wilson

wilson is a profit-for-purpose cafe and art space set inside MHN Design Union's heritage warehouse in Surry Hills, Sydney. The practice opened the venue in its own building, accessed via Richards Lane, with all profits from the cafe donated to charity.

The garage occupies the former site of the Wilson's Steam Laundry, a raw industrial space the team reimagined as a community cafe and gallery. The idea began as the winning entry in an internal MHNDU staff ideas competition, developed by practice manager Tanya Awadallah as a way to open the culturally significant building up to the wider Surry Hills community.

Coffee comes from Sydney roaster The Little Marionette, with pastries delivered each morning from Salt Meats Cheese and lunch salads supplied in returnable jars by Two Good Co, which donates a meal to a shelter or soup kitchen for every meal sold. The cafe composts its coffee grounds and encourages customers to bring or borrow a mug rather than use single-use cups.

Sustainability shaped the fit out throughout. MHNDU worked with longtime collaborators Architecture Factory to ensure materials and equipment were recycled or repurposed. The gallery rotates the work of under-represented artists each quarter, with profits directed to a chosen charity, beginning with Oxfam Australia.

Design by MHN Design Union. Photography by Laura Reid. Fit out in collaboration with Architecture Factory.