FIRST, THE MORTGAGE.

The ongoing priority of the AEF is to preserve and promote the memory and legacy of Arthur Erickson, using the house and garden as an anchor and a venue for those efforts. Ideally, we should be able to enjoy full, unencumbered access to the property, which is not practical until the current tenant is no longer in residence. To achieve this priority, we need to clear the property of debt, so that we do not require a tenant to service that debt, and we need to restore the house and garden, so that it is in optimal condition as a venue and learning space.

Our work in relation to the legacy of Arthur Erickson involves supporting education, research, dialogue, and commemoration. All of this calls for initiatives at a scale that we can take on and fund through member efforts and donor support, but this is most realistic if the property is debt-free. The house and garden can be a venue for meetings, tours and learning activities, a place to accommodate visiting scholars and design professionals, a place of study and contemplation, and a living ‘house museum’ of Erickson design innovation and excellence.

The modest home where Arthur Erickson lived so comfortably for so long stands as an exceptional example and comprehensible inspiration, helping us understand Erickson’s profound insight into the union of land and architecture. Even at such a small scale, it is one of the most powerful symbols of his legacy, five decades of extraordinary buildings that have transformed cities and landscapes across Canada and around the world. It is also an embracing delight.