Eric Arthur

Eric Arthur, born on July first, nineteen ninety-eight in Dunedin, New Zealand, was a prominent architect, writer, and educator who made significant contributions to Canadian architecture. The eldest of five sons, he demonstrated artistic talent early on, receiving the New Zealand Art Society medal for drawing while attending Otago Boys High School. His architectural journey began with training under Basil Hooper in Dunedin before enlisting with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade during World War I.

In nineteen nineteen, Arthur enrolled at the University of Liverpool's School of Architecture, where he studied under Sir Charles Herbert Reilly. His academic excellence earned him the Lord Kitchener National Memorial Scholarship and the Lord Leverhulme Prize in civic design and architecture on two occasions. Graduating in nineteen twenty-two with a Bachelor's of Architecture and a Certificate in Civic Design, he joined the prestigious firm of Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Aston Webb in London, contributing to notable projects such as the design of Britannic House.

After marrying fellow architectural student Doris Deborah Debert in nineteen twenty-three, Arthur emigrated to Canada to teach at the University of Toronto. He received his license to practice architecture in Ontario in nineteen twenty-nine and went on to design over one hundred projects, including significant industrial buildings and the Students' Union building for Victoria University. His commitment to architectural conservancy led him to co-found the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario in nineteen thirty-three.

Arthur's influence extended beyond his designs; he played a crucial role in the selection of the Toronto City Hall's design through an international competition he organized. His dedication to preserving heritage buildings was evident in his restoration work on St. Lawrence Hall and other historic sites. A professor until nineteen sixty-six and a professor emeritus thereafter, he authored the book 'Toronto, No Mean City' in nineteen sixty-four and was honored as a Companion of the Order of Canada in nineteen sixty-eight.

In two thousand one, the University of Toronto commemorated his legacy by opening the Eric Arthur Gallery in the Faculty of Architecture building, ensuring that his contributions to architecture and education would be remembered for generations to come.