UNews - Arthur Erickson

Exhaust stacks removed from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall

trevor.kenney — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 20:42:00 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall had a little taken off the top this past week. Call it a crew cut reminiscent of the style of its original look from 1971, the year the iconic Arthur Erickson designed building was completed — the exhaust stacks are gone.

The clean lines of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall have been reclaimed.

A total of 27 stacks were erected over the years as necessary updates to ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall to meet modern laboratory ventilation standards and provide a safe work environment primarily in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s biology and chemistry labs. When the sciences moved into the new Science Commons facility in September 2019, one of the first orders of business was to decommission the stacks and take them down.

“The removal of the exhaust stacks was envisioned early in the design process for Science Commons,” says Gene Lublinkhof, director of Campus Development. “The stacks were necessary but I’m not sure anyone could honestly say they looked great, so we are pleased to see them taken down.”

Removing the stacks is more than symbolic, it marks the starting point of the second phase of the Destination Project, which includes the redevelopment of spaces within the original ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

A before look of the many stacks that adorned the roof of the iconic building.

“The building is testament to civic and university leadership’s bold vision to establish a comprehensive liberal arts university in southern Alberta,” adds Lublinkhof. “It set the tone and established the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as a permanent and important institution for our region.”

Recently, the provincial government made a $20-million commitment to the renewal of the central heating and cooling plant within ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall, a crucial step in the rehabilitation of the building. The new plant replaces one far past its life expectancy and will greatly enhance the energy sustainability of the U of L, ensuring continued reliability of the campus infrastructure.

“With the 50th anniversary of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall’s opening approaching, we are excited to work on revitalization plans of what really is a Lethbridge landmark,” adds Lublinkhof of the world-renowned building. “While we have had strong maintenance strategies throughout the years, and continually upgraded to meet building and fire codes, we still face a number of challenges as we embark on this rehabilitation plan, simply with some of the original mechanical and electrical systems being 50 years old.”

Much needs to be done before that work begins, including the establishment of a master plan for the now open spaces. For now, purists can revel in the return of the flat top to Erickson’s iconic work.

New U of L residence gets a name

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 17:19:14 +0000

The mountain peaks of Waterton Lakes National Park serve as inspiration for the naming of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's newest student residence.

The Phase III housing complex adopts a naming convention that represents some of the highest mountain peaks in Waterton. The structure is named Mt. Blakiston House, as recently approved by the U of L's Board of Governors. Future buildings will acknowledge nearby peaks, such as Mt. Lineham, Mt. Hawkins, Mt. Alderson and Mt. Carthew.

Mt. Blakiston, the tallest mountain in Waterton Lakes National Park (9,547 ft), was named in 1858 for British explorer Thomas Blakiston. He travelled to what is now southern Alberta as part of the Palliser Expedition that, between 1857 and 1860, mapped much of western Canada on a search for possible rail routes.

"We're very excited to be putting a name to the new residence complex after having been able to refer to it only as 'Aperture Park Phase III' for so long," says Director of Housing Services, Terri Thomas. "The Waterton theme is a very good fit in that it is familiar to southern Albertans and an important part of our culture, but it also introduces visiting students to the history and geography of the area."

The $32 million, 259-bed facility opened in time for the start of school in early September, and brings the available space for resident students on campus to more than 950 beds.

The residence park at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is named Aperture Park after the Aperture sculpture, a massive installation that sits at the geographical centre of the U of L campus. Designed by noted Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, the iconic sculpture is a popular photo location.

Phase I of Aperture Park, built in the late 1980s/early 1990s, utilizes names that reflect the area's Blackfoot heritage and the members of the Blackfoot confederacy. The four residence structures are named Kainai House, Piikani House, Siksika House and Tsuu T'ina House. Phase II, opened in 2003 as unique townhome-style residences, is simply named Residence Village.

Past shaping the future

trevor.kenney — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:14:47 +0000

The coulees offered extraordinary opportunities: dramatic heights and depths unusual in the Prairies, and the possibility of outlook, proximity to the river and a microclimate milder than the windswept flatlands.

Standing there on the far edge of the coulee I saw etched against the sky the light tracery of an old iron railway bridge, 300 feet in the air, spanning a mile across the river.

I came to the conclusion that though any building upon the exposed flatland should be interred in earth berms so that they would become part of the land, the academic building could span the coulees and, like the old bridge in its rigid flatness, reveal the rich contours of even the most level prairie.

It seemed to me that the top storey of the university should lie below the tableland in an uncompromising straight line spanning the haunches of
the prairie.
...
Dr. Arthur Erickson (LLD '81)

The Architecture of Arthur Erickson
With text by the architect

When renowned Canadian architect, the late Dr. Arthur Erickson (LLD '81), first came to Lethbridge to design ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall and formulate the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Development Plan, he was in awe of the coulee landscape, inspired by the High Level Bridge and concluded the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ should be part of the land.

"Architecture, as I see it, is the art of composing spaces in response to existing environmental and urbanistic conditions to answer a client's needs," Erickson once said. "In this way the building becomes the resolution between its inner being and the outer conditions imposed upon it. It is never solitary but is part of its setting and thus must blend in a timeless way with its surroundings, yet show its own fresh presence."

The construction of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall began with a simple sod turning ceremony.

The vision as outlined in the 1969 Erickson-Massey Development Plan saw academic space integrated with residences "so that learning becomes part of living." The 1969 planning objectives also included attractive pedestrian walkways that linked to green spaces; closely knit, clear organization of campus buildings that took advantage of unique views of the river valley; and building sites chosen to ensure reverence, preservation and protection of the coulee landscape.

Construction of the original ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was a monumental task.

Over the years, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus has expanded and evolved with recommendations initially set out in the Campus Development Plan Review (1993), the Master Plan Report (2000) and the Core Campus Expansion Plan (2001) – the latter of which is the springboard for the new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Campus Master Plan (UCMP), which was ratified by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors in December 2012.

Spencer Court, architect and associate director of Campus Planning and Architecture at the U of L, has been leading the current UCMP renewal. He says the new plan takes previous planning history into consideration and maintains key planning initiatives while advancing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's current strategic goals.

"Key elements from past plans have been retained, but the earliest plan had the most fundamentally correct principles or truths that continue to provide value and timeless importance today," he says.

Those principles of strengthening the existing site and building features, creating a compact campus, integrating campus with nature, and using an appropriate brand of architecture to produce a unique campus identity and experience are instilled in the 2012 plan.

Prepared in a collaborative effort with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ by Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Planners, Gibbs Gage Architects and Educational Consulting Services, the UCMP sets out a series of recommendations aimed at guiding larger-scale planning decisions for the main campus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ over the next 25 years.

According to the UCMP, these guidelines "accentuate the existing campus design – organizing systems to allow the unique beauty, original order, coherence and distinctive setting of the campus to re-emerge." The UCMP suggests "a highly interconnected system of buildings and pedestrian networks to create an intimate and harmonized learning environment, integrating both academic and residential programs."

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall as we see it today, nestled in the coulees and taking advantage of the natural landscape.

What makes the UCMP unique is the way it frames and defines the academic core with a celebrated gateway accessing the heart of campus, while promoting pedestrian-friendliness and retaining the physical geography that informs future buildings and outdoor spaces.

"Campuses are like people in that they mature and become complete over time," says Court. "As key participants at a critical point in the development of our campus, we are privileged to produce a planning vision at a time when many are likely to witness the campus evolve into a more complete place."

The UCMP points to three key directives that align with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 2009-2013 Strategic Plan and 2011-2015 Capital Plan. The first is to physically support the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's mandate to be a comprehensive and academic research institution and to provide opportunities for a community of learners – students, faculty, researchers and staff – to interact in purposeful spaces. Second is to reinforce the quality of built and natural environments at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with an emphasis on improving campus life and the everyday student experience. Third, the plan will provide guidance in planning and management of assets while being stewards of the land.

These directives will aid in creating the physical "Destination U" that is currently being defined at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. U of L President Dr. Mike Mahon agrees.

He says this UCMP is vital for establishing this legacy.

"As individuals who have various roles on campus, we are at one point in time, but universities live for a long, long time. It's critical that we look to the future from a planning perspective, and plan for years ahead that we can't even imagine. It is vitally important that our buildings and grounds deliver on the notion of the Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Mahon. "The U of L is very fortunate to have had the kind of vision that Erickson had around building into the coulees and really connecting the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with the topography and with nature."

The UCMP aims to create a unique identity to differentiate the U of L from other universities and to offer a distinctive and memorable experience for its students. To do that, the plan outlines specific design work including a refocused ceremonial entrance along Aperture Drive, and framing a new "Coulee Quadrangle" north of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library, bordered by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall and future buildings to form a campus heart. The UCMP also establishes a network of interconnected buildings that engage the coulees using a unique brand of landform architecture that fully integrates with the landscape. In addition, the construction of the "Prairie Quadrangle" adjacent to Markin Hall will serve to improve connectivity from the academic core to Exploration Place.

The updated Campus Master Plan will further the vision first established in 1969.

One of the biggest values of the new UCMP is creating a compact campus that fosters a better sense of community. Although the UCMP organizes the physical campus, it is the arrangement of those spaces and places that not only leads to a sense of community but also supports academic programming and student life.

Establishing Aperture Drive as the ceremonial entrance to the U of L is just the beginning. The gateway will be framed with a building element linking the Library to the Students' Union Building, as well as a signature building travelling southward that responds to the coulee setting and the Oldman River vista. This building will act as a bridge directly linking the residence precinct to the rest of campus.

Retaining the land in its natural state is also part of the UCMP proposal, and so, the natural coulee space south of the library will be left in its pristine state to preserve the natural view. It's the shared experience of the beautiful scenery of the unique prairie and coulee landscape that brings the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community together and that's an important consistency of the UCMP, says Court.

"We are located in a world-class, unique setting that our forebears committed to being, literally, in this place. That is the driving force in how we go forward," he says. "It is the threshold experience between plateau and river valley we want to be, and since we are here, we should capitalize on that because in the physical sense it's one of our most significant differentiators."

While the prairie land surrounding the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is vast, a key UCMP goal is to create a campus with synergy, ease of access and more importantly, logical pedestrian circulation.

"There's a point where everyone who arrives here by transit, bicycle or automobile becomes a pedestrian, and in the master plan the campus nucleus is predominantly pedestrian-based," says Court. "The master plan has tried to focus on creating a compact, pedestrian-oriented, connected campus that responds to external factors such as weather or the opportunity for memorable views and seriously considers how people move through it."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Campus Master Plan is just that – a plan. At this point, campus planners have not initiated detailed design studies, but most of the features will likely be developed over time. The recommendations in the UCMP, however, are critical for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to reach its strategic goals, says Chris Eagan, director of Facilities.

"The UCMP follows the institution's strategic planning. It allows the creation of a common vision of what space, building and landscape places look like to fulfill our strategic goals," he says. "The UCMP is a broad vision that will be accomplished incrementally through individual capital projects. These projects have urgent and important needs that must be subservient to the institutional requirements outlined in the master plan. It will give the structure and guidance of university planners to all those who design and implement the plan for years to come."

After the UCMP is formally ratified in December 2012, a public open house celebrating the new plan and its document release will be held early in the new year.

According to Court, the new UCMP offers many advantages as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ looks to the future.

"Overall, it's addressing original concepts that the institution has already put substantial resources and value into," he says. "Those early ideas are treasured fidelities – concepts we shouldn't turn our backs on. If we've learned anything, we've learned that they are important and they still apply going forward."

...

For more information on the UCMP, please visit: www.ulethbridge.ca/masterplan

This story first appeared in the Fall 2012 issue of SAM. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Mahon assumes leadership role

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:30:52 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is officially under the leadership of Dr. Michael James Mahon.

On Friday, Oct. 15, Mahon was officially installed as the U of L's 6^th President and Vice-Chancellor. He begins his tenure as President by addressing the students, staff, faculty and supporters of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Following is his Installation address.

Presidential Installation Address

Welcome and Greetings

YOUR HONOUR Chief Justice of Alberta Catherine Fraser, CHANCELLOR

New ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Michael James Mahon.

RICHARD DAVIDSON, BOARD CHAIR ROBERT TURNER, SPECIAL GUESTS, MEMBERS OF OUR CAMPUS COMMUNITY, VISITORS TO OUR CAMPUS, and EVERYONE WATCHING ON THE WEB

It is an honour and a pleasure to stand before you today as the sixth president and vice-chancellor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Thank you for being here as we celebrate the future of our great ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In doing so, we reflect on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's past, the foundation the institution was built on and the many people who have contributed to the emergence of this world-class institution.

Our history begins with the Blackfoot people and the sacred land on which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sits. I would like to begin my address with a thank you to the Blackfoot community and the role they have played in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's rich history.

To the Blackfoot People:

NIII TSI KSI NII YII TSI PA, NII TSI TA PII WAH SINI

(Loosely translated, this means "I am grateful and thankful for the Blackfoot way")

Since its founding in 1967, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has evolved from a small and very successful primarily undergraduate university to a research-intensive, comprehensive university with a focus on both undergraduate and graduate studies.

This is a place where ideas ignite thanks to inspired teaching combined with superior research. A place where a collaborative community of scholars and researchers has built a culture of support – for students, both undergraduate and graduate, for each other and for the broader communities of southern Alberta and beyond. Everyone at this university and in this community contributes to our success.

Today, more than 8,500 students from approximately 85 countries call the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's campuses in Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton home. Our student-body has grown by more than 50% in the last 10 years. Despite this growth, we have remained true to who we are – a community focused on the student and grounded in liberal education.

There is no doubt that the history of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is one of community.

The success of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a reflection of the many people who have played a role in its development. More than four decades of students, faculty, boards of governors and senate members, administrators, employees, community supporters and 32,000 alumni have contributed to the emergence of a world-class institution.

Without question, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has exceeded the expectations of its most optimistic founders.

As I begin my first year as president, I assure you, our university will continue to provide each and every student with the most vital and engaging learning environment in the country.

The last four months have validated all of my impressions of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the southern Alberta community. The experiences my wife Maureen and I have had have brought the U of L to life for us. As part of my introduction to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I was given the opportunity to meet with every unit on campus and participate in activities that form part of their daily lives. I spent an early morning with the dedicated staff in care-taking vacuuming and cleaning classrooms. I drove a street-sweeper, delivered a baby and got lost in a corn maze, we visited classes in drama, critical thinking and poetry and learned to line dance again, which brought back memories of our disco years in the 70's. Through these experiences, Maureen and I have been made to feel very quickly that we are members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge family.

I am struck by how often that term is used as people reference the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge – family. This has truly reaffirmed our decision to join the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, as family is foundational to us.

I was born in Winnipeg into a very close-knit family of five children. My mother Lucille and two siblings Susan and Patrick are here today and my dad Jim and siblings Kathy and Paul are watching on streaming-video back in Winnipeg.

Growing up in Winnipeg I came to appreciate cold, heat, wind, rain and snow. During our first summer in Lethbridge we have experienced all of this and thus feel right at home.

Maureen and I met in Edmonton in 1981 and have been married for 27 years. Our careers have led us to Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and North Carolina. I have however, lived in Western Canada for all, but three years of my life, and as a result have a fundamental and deep-rooted connection to the West.

We are fortunate to have three wonderful children in Katie, Brennan and Seann, who are here today, as are a number of Maureen's family members including her mother Cathy.

The support of Maureen, our children, and my extended family has enabled and empowered me throughout my career. I will bring this fundamental belief in the multiple contributions of a family to my new home.

My parents were dedicated to education, volunteerism and diversity. They were role models to me as volunteers, dedicated to community building and in particular supporting the needs of those who are vulnerable. This commitment to service has been instilled in me since my childhood. I believe I am here to support and serve the people who make up this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. I believe in collaboration, in trust, in foresight, listening and empowerment. My first commitment to you as President is that my role as leader of this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will be to serve and to help enable the dreams and aspirations of all who work, learn, create, and study, at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. I make this same commitment to the community that we as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ serve and are accountable to.

The foundation of our culture and identity as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is a commitment to this community of people. Regardless of whether they are students, faculty, staff or alumni, people form the basis of our strength. They define the character of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. As we strive to realize our aspirations as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, we cannot lose this defining feature of who we are and what we value.

I believe this includes creating an environment that supports healthy living and balanced lifestyles for students, faculty and staff and takes seriously its role in promoting this in the broader community.

Since its inception, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has made a promise to provide a very personal experience to our students. This promise will be continued and indeed enhanced as we go forward.

We must commit all aspects of our university to taking a Student First approach.

Whether it is in academic programs and research, how we recruit and orient our students, our class sizes, our residences, recreation and sport opportunities, health services, or the environment of our campus, we will all ensure that we bring to life this moniker of the Student First.

A note I received in September from a parent of one of our first year students' sums up the essence of our Student First approach and the value of the people who make up this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ:

This Mother Wrote –

"From the first contacts we had with the university last fall through the orientation day, each and every piece of correspondence and every phone call, I have been overwhelmingly impressed with the caliber of the individuals and the overall feeling of satisfaction I have with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as an institution and a community … I remain a proud parent of an alumnus and a student at an institution that is, in my mind, a national treasure and truly committed to the individual student thriving in and beyond your campus."

Individual people working towards a common goal are an important theme at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. It is the story of our founding, and it is the story that has and will continue to lead us to greater success. Much of this success has been rooted in the principles of interdisciplinary collaboration. It is this concept that Dr. Arthur Erickson sought to foster through his design of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

And it is this concept that U of L faculty have used to build research teams and conduct their works of creativity and inquiry. The importance of research across the academy and the potential for multiple disciplines working together to unlock many of the important questions in our world and to contribute to the furtherance of our society cannot be emphasized enough. Our future as a comprehensive university will continue to be rooted in interdisciplinary research and discovery across the academy.

It is the bridge however between teaching and research - to both inform and support undergraduate and graduate education - that is the underlying principle of a comprehensive university.

I arrive at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, with an abiding respect and enthusiasm for working across our academy, to build our capacity as a comprehensive university but to do it in a way that is respectful of our history and identity. We must rededicate our university to high quality, student-centered undergraduate liberal education. In doing so we must also encourage and nurture the research aspirations of our colleagues and their graduate students.

The U of L grew up as a primarily undergraduate university renowned for the quality of its teaching, but has provided thousands of undergraduate students with research experience and the opportunity to work with our world-class faculty researchers - an experience that is reserved for masters and doctoral students at most other universities, and one we should continue to embrace. Recently, the U of L has also dedicated itself to creating more opportunities for graduate education. We must use our experience and commitment to excellence in undergraduate education as a springboard for the development and improving access to graduate level programming.We must however ensure that our commitment to and successes in graduate education and research are balanced across all disciplines. There is no model I look to that will guide us in this achievement, we will continue to create our own .

My entire educational experience was rooted in the philosophy of liberal education. These liberal education roots are the same as those of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This includes a fundamental belief in the importance of community service learning outside of the classroom. I was in grade 11, during a community service-learning experience, when I had a life changing and career-focusing experience. As part of a school-based volunteer requirement, I worked at an institution for children and adults with severe intellectual disabilities. This experience was the impetus for 33 years of work dedicated to understanding and supporting people with disabilities.

My high school volunteer experience and subsequent career in disability studies had a significant influence on my philosophy of education. In keeping with that philosophy, it is my goal to ensure that during my tenure as President and continuing thereafter, each of our U of L students has an opportunity to complete at least one community-based experience during their undergraduate program. We are committed to building a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ culture that promotes social responsibility and community engagement. We have an obligation to give back to the community that supports us, and our students have an obligation to give back to the community that welcomes them and enables their education.

Abigail Adams, an advocate of women's rights and the abolishment of slavery in the 19^th century United States, summarizes this obligation very well by saying, "If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind, whom should we serve?"

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a treasure: a treasure that is recognized throughout the province and across the country – approximately 70% of our students come from outside of our city. While this is an impressive measure of our reputation, one of our goals must be to ensure that the citizens of Lethbridge and southern Alberta continue to take great pride in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as their university. That it be the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of choice for their children. At the same time it is important to recognize the opportunity and need to continue to promote the U of L as a university of choice for students from across Canada and indeed the world. Every student we bring from outside Lethbridge, makes significant contributions to this community.

During my tenure as President, I wish to see the U of L truly recognized as a premier Canadian comprehensive university dedicated to providing a second to none student experience for both undergraduate and graduate students. To achieve this vision, we must continue to build our capacity to house students on campus, by increasing residence space. In turn, this will ensure increased access to affordable housing in the city for Lethbridge residents. We must promote ourselves and continue to vocally and publically celebrate the successes of our colleagues in the faculty and staff ranks, of our students and of our graduates and alumni.

We must ensure that we no longer hear that we are, "One of Alberta's best kept secrets." Instead, we will hear that we are one of Canada's top destination universities.

Our journey forward will continue to recognize the importance of internationalization. With over 85 countries represented in our current student population, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is already an international campus. Our goal of becoming a destination university will be achieved in part through our ability to continue to attract international students. These students contribute immeasurably to our campus. They must be made to feel welcome at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and in the city of Lethbridge. Internationalization is also about providing opportunities for Canadian students to grow through an international experience offered as part of select academic programs and to be exposed to an international, multi-cultural campus.

Our Strategic Plan provides an exciting vision for our university; one that has been embraced by our campus community and a vision I completely endorse. As I have heard repeated, it is a path we have chosen to follow, not a set of railroad tracks that will dictate where we will end. It is not a directive – it is a vision we collectively must contribute to or we will be unsuccessful in achieving it. Each of us has a unique role to play in this endeavor. I am committed to doing my part to get us there.

There is a wonderful promise outlined in the academic calendar of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. With slight modification, today I make this promise to you,

To our students, to our faculty and staff and the community of supporters of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I make a promise:

· A promise to do my best, so you can be your best.

· A promise to foster exploration, to share ideas and information, to teach but also to learn.

· A promise to help build the buildings, acquire the technology, cultivate the partnerships, and welcome the people essential to advancing an environment that excites and ignites learning, teaching, research and creativity, while contributing to the sustainability of the environment within which we live.

· A promise to create an environment where professors and students are colleagues and everyone grows together, an environment that recognizes the power of every student's dream. And helps that dream come true.

We will have many new challenges ahead us but I know we are ready to take them on. Along the way we will be guided by our roots epitomized in the ever-changing light of the prairie landscape. Fiat Lux- Let there be light!

Dr. Arthur Erickson (1924-2009)

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:05:55 +0000

Renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson (LLD '81) died on May 20, 2009, at age 84. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's main building, is one piece in a legacy of architectural masterpieces that he leaves behind.

Erickson was also responsible for a number of key Canadian buildings such as Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in British Columbia and the Vancouver Law Courts complex as well as many other significant structures worldwide, including the Canadian Embassy in Washington, One California Plaza in Los Angeles and the Kuwait Oil Sector Complex in Kuwait City.

Erickson was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1973 and then was promoted to Companion of the Order in 1981. In 1986, he was the first Canadian to win the prestigious American Institute of Architects Gold Medal.

Erickson and his business partner, Geoffrey Massey, designed ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's campus plan in the late 1960s. Their design, which was considered quite radical at the time, set the U of L apart in architecture and academic circles alike and brought the southern Alberta landmark international recognition.

"Arthur's whole way of thinking was that there were no limits as to what could be done," recalls his long-time friend Dr. Van Christou (LLD '84), who was a founding member of the U of L Board of Governors and the person responsible for connecting Erickson with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in the '60s.

"Arthur was a brilliant man and an amazing architect."

Erickson's work has left a lasting imprint on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and southern Alberta that will live on well into the future.

Still standing strong, one hundred years

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:00:46 +0000

This year, Lethbridge celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Pacific Railway High Level Bridge – a landmark that has inspired many, including ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge architect Dr. Arthur Erickson.

"The coulees offered extraordinary opportunities: dramatic heights and depths unusual in the prairies, and the possibility of outlook, proximity to the river and a microclimate milder than the windswept flatlands. Standing there on the far edge of the coulee I saw etched against the sky the light tracery of an old iron railway bridge, 300 feet in the air, spanning a mile across the river. I came to the conclusion that though any building upon the exposed flatland should be interred in earth berms so that they would become part of the land, the academic building could span the coulees and, like the old bridge in its rigid flatness, reveal the rich contours of even the most level prairie. It seemed to me that the top storey of the university should lie below the tableland in an uncompromising straight line spanning the haunches of the prairie."

Dr. Arthur Erickson
The Architecture of Arthur Erickson
With text by the architect
Tundra Books, 1975

U of L architect, Erickson, passes away

trevor.kenney — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:37:36 +0000

Dr. Arthur Erickson, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Honorary degree recipient (1981) and the award-winning Canadian architect who, with partner Geoffrey Massey, designed the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus plan and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall in the late 1960s, is dead at age 84.

Erickson passed away surrounded by friends and family on Wednesday. No memorial service is confirmed at this time.

The architect, who had been suffering from Alzheimers, was responsible for a number of Canada's landmark buildings such as Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in British Columbia, the Vancouver Law Courts complex, and many other significant structures worldwide, including the Canadian Embassy in Washington, California Plaza in Los Angeles and the Kuwait Oil Sector Complex in Kuwait City.

After studying Asian languages at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, Erickson earned a degree in architecture from McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Montreal, from which he graduated in 1950. He also worked as an associate professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia from 1957 to 1963.

Erickson was the first Canadian to win the prestigious American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1986. In 1973 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and was promoted to Companion in 1981.

The design of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was considered to be quite radical for the time, and was undertaken during a decade of growth and change for The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Student enrollment climbed from 650 students in 1967 to more than 1,200 by 1971, creating a need for new and larger facilities and expanded program offerings.

The Aperture sculpture.

In 1972, after three years of construction, Arthur Erickson's uniquely-designed building took over the west side of the river valley on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's new west side campus.

The nine-level facility provided space for classrooms, laboratories, offices, student services and residence housing. A covered walkway - nicknamed the worm - connected ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall with the Physical Education and Art Building on the west side of campus.

The new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus was officially opened at a three-day event in September of 1972. The event included a special convocation and the unveiling of the Aperture - a 20 foot-high concrete art structure sited at the geographical centre of campus.

For more information on Arthur Erickson and his unique contribution to architecture, please visit these websites:

http://www.arthurerickson.com/index.html

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090520/bc_arthur_erickson_090520/20090520?hub=BritishColumbia

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/arthur-erickson-1924-2009/5202375.article

http://www.timescolonist.com/Travel/Renowned+architect+Arthur+Erickson+dead/1614035/story.html

UNews - Arthur Erickson

Exhaust stacks removed from ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ Hall

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