Open House Melbourne: 9 Wilson Ave

We welcomed 236 people through the doors, weaving between drizzle and sun in true Melbourne fashion, to explore the building and hear the story of our collaboration with architects MA+Co.

The tour, led by Neometro Director Jeff Provan and MA+Co's Ciaran Snooks, began at the entry, where the ground floor’s connection to the street and courtyard beyond set the tone for the rest of the building. From there, visitors moved through the courtyard and “lungs” of the project, before climbing to the rooftop, tracing the same sequence of spaces that shapes daily life for residents.

Inside, visitors were especially curious about the building’s sustainability features, and long-term Brunswick locals and neighbours were excited to look inside a project that has played a part in reimagining Wilson Ave from an industrial backstreet into the pedestrian-friendly boulevard it is today.

Wilson Ave itself was full of energy, with local businesses, buskers and a garage sale run by residents and Drip Coffee owners Kim and Tom adding even more life to an already bustling street. A big congratulations to Beautiful Jim Key for making the Good Food Guide that very morning.

A special thank you to the wonderful Open House Melbourne volunteers who kept things running smoothly, and who, even as their shifts ended, were eager to tour the project themselves. Thank you also to the 9 Wilson Ave residents for their patience with the extra foot traffic to the street, and for so generously sharing their building with visitors.

It was a fitting way to spend the day at 9 Wilson Ave, with the street, courtyard and rooftop all opened up and shared with the community – a small reflection of how apartment buildings can support both public and private life.

Photography by Michael Pham.