Erickson was born in Vancouver, British Columbia on June 14, 1924. The son of Oscar Erickson and Myrtle Chatterson, he had an interest and talent for painting from an early age. Like his father, he served in the Canadian Army Intelligence Corps during World War II. It was during this time that he became familiar with the Japanese language, going on to serve in India, Celyon, and Malaysia. This experience fostered his interest in the art and philosophy of these areas.

Erickson’s original intent was to enter into a career in the diplomatic service, however this changed after he stumbled upon an article about Frank Lloyd Wright. Inspired by Wright’s studio and works, Arthur pursued a career in architecture. Erickson’s post-secondary studies included an undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, followed by the School of Architecture at McGill University. After graduating from McGill in 1950, Erickson was granted a travel scholarship and traveled in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Japan. Travelling to these areas allowed him to deepen his exploration of climate and style in their relationship to architecture. Erickson also became a professor, teaching at the University of Oregon and subsequently the University of British Columbia. After teaching, he worked for a few years at Thompson Berwick and Pratt and Partners before he went on to design houses in partnership with Geoffrey Massey. In 1963, Erickson and Massey submitted the winning design for Simon Fraser University.

When he started his career in 1953, Erickson’s earlier buildings were often modernist concrete structures designed to respond to the natural conditions of their locations, especially climate. Due to his travels to the Far East, Erickson was fond of integrating light and water into his designs, along with the characteristic horizontal elements and terraces that came from the vernacular architecture of that region. Many buildings, such as the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, are inspired by the post and beam architecture of the Coastal First Nations. The tectonics of the post-and-beam style can also be found in the construction of Asian temples and the Canadian and American log cabin, further linking his architectural style to his travels during his education. Additionally, Erickson is also known for numerous futuristic designs such as the Fresno City Hall and the Biological Sciences Building at the University of California, Irvine. His work balanced the style of modernism with an integration of the surrounding natural environment.

In 1971, he received the Royal Bank Award. In 1973, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1981. Erickson received the Chicago Architectural Award in 1984 alongside Philip Johnson and Joan Burgee. In 1986, he received the AIA Gold Medal, making him the first ever Canadian architect to receive this award.

Built in 1976, it was created as an inclusion to the campus at the University of British Columbia. This building blends methods of reinforced concrete and the traditional post-and-beam construction to articulate the structure throughout the project. Oversized beams evoke a monumental feeling in many of Erickson’s projects, calling on the size and scale of the trees found in the surrounding context. This project is designed to display the Indigenous art of the province, and is well known for Erickson’s use of concrete piers and large stretches of glass. By using concrete beams to represent dematerialized logs and opening up the main atrium through expanses of glass, Erickson refers to the traditional notion of post-and-beam construction while integrating these characteristics into a modernist building.

Built in Vancouver in 1979 as a large civic center, Erickson’s design included waterfalls, a roof garden, several plazas, and stairs with ramps integrated within. This complex is one of the few in North America that integrates everything from public space and landscape to a set of surrounding buildings, spanning from the art gallery to the law courts. As time goes on, more additions are being created that seem to contrast the original intent of the design. Glass barriers were installed near the waterfall, preventing people from getting close to it, as well as on the edges of planters to prevent people from being able to sit on them. It has also since lost the outdoor restaurants, cinema, and large auditorium that once existed on the site.

Erickson lived in Point Grey with his life partner and interior design collaborator, Francisco Kripacz. He died in Vancouver on May 20, 2009. His legacy still lives on through the Arthur Erickson Foundation. The foundation has been registered in the province of British Columbia since 1993 as a non-profit charitable society. Founded originally as the Arthur Erickson House and Garden Foundation in 1993, the organization was created by Erickson’s neighbour and fellow landscape architect Elizabeth Watts in order to raise money to buy Erickson’s Point Grey home after he went bankrupt. The society succeeded and became owner of the Point Grey residence in Vancouver, BC. After his death, the foundation was expanded to offer education, research, and work in preservation with stewardship, education, and tours offered to keep people informed about the legacy of one of Canada’s first internationally acclaimed architects.