Erickson’s buildings are known for their integration with their surrounding natural and urban setting, as well as their dramatic use of light and space. His distinct architectural aesthetic is influenced by modernism, as well as his travels in Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East. Notable works designed by Erickson include the Filberg House in Comox, BC (1958), Simon Fraser University (1963-1969), the Expo 70 Canadian Pavilion in Osaka, Japan (1967), the University of Lethbridge (1968-1970), the Vancouver Museum of Anthropology (1971-1976), the Helmut Eppich House in West Vancouver, BC (1972-1973), Robson Square and the Vancouver Courthouse Complex (1973-1981), Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto, ON (1976-1982), the Napp Laboratories building in Cambridge, England (1978-1982), the Hugo Eppich House in West Vancouver, BC (1979-1985), California Plaza in Los Angeles, CA (1980-1989), the Canadian Chancery in Washington, DC (1981-1988), and the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA (1996-2002).
While working as an architect, Erickson founded the Erickson/Massey Architects firm with Geoffrey Massey in 1962, as well as the Arthur Erickson Architects firm in 1972. He met his life partner and design collaborator Francisco Kripacz in 1961, who was responsible for the interior design of many of Erickson's most well-known buildings. Erickson passed away in Vancouver, BC on May 20th, 2009, at the age of 84.
Custodial history
The records were in the custody and control of the Erickson family prior to their transfer to SFU Archives in 2021. A second accrual was transferred to SFU Archives in 2023.
Scope and content
Fonds consists of moving images, sound recordings, and textual records relating to Arthur Erickson, his achievements, his travels, and his friends and family. Moving images include documentaries; exhibitions; TV programs; Architectural Institute of America meetings; artistic films; and home movies documenting Erickson's travels and family life. Note that a number of the films are duplicates stored on different mediums (e.g. Betacam, U-matic, and VHS). Sound recordings include radio interviews, lecture series, news documentaries, movie soundtracks, and a soundtrack for the Architectural Institute of America awards ceremony. Textual records include two books and two pamphlets.
The fonds has been arranged by the archivist into seven series:
• Travel films (series 1)
• Audiovisual materials related to Arthur Erickson (series 2)
• Published materials related to Arthur Erickson (series 3)
• Memorial pamphlets (series 4)
• Erickson family films (series 5)
• Artistic films (series 6)
• Sound recordings related to Arthur Erickson (series 7)
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
The Erickson family donated the records to SFU Archives in 2021. A second accrual was donated to SFU Archives in 2023.
Arrangement
The archivist arranged the fonds into seven series: (1) Travel films, (2) Audiovisual materials related to Arthur Erickson, (3) Published materials related to Arthur Erickson, (4) Memorial pamphlets, (5) Erickson family films, (6) Artistic films, and (7) Sound recordings related to Arthur Erickson.
Language of material
- English
- French
- German
- Japanese
Script of material
Language and script note
Two French language moving images are located in F-299-2-0-0-0-11 and F-299-2-0-0-0-65. One German and one Japanese language moving image are located in F-299-2-0-0-0-64 and F-299-2-0-0-0-40 respectively.
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Several analogue motion picture and audio items within this fonds have not yet been digitized. Items on older physical media may not be accessible in their original format for preservation reasons; access will be provided through digitization of the original. Consult the reference archivist for more information.
The fonds includes 58 film reels that have been digitized. The analog originals have been retained, but the Archives will typically provide access only to the digital surrogates. Digitized materials may or may not be directly available from the associated description in SFU AtoM, depending on access or copyright restrictions. Some materials not directly available online may be delivered by off-line methods. Consult the reference archivist for more information about access to offline digital materials.
Restrictions on access
Access is open with some restrictions due to the preservation needs of older physical media formats. See the "availability of other formats" note for more information.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
The fonds contains copyright-protected materials that fall into two main categories: (i) materials created by Erickson for which the Erickson family is the copyright holder; and (ii) material received or collected by Erickson for which copyrights are owned by third parties.
Materials created by Erickson are available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial license CC BY-NC.
For copyright-protected materials for which the donor did not own copyright, the Archives may make copies available for private study or research purposes under the fair dealing provisions of Canada's Copyright Act. Use for any other purpose may require the permission of the copyright owner. SFU Archives can assist researchers in attempting to identify copyright owners, but it is the user's responsibility to contact owners and secure any permissions.
Finding aids
Generated finding aid
Associated materials
For other records relating to Arthur Erickson, see: the Arthur Erickson fonds at McGill University Archives; the Arthur Erickson fonds at the Canadian Centre for Architecture; the Arthur Erickson fonds at the Canadian Architectural Archives; and the Arthur Erickson official website.
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
Physical description
Analogue moving images include 61 film reels and 92 videocassettes.
Analogue sound records include 3 open reel audio tapes and 12 audiocassettes.
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Control area
Description record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules or conventions
RAD July 2008 edition.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
June 2022: arrangement and description of first accrual completed (Dayna Fleming). April 2023: arrangement and description of second accrual completed (Dayna Fleming).
Language of description
- English