Mid-century Canberra was a place of bravery, optimism and experimentation – qualities that perfectly describe Derek Wrigley, whose design DNA is all over this city. Wrigley believed that design had the power to change the world for the better. A look at his 70-plus-year career suggests that he was right.
Wrigley was born in Oldham, Lancashire. Deemed medically unfit for active service during World War II due to partial deafness, and despite having failed his high school certificate, he gained a qualification in architecture from the Manchester School of
