An artist’s impression of The Shard from Melrose Drive. Images: Cox Architecture.
The top two floors of Zapari’s planned 16-storey mixed-use development in Woden will boast nine penthouses with sweeping views of the city.
The Canberra developer has officially launched its $170 million project – dubbed The Shard, which will inject a further 288 apartments into the Woden Town Centre, this time on the western edge opposite Westfield, and following on from Grand Central Towers near the interchange, its joint project with Geocon.
Zapari has contracted national construction firm Icon to build the project
The penthouses, ranging in price from $1,375,000 to $2,200,000, are being pitched as The Glasshouse collection, with six of them double storey with spiral staircases and private elevator access. The largest, at 314 square metres, will have five bedrooms and four bathrooms.
For those not quite in that price bracket, the average size apartment is 85sqm which Zapari says is significantly larger than the competition.
Approximate prices include a one bedroom apartment starting at $350,000 up to $420,000; two beds and one bathroom from $400,000 to $488,000; two beds and two bathrooms from $480,000 to $650,000; and three beds and two bathrooms from $675,000 to $950,000.
Zapari reduced the number of apartments from 400 after feedback from the National Capital Design Review Panel and the Woden Valley Community Council, allowing for larger apartment sizes and balconies.
It lodged a development application last December and plans to start construction on the Cox Architecture designed project next year, with completion expected in 2024.
The development will transform the corner bounded by Melrose Drive, Brewer and Corinna Streets, currently occupied by ageing three-storey buildings with a swag of retail tenancies totalling 650 square metres.
Zapari CEO Nick Skepev said his vision for the area was to bring vibrancy, activity, colour and some much-needed ‘bustle’ to the worn-out area.
“For that, I knew we needed people to want to call Woden home,” he said.
“Moreover, the opportunity to enhance the lifestyle in the town centre would serve to relieve pressures in surrounding suburbs, and arguably, other town centres and the CBD.”
Zapari wanted to introduce a well-designed and attractive building representative of Woden’s future, as the Town Centre continues to develop skyward.
Director at Cox Architecture, Ronan Moss said The Shard offered a new level of detail and refinement for Woden Town Centre.
“Cox have made a meaningful and iconic contribution to this important catchment area of Canberra. Our vision was to create a transformational building, one that doesn’t meet the status quo and has a bold and adventurous spirit,” he said.
Every view of the building is different. The Corinna Street side has strong human scale with retail frontage designed for pedestrian shopping. From Melrose Drive five elegant and tall glass elements, reminiscent of a shard of glass, will be a landmark, while from Brewer Street the building adopts a more residential character.
Residential amenities include a piano room, business lounge, wine cellar dining room, gym, yoga and Pilates room, wellness studio with cold plunge pool and sauna as well as rooftop access to gardens, outdoor lounges and a spa.
LJ Hooker is marketing the project and its Director of Projects ACT Andrew Ligdopoulos said residents would experience a vibrant urban lifestyle near government departments, retail, entertaining, dining and transport.
“The Shard is spacious, functional and has flexible layouts designed for owner-occupiers with inclusions and amenity well above other developments in the area,” he said.
“Buyers will have access to notable views from the upper-levels and rooftop. On the outset, the iconic façade will have impressive street presence.”
“Apartments are increasingly appealing to the market because they are often in more central locations and provide a ‘lock up and go lifestyle’ with minimal to no maintenance, good security, abundant amenities and shared rates.”
The formal release will coincide with the opening of the display centre in about four weeks but expressions of interest and deposits are being taken now.
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