The Pacific Bell Tower – Asian Studies Centre, UBC, Vancouver, British Columbia

The Pacific Bell is housed in a traditional Japanese bell tower crafted of yellow cedar. Yellow cedar is similar to Japanese hinoki, traditionally used in the construction of temples and bell towers. Pre-fabricated in Japan and re-assembled at UBC, the tower – with the exception of the eaves and the roof – is held together without a single nail. A ceramic tile roof was chosen over wooden shingles for reasons of resonance.

The significance of the bell tower lies in the bell itself. In ancient times, the bell was used to sound the hours of the day. In Buddhist temples, the fading sounds of the bell serve to remind one of the transitory nature of life. The ringing of the bell on New Year’s Eve also has a special significance. As the late Dr. Shotaro Iida, a UBC professor of religious studies explained: "In Buddhist philosophy, there are 108 mental defilements. It is believed that by ringing the bell 108 times on New Year’s Eve – 54 times before midnight, 54 times after – one can erase the past mental impurities and start the year new."