Wrigley left Sydney for Canberra in 1957 to take up the position of assistant to Fred Ward at the Australian National University (ANU).
In 1956, Wrigley together with Fred Ward, co-founded the NSW Chapter of the Industrial Design Council of Australia (IDCA).
As Canberra expanded, he saw the need to have an Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Chapter of the IDCA, initiating its formation in 1958. he was appointed its chairman when it was incorporated in 1973, and was the president from 1980 until 1981.
After retiring from formal practice, he spent his time researching applications for solar energy in building and experimenting with low-energy and low-resource retrofitting of existing houses.
14 Jansz Crescent is regarded as a significant residence by the AIA because in its component parts, it is a good example of two architectural styles.
The house incorporates a series of devices to improve its energy efficiency, generating its own solar electricity, ventilating and cooling itself without cost or pollution and treats its own gray water for irrigation.
Wrigley wrote, designed and self-published Making Your Home Sustainable in June 2004, describing the various low-energy features of the Mawson house.