The pop-up village, which was announced in July and expected to launch in time for Floraide, will host a roof-top bar, retail spaces and cafes as part of an $800,000 ACT Government initiative to draw new visitors to the area.

Ronan Moss, who is the chief designer of the project, said construction delays had caused some frustrations but he remained confident the project would be an exciting addition to Canberra.

"This is obviously a very exciting project for Canberra as it will establish a new cultural precinct and we've been working on this for the past six to 12 months," he said.

"The area will be based on the concept of a shipping precinct but there will be a bespoke element to it with lookout towers and around 3000 pieces of steel."

Mr Moss said the precinct would be based around the futsal slab area near Commonwealth Avenue – which was championed by Chief Minister Kate Carnell in the 1990s – and feature a four-story structure with bar and food facilities.

The project will be built and managed by the Stomping Ground Collective, which includes some of the minds behind popular Braddon cafe Lonsdale Street Roasters.

Stomping Ground Collective spokesman Terry Shaw said the precinct should be open in time for Canberrans to enjoy "a fantastic summer experience".

"We've had really good support from the National Capital Authority and the ACT Government who have been encouraging and backing the innovation which will hopefully get national and international attention," he said.

Shipping container designs had been used in similar projects in New York, London and in the wake of the Christchurch earthquakes.

Mr Shaw said the delays were "process and design driven" and were not related to planning provisions or approval.

"I guess when you do something that's a bit innovative and out of the box you want to make sure you get it right and I was happy to delay it given this is a significant project for Canberra," he said.

Mr Moss said the precinct was going to be a "pioneering project" for Canberra with the ACT Government throwing their support behind the initiative.

"We've been through a long consultation process with the National Capital Authority and we've moved forward with a design that is suitable for the context, he said.

A year-round calendar of events is planned for the park, which will also feature a large digital screen for live broadcasts, free public Wi-Fi and low-rent retail spaces for artists, designers and other local traders.

ACT Treasurer Andrew Barr said the development would link tourism promotion with branding for the city and provide new opportunities for local businesses and creatives.

"We are keen to see local businesses, local food and wine, local entrepreneurship celebrated and this will provide a low cost entry point into an emerging market for a number of these players," he said.