Arthur Erickson

Vancouver-born and world-renowned architect, Arthur Erickson, recently took a hit when his 1962 Graham house was demolished in West Vancouver. Modernists raged against the developer who made the decision, saying it was an atrocity to tear down a house that is one of the few remaining pieces of modern, Canadian design.

Apparently, the truth of the matter was that the house had become a Frankenstein-esque home, with features (like an elevator) being added over the years, taking over the magic of the original design. Even so, the site was historic and it begs the question of when private property should be preserved for its heritage.

Erickson’s other houses have sprung up around North America, including New York’s Fire Island House.

To see more of Erickson’s work, check out his website before that, too, gets torn down.

For more information, visit www.arthurerickson.com.