Canadian designer, researcher and urbanist David Verbeek has been announced as this year’s winner of the Canada Council for the Arts’ Prix de Rome in Architecture for Emerging Practitioners. The recent announcement means that Verbeek joins New Brunswick’s Acre Architects as a Prix de Rome in Architecture winner, with the later office awarded the senior prize this month.
Currently working with OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture) in Rotterdam, Verbeek received his Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto, where he was awarded the RAIC Gold Medal, the AIA Henry Adams Medal, and the OAA Architectural Guild Medal.
In addition to previous work with Lateral Office in Toronto and Xaveer de Geyter Architects in Brussels, David has held research and teaching assistant positions in architecture, urban design, and representation at the University of Toronto. His writing, research and design projects have been exhibited and published internationally. The $34,000 Prix de Rome in Architecture for Emerging Practitioners is awarded to a recent graduate from a Canadian architectural school who has demonstrated exceptional potential in contemporary architectural design. With this prize, the recipient may visit architectural buildings and carry out an internship at an internationally renowned architectural firm anywhere in the world.

Inspired by the Prix de Rome in architecture, which was created in the 18th century and helped young architects train...