Verner Owen Rees was born in London, England on 16 July 1886 and studied at the Royal Academy Schools in London from 1909 to 1914 and at the Architectural Association Schools (AA) in London. He also trained in the offices of Messrs. Caroe & Passmore. In 1911-12 Rees worked as an assistant in the office of Edwin Landseer Lutyens, and, in order to gain experience, in various New York offices. for three years
During the early 1920s he was in partnership in London with Gordon Herbert George Holt (1889-1934) as Holt & Rees. From 1926 to 1929 he was in partnership with Percy Richard Morley Horder (1876-1944) as Horder & Rees, and in the mid-1930s was in partnership with Frederick Milton Harvey as Rees & Harvey.
Rees taught at the AA School of Architecture from 1921 to 1925). He was later Vice-Principal of the AA from 1929 to 1933 and President of the AA in 1938–39. He was also editor of the A.A. Journal.
Rees was awarded the AA Travelling Studentship in 1910 and the Royal Academy Silver Medal in 1911. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1922 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1931.
His address was given a 34 Bedford Square, London in 1923; 32, Blandford Road, Bedford Park, London in 1926; 30 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London in 1930; 33 Bedford Square, London in 1935; and 2 Gordon Square, London in 1939. He died in Parthenay, France on 7 November 1966.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. Building vol. 211, 18 November 1966 p. 108