Douglas J. Bergen & Associates

Douglas J. Bergen & Associates 40 Years of Design Shaped by the Prairie 🌾 Rooted in Southern Alberta since 1985. Architecture, planning & development. Good design for everyone.

As part of a larger property design, and in conjunction with the DJB office, the Bergen residence holds particular impor...
07/30/2026

As part of a larger property design, and in conjunction with the DJB office, the Bergen residence holds particular importance in our firm's design history. This was the chance for our firm to authentically realize and experiment with many of its architectural ideas, revolving around prairie architecture and site integration. A private residence on 40- acres, the project became a philosophical exploration between nature and architecture. In keeping with the visual character and spirit of the office, large window openings and an uncompromising roofline are conceptual counterparts of an open and flat prairie. They follow and draw the eye towards the horizon line, in which a structural reference to nature is preferred. This horizontality, defined by the long raked lines of the roof, follows the house’s strong east-west axis. This orientation on the site allows for generous amounts of natural lighting, which is in turn controlled by the deep, shadow-producing eaves. Rooms stagger in either direction from the dominant axis, but are kept contained under the expansive roof that unifies the complexity of the design. Surrounded by mature trees and embedded into the slope of a hill, the home becomes an integrated artifact in nature.

We were consulted by Farm Credit Canada to design them a new facility along the commercial corridor of 43rd street. We w...
07/23/2026

We were consulted by Farm Credit Canada to design them a new facility along the commercial corridor of 43rd street. We were asked to develop a modern aesthetic that could appeal to the traffic along the highway. This desire pushed us towards a design that favored simple geometry and clean lines. To help bring local significance to the design, materials were selected that reflected the agricultural industry. Corrugated metal for example, helps connect the image of the business to the industry they support in a subtle manner.

The image of the NRC Church is consolidated in its prominent, white steeple. It is a distinctly American image, with its...
07/16/2026

The image of the NRC Church is consolidated in its prominent, white steeple. It is a distinctly American image, with its roots in the Colonial tradition of the early settlers. Its rural setting reinforces this historical image, as the edifice sits among agricultural plots and farmhouses. The flat prairie endorses the sharp profile of the steeple, which cannot avoid the layered readings of its archetypal quality. Firstly, there is a sort of religious preeminence, as the spiritual referent to God (the steeple) heedfully gazes over His creation. It is a symbol that can be seen for miles, practically omnipotent by its visual reach. Second, and in support of the first, a Biblical significance, in which the practice of agriculture forms and cultivates the basis of many Biblical parables and narratives. This proximity to farmland comes with an inherent religious association, deepening the significance of the church and its intimate relationship to the land. Under its expansive roof, the church was designed around a 1200 seat sanctuary, with other supporting programs organized around the main worship space. The firm also received the commission for the pastor’s house, located toward the back of the site.

Organized around a protected courtyard, 102 balances openness with privacy. Landscaped outdoor spaces, layered greenery,...
07/09/2026

Organized around a protected courtyard, 102 balances openness with privacy. Landscaped outdoor spaces, layered greenery, and thoughtful site planning create moments of calm woven directly into everyday life.

A lakeside cottage, the Basarab house is wrapped in the myth of fairytale. The client’s desire was a “storybook house”: ...
07/02/2026

A lakeside cottage, the Basarab house is wrapped in the myth of fairytale. The client’s desire was a “storybook house”: one you may think confined to romantic literature, but to us possible, albeit with enough imagination. To us, the poetic image was something modest and unpretentious. The expression needed to capture the simplicity of a child’s storybook, but with an authentic, believable depth. The design required particular layering to bring the fullness of the fantasy. At the largest scale of building massing, irregularity brings out the whim of imagination. Peaks of different sizes create an undulating landscape for a roof, in which the wrapping eaves miraculously extend and soften its flowing shape. Several chimney stacks punctuate the draped roof, extending its earthly, elemental character. Authentic stone and stucco continue this imagery down onto the lower portion of the building, rooting it to reality. Finally, important details such as window shutters, planter boxes, timber framing, and the wandering walkway, all solidify the storybook charm.

Built in 1995, our firm’s office effectively describes DJB’s approach to regional design. Situated on the Albertan prair...
06/24/2026

Built in 1995, our firm’s office effectively describes DJB’s approach to regional design. Situated on the Albertan prairies, a flattened, horizontal architecture seemed to suit and reflect its natural environment. The low roof datum and continuous ribbon windows produce the horizontal effect, in which to draw the eye back towards the landscape. These are the conditions in which the infinite field of the prairie becomes felt. Interlocking building masses extend themselves across this landscape. Each mass is given a conceptual transparency, in which it is able to pass and extend through other architectural blocks. This interlocking effect creates a natural flow of spaces, starting first at the open car-port, then moving between the entry hall, and finally into the workspaces. Along this promenade, each mass is given different spatial priority and unique spatial treatment.

Douglas Bergen has been immersed in the world of architecture from a young age. After graduating from SAIT, he founded D...
06/17/2026

Douglas Bergen has been immersed in the world of architecture from a young age. After graduating from SAIT, he founded Douglas J. Bergen & Associates with a vision to create thoughtful design rooted in innovative design and development. Over the years, the firm has grown under his leadership, consistently maintaining a strong attention to detail and a commitment to improving the built environment.

Influenced by the enduring legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright, Douglas draws on the bold horizontal lines of the prairie landscape and a timeless design philosophy that balances innovation with simplicity. Today, he remains actively involved in the firm’s work, continuing to shape spaces that serve both people and place.

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202030 Highway 512
Lethbridge, AB
T1M1N3

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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