As the most recent recipients of the Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture and the RAIC Emerging Architectural Practice Award, Shane Laptiste and Tura Cousins Wilson will discuss their journey to date and the insights that they have gathered in exploring narratives from communities and individuals that are often overlooked in architectural discourse.

The Studio of Contemporary Architecture (SOCA), led by Shane Laptiste and Tura Cousins Wilson, is an architecture and urban design studio dedicated to inclusive city building and the creation of beautiful spaces. Founded on the belief that architecture’s power lies in its ability to transform collective imaginations and narratives into reality, the studio is deeply engaged in research and the broader discourse of architecture’s impact on culture, the environment, and the shaping of cities.

The studio is the recipient of the 2023 Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture, a travelling grant allowing the studio to explore sites of Black joy and community. SOCA is a contributor to the Canada Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Biennale of Architecture and was awarded the 2023 Emerging Architectural Practice Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

SOCA was listed in Wallpaper* Magazine’s 2021 directory of emerging architectural talent and selected as one of 20 emerging practices in Canada by Twenty + Change and Canadian Architect magazine.

Both Laptiste and Wilson are founding members of the Black Architects and Interior Designers Association and during this academic year hold teaching positions at the University of Toronto and McGill University.

The Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism gratefully acknowledges the support of Royal Architectural Institute of Canada for this lecture.