Alan Hodgson Collection // Vault

Alan J. Hodgson (1928-2018) was a Victoria-born architect often associated with the “West Coast Modern” style. Hodgson’s engagement with new design formulas was balanced with his belief in the value of preserving a city’s built history.

Hodgson’s career in architecture evolved out of his childhood interest in boat building. As a teenager in 1947, he was employed at Yarrows Ltd. in Esquimalt where he worked on the interior of the Prince George (II). There he found a mentor in architect C. Dexter Stockdill, who encouraged him to pursue a career in architecture. Stockdill took him on as a trainee for two summers with the firm Birley Wade & Stockdill. This led to a brief six month stint with architect Paul R. Williams in Los Angeles in 1950. Between 1952 and 1958 he articled with the British Columbia Department of Public Works and earned his diploma from the University of British Columbia in 1958. Two years later he became registered as a practising member of the British Columbia Architectural Institute.

Hodgson formally opened his practice in 1960 and saw over 500 projects pass through his firm; the diversity of which included public, civic, domestic, commercial, industrial, and ecclesiastical building projects – both new and restorative in nature. His projects have been recognized at the local, provincial, and national levels, including a National Heritage Conservation Award in 1981.

His leadership in the restoration of the B.C. Legislative Buildings; contributions to the transformation of Victoria Centennial Square; and involvement in the development of the University of Victoria’s Gordon Head Campus have left an influential mark on the regional architectural landscape.

The Alan Hodgson Collection at the University of Victoria includes over 2500 architectural drawings and other material donated by Alan’s wife, Sheila Hodgson. The collection offers insight into the design process behind a selection of iconic and representative projects spanning over four decades.

This project was funded through the support of the BC History Digitization Program, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia.

[Photo by Anne Sajiw-Terriss]

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