The SFU Burnaby campus first opened in 1965, located on Burnaby Mountain and covers an area of 1.7 square kilometres. Erickson's design for the campus was influenced by the surrounding landscape, which features steep slopes, dense forests, and panoramic views of the Vancouver area.

The most notable building on the SFU Burnaby campus is the Academic Quadrangle, which houses classrooms, offices, and lecture halls. The building's design features a series of interconnected courtyards and walkways, which create a sense of community and encourage interaction between students and faculty.

Erickson's design for the campus has been praised for its integration of natural and man-made elements and its use of modular construction techniques to reduce costs and minimize environmental impact.

“From his travels in the Far East, [Erickson] had learned that a building cut into a mountainside became part of the mountain and shared its imposing presence.” Inspired by the rice terraces of Bali, Erickson proposed that the campus was to have terraced buildings and structures, ensuring that everything “would be part of one composition.”