Next level luxury: The Woden development with its own business lounge and piano bar

If you thought spas, gyms, saunas and pools were the height of luxury when it came to apartment living, say hello to The Shard - a designer building in the heart of Woden that comes with a Pilates studio, a business lounge and - wait for it - a piano bar.

The 15-storey apartment complex will be erected at the intersection of Melrose Drive, and Brewer and Corinna streets, with 218 of 273 available apartments sold so far.

Due for completion in mid-2024, The Shard is the vision of Zapari Group, designed by Cox Architecture, and will be the third residential tower to rise in Woden’s central business district, joining WOVA and The Melrose.

The Shard sales agent Keenan Veraar, of LJ Hooker Project Marketing, says many Canberrans are swapping suburban homes in the neighbouring suburbs of Chifley, Lyons and Mawson for luxury and location.

The penthouse level of The Shard is attracting a diverse range of buyers, from couples and families, to members of the Canberra property industry.

“One couple we sold a Glasshouse [penthouse] to have grown up sons, so they purchased another apartment on one of the lower levels,” Keenan says.

“The face of Woden is changing significantly, and people want to be close to the action.

“Work on the Woden extension of the light rail has begun, along with a major upgrade of the Phillip CIT campus.”

According to Keenan, the demand for luxury living in the heart of Woden was obvious the moment the marketing campaign for The Shard went live.

“We had a huge focus on digital and social media advertising early on with several buyers coming through those channels,” he says.

“Word of mouth plays a big part in Canberra, especially when you’re working on a project of this size and scope.”

The artist’s impressions of life at The Shard are breathtaking. The building will feature a wine cellar and a modern retail space on the ground floor, just steps away from Westfield Woden.

With The Shard, Cox Architecture responded to Canberra’s demand for luxury living across every single one of the building’s 273 apartments, Keenan says, which all have penthouse-style inclusions like Smeg appliances and Villeroy & Bosch tapware.

“The Shard offers a level of luxury currently not on offer in surrounding developments,” he says.

“Buyers downstairs are loving the penthouse level finishes and inclusions on every floor. What’s considered elegant elsewhere is only the standard at The Shard.”