Wilson was the oldest of three children: his sister Joan and his brother Godfrey, who became an Anglican bishop.
[1] During World War II, he trained as a pilot in Florida for the Fleet Air Arm.
[1] After graduating, Wilson left New Zealand and worked in London[1] for Ramsey, Murray, White and Ward (the firm of two New Zealand ex-pats Keith Murray and Basil Ward), as well as for Sir Hugh Casson and the London County Council.
A recent book, "Four Architects", celebrates Wellington architecture and includes several of Wilson's designs.
In 1984, Wilson became the founding co-ordinator of Architects Against Nuclear Arms and was also a member of the Pacific Institute of Resource Management and the National Consultative Committee on Disarmament and Abolition.