Est and prominent art consultancy group, Weston Rumbold Art Projects (WRAP), will join forces for Melbourne Design Week 2026 with a multi-day programme designed to celebrate culture, play and art in Melbourne’s Richmond precinct.

Hosted at Park House along the riverbank in Abbotsford, and presented as part of NGV’s Melbourne Design Week, the collaboration will bring together artists, designers, families, food lovers and industry peers through five immersive public activations that explore sustainability, circularity, storytelling and place. 

Est was established in 2024 as the build to rent delivery and operations platform of Salta, which is rolling out over 2,500 apartments under the Est banner across prime inner-Melbourne locations.

Edward McAuliffe, Director of Residential Development and Build to Rent Operations at Salta, said that they are thrilled to be able to partner Estwith WRAP to create meaningful moments designed to connect the community to the Richmond neighbourhood, with each other, and with local artists and creators within the broader area.

"Est is focused on creating neighbourhoods that feel alive - places where community, lifestyle and design come together in a way that is meaningful and enduring," said McAuliffe.

"Partnering with WRAP for Melbourne Design Week allows us to bring that philosophy into the public realm, activating Richmond with experiences that are thoughtful, social and culturally inspiring.”

At the core of the programme is Taking Shape, a group exhibition that will run throughout the week, featuring 20 Australian artists and designers in a showcase designed to encourage reflection on contemporary design as something to inhabit, encounter and negotiate. Across furniture, textiles, lighting, art and spatial intervention, the exhibition highlights how Australian creators are rethinking utility, aesthetics and social responsibility through repurposed materials and refined making processes.

For families and younger visitors, two hands-on workshops will add a playful dimension to the programme.

Illuminated Stories, created with First Nations artist Peter Hood and supported by global homemaker IKEA, invites children and parents to paint and decorate paper lanterns while sharing stories of family, imagination and belonging.

Make Your Own Monster, developed with the Australian Tapestry Workshop, introduces children to weaving through a joyful, tactile workshop that celebrates experimentation and creative expression.

For those looking to explore design through food, Root to Stem offers an intimate zero-waste dining experience with Chef Johnny Hasan of Patris. Presented by WRAP and Est, the dinner will invite guests to consider how circular approaches, resourcefulness and cultural knowledge can shape the future of contemporary dining.

The Est x WRAP MDW programme will round out with Speed Networking: Public Art Edition, bringing artists, curators, designers and architects together for focused conversations with WRAP, Est, SORA Interior Architecture and Design, and LiFE Architecture and Urban Design. The session is designed for creatives ready to scale their practice and gain insight into how work can translate across public art, architecture and in-building commissions.

WRAP Director and Co-Founder Sarah Weston said:

“Melbourne Design Week gives us a platform to show how design can be playful, generous and deeply considered all at once.

“Across the programme, we wanted each event to open up a different conversation—from making and storytelling to dining and networking—while creating an ecosystem of experimentation that invites people to look at design differently. For families, the two artist-led workshops will bring together storytelling, design and the chance for shared creativity to flourish.”

The collaboration between Est and WRAP for MDW 2026 has been inspired by the pair’s close working relationship since the inception of the Est BTR brand—with WRAP appointed as art consultant for the Est portfolio.

“Our core focus with Est is to not just build great apartments for people to rent and live, but places that contribute to the cultural life of a neighbourhood. Working with WRAP has allowed us to tap into the cultural histories and experiences of our neighbourhoods to celebrate these with our Est communities,” added McAuliffe.

“With Fitzroy & Co now complete and our flagship project in Richmond well underway into construction, and a permit in hand for our third project in Docklands, we’re really proud to be able to deliver well-located homes that connect people to place, culture and one another through Est.”

Weston added:

“We're thrilled to continue to work closely with the Est team to integrate art into placemaking. Together, we have a great opportunity and responsibility to embed creativity at the heart of how people live, not as an afterthought but as an integral layer of everyday experience.

“WRAP’s approach closely aligns with Est’s ethos—placing people first and ensuring art and design are intentional, considered and contribute to a genuine sense of belonging. Art and creative experiences can play a great role in reflecting the character of the community and the stories that already exist there.

“By working with artists and collaborators who share this vision, we aim to deliver outcomes that are authentically local, deeply connected to their contexts, and help shape environments where people feel connected, inspired and at home. We're thrilled to be able to deliver meaningful creative experiences to the whole community through our collaboration for Melbourne Design Week in May.”

Est and WRAP’s MDW programme hosted at Park House also offers a first look at the precinct’s evolving retail and commercial offering. A limited number of tenancies remain available, presenting an opportunity for hospitality, retail and creative operators to establish themselves within a growing, culturally led precinct.

Melbourne Design Week runs from Thursday 14–Sunday 24 May, as an initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.