COMMON
GROUND

The project explored housing within Johannesburg’s inner city, responding to the needs of the Ethiopian and Eritrean migrant community in Jeppe. The challenge was to create more than just a place to live, looking at how architecture could support community, culture, trade and everyday life while creating a stronger sense of belonging.

I approached the project around the idea of creating a home away from home. Ethiopian and Eritrean traditions of gathering, coffee, food and trade became important parts of the design, with the courtyard acting as the social heart of the building. Public trading and gathering spaces connect to the street below, while housing sits above, creating a gradual journey from street, to gathering, to courtyard, to home. This became Common Ground, a place shaped around shared culture, community and belonging.