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A Cowboy Architect
By Cheryl Mah
 If Peter Burgener wasn’t a successful architect, he probably would be a cowboy. Or a sailor. Or a polo player.
More than 30 years of hard work in the design profession has afforded the 59-year-old Calgary architect the time and opportunity to enjoy an active and adventurous lifestyle.
“I love horses, I love team cattle penning and polo is even better,” laughs Burgener from his Calgary office. “I’ve been fortunate to have built up an amazing team over 30 years that can carry out the day to day which gives me more free time. I’m at an age where I want to enjoy life and not just be working 20 hours a day.”
Architecture, in fact, wasn’t the first career choice for the Toronto born Burgener. He initially studied philosophy and English at the University of Toronto before taking a year off to hitchhike around Europe. During that trip, he realized architecture was the path for him.
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“The reason I decided to go into architecture was 100 per cent related to the educational component of it,” recalls Burgener. “Architecture is the broadest field of study because it involves philosophy, English, communication, physics, engineering, photography. It’s an incredibly broad subject.”
Out of the 60 students accepted into the School of Architecture in 1970, he was one of only eight who graduated with his Bachelor of Architecture five years later.
With a father and two brothers who are all scientists, Burgener jokes he’s the “black sheep” of the family, “I’m the artsy guy.”
His first commission was a 10 storey senior citizen apartment building in North Battleford, Saskatoon. He worked there for 10 months – “a great learning experience” – before moving to Calgary in 1976.
After working for two firms, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to start his own practice Peter Burgener Architect at the age of 28. He had already operated his own businesses in highschool and university.
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Since then, the firm has grown and excelled, helping to shape and change the face of Calgary. His firm now called BKDI Architects is one of the leading architectural firms in Western Canada.
“I love the diversity of it. I love the impact it has on people’s lives and the opportunity to really do something meaningful,” says Burgener about architecture.
Today the firm is a team of more than 50 architects, interior designers, technologists, and administrative staff. Having senior personnel who have been with the firm for more than 20 years coupled with a younger generation of architects enables them to offer a wide range of experience and skills.
“Unfortunately the economy has definitely had an impact on our office,” says Burgener, noting the firm was reduced by more than 40 people early this year.
The firm’s six partners have their own particular area of focus in the practice (eg interior design) as well as carrying responsibilities for individual projects. As the senior partner, Burgener is extensively involved in project development and the overall management of the firm.
“I’m very involved at the front end of projects [em dash] – setting the direction, the design and planning of it, the city approval process and programming,” he says. “Once it goes into working drawings, my role is one of management. I don’t work on every single project.”
The firm’s projects range from office, retail to hotels and high rise condos. Current projects include: Aspen Landing Shopping Centre, Central Green in Kelowna, City Centre, Le Germain and interior work for IHS Energy.
Projects are primarily located in Calgary with about 30 per cent in B.C. and 20 per cent across Canada and international. BKDI has been involved with the Grand Okanagan Resort Hotel since 1989 along with many other projects in the Kelowna area.
“Many years ago, we had an office in Vancouver and in Toronto,” says Burgener. “We’ve almost worked in every province in Canada and did a couple of hotels in the States.”
An early key project that put the firm at the forefront was the Glenmore Landing Shopping Centre. When completed in 1985, it was the first retail building in Canada to have a metal roof.
“It was the first retail project I had worked on,” recalls Burgener. “It totally changed the face of retail design in Canada. Glenmore Landing was a very seminal project for the firm.”
Other significant projects include the award winning Destination Africa, the largest facility ever built at the Calgary Zoo which features North America's first indoor hippo pool with underwater viewing; and Arriva, a groundbreaking mixed use development comprised of three high rise residential towers (the highest in the city) in Victoria Park.
“I was very involved with the design of the Arriva towers which I happen to live in as well,” says Burgener. “We’ve done a lot of the high rise condo towers in the city [em dash] – Princeton Hall, Union Square and Montana.”
Being selected to design the new $100 million Cantos National Music Centre is the firm’s latest accomplishment. In collaboration with Allied Work Architecture in Portland, BKDI will design the music centre at the King Eddy site in Calgary’s East Village. The project is an opportunity to create a new kind of institution; the first of its kind in Canada. The team’s innovative concept was selected after an eight month global design search and competition.
“We’re absolutely delighted. It’s a great project,” says Burgener.
Collaboration and excellent project delivery have been hallmarks of the firm’s success. Meeting the client’s objectives and the needs of end users are fundamentally important, he notes.
BKDI’s commitment to environmental stewardship has also been longstanding. Within the next year every single person in the firm including Burgener will be LEED accredited. The firm’s first LEED building was Home Depot in Calgary.
“It was a struggle to get Home Depot to do it. I pushed it. It was the right thing to do,” recalls Burgener. “We’ve been early proponents of it [sustainability]. I believe that was the third LEED building in Alberta.”
While Burgener believes sustainable design is valuable, he is wary of how it’s become a “buzz word.”
“Sustainable design in reality has been around forever,” he says. “The difference now is it’s become branded and quantified and an industry.”
Burgener has worked on many diverse projects over the years, but one he’s always wanted to design is a monastery.
“A monastery to me represents a microcosm of the city. It’s a whole society, complete and of itself with private and public spaces,” says Burgener, who enjoys working with cities and the myriad of interrelated urban design issues.
His expertise in urban design, planning and architecture is well recognized and sought after. Most recently he was appointed to the National Capital Commission board of directors. He has served as a member of the Calgary Planning Commission and the development Appeal Board. He is a past president of the Alberta Association of Architects and is a fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.
Burgener has also been actively involved in the community, having served as a governor of the University of Toronto, senator of the University of Calgary, vice-chair of the Calgary District Hospital board and as president of various community associations.
“I do believe working and participating in the community is fundamental,” says Burgener. “Because I’ve been very fortunate in my life [em dash]– wonderful family and lots of opportunities.”
Indeed, the father of four enjoys a very rich life outside of work. In addition to his interests in horses and sailing (his new 47 foot sailboat arrived from Germany in September), he can be found riding one of his three motorcycles or capturing images of life on film and canvas.
“I recently bought a grand piano because I want to learn how to play piano,” states Burgener, who has played guitar since his youth.
His son Matt Masters is a country singer, who recently won a Mayor’s Award for Business and Art.
“I’m very proud. I have terrific kids,” says Burgener, who is engaged and a “happy guy:”
After 33 years of marriage, Burgener says he’s very lucky to find someone new to share his life with. He met his finance Shannon on a polo field in California three years ago.
Although he has more time to do personal things, Burgener has no plans to retire anytime soon.
“At the young age of 59, I’ll be around for another 20 years or so,” he says. “I love what I do. I like the environment and the opportunity to make things happen. I plan to be here for a long while.” |
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