Concrete bus shelters in Canberra

Concrete bus shelters are considered an icon of Australia's capital city Canberra.^[1] Installation of the cylindrical bus shelters began in 1975 and continued into the early 1990s. At least 477 were purchased, of which 455 remained in use by ACTION buses as of 2016^[update].

The bus shelters are an example of brutalist architecture, and were designed for the National Capital Development Commission. They have proved to be hard wearing, but problems with their windows and a lack of lighting make them uncomfortable to use at times. Several variants of the design were developed, and some were installed in other cities.

While the bus shelters initially received a mixed response from the public, they are now well regarded. The shelters have been the subject of artwork and have been reproduced in the form of earrings and tattoos. Owing to their functionality and popularity, shelters are relocated to newly established suburbs when bus stops are closed.