Canberra's iconic bus shelters inspire the design for proposed Civic towers

Bulum Group has lodged a development application for the two buildings on the corner of University Avenue and Marcus Clarke Street.

One of the buildings features curved balconies inspired by Canberra's iconic bus shelters, the application states.

Together the two buildings would include 155 residential apartments, designed with first-home buyers and investors in mind.

The proposal includes two RL617 towers, one being 14 storeys tall and the other 15 storeys, with a five-level basement connecting them underneath.

RL617 refers to 617 metres above sea level, equal to the base of the flag pole of Parliament House and the maximum building height allowed in the city centre under the National Capital Plan.

On the ground floor, six commercial and retail spaces would be included.

Bulum Group owns blocks 2 and 7, section 5 City, where the new buildings are proposed, but will look to purchase block 8, which sits between the two, from the ACT government.

It would allow the group to also develop a public space between the buildings, Bulum Group development manager Nick Merriman said.

"It's going to be a multi-use kiosk that can be used for Friday sundowners, it could be a place you can hire out," he said.

"A lot of those public spaces [in Civic] are great for sitting around having sandwiches and things like that.

"We believe that what we've put forward is going to really harness it and make it a place people want to congregate as a community."

The basement is proposed to sit underneath all three blocks and would include 223 car parking spaces, six motorcycle spaces and end-of-trip facilities.

The blocks currently house the 14-storey AON building, a two-level car park and the eight-storey CML building.

The ageing buildings would be demolished to make way for two distinct buildings.

Tower A, closest to University Avenue, would feature copper and horizontal concrete finishes, while the bus shelter-inspired tower B would include green bricks and perforated metal details.

The application states tower B is intended to be "more playful" and draws inspiration from "the iconic Clem Cummings bus shelters, employing elements of the iconic curvilinear motifs in their form".

Mr Merriman said the apartments would be large one-, two- and three-bedroom options at prices that would appeal to first home buyers and investors.

He said the development was in an "unbelievable location" with some apartments offering views to Black Mountain and in close proximity to the proposed light rail extension.

Bulum Group will also seek to vary the crown leases to add multi-unit housing, shop, cafe, health facility and hairdresser to their uses.

Public comments on the application close on January 31, 2024.