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.