Seeking Common Ground: Connecting community, past and present

As a starting point, it was apparent that the building needed to be more open – both internally and to the outside community – to align with its new socio-civic program. RBA’s solution to this is one of minimal intervention. Conceptualised as a single diagonal cut across the building, this gesture does much heavy lifting to address competing needs from different occupants, draw missing connections to the site’s past and present context, and express the symbolic and functional aspects of its new programme, while supported by a tight budget.

At an urban scale, this cut forms a thoroughfare stretching from the original entrance that faces a quiet side courtyard off the main town centre promenade, to a new entrance along the promenade itself. This reorientation of the building’s frontage helps to reconnect it to the main spine of human activity while creating two separate and distinct entrances for the two organisations that shares the building. Common Ground was allocated this more public new entrance while the MSF Social Service Office was located closer to the more discreet original entrance.

On the exterior, the new entrance foyer is spacious and welcoming, recessed within the hefty volumes of the existing building. It is visually subtle with much of the exterior intentionally left untouched, save for a fresh coat of paint to give the facade an abstract and contemporary look. The humble material palette of terracotta floor tiles and vent block walls used to articulate the thoroughfare and entry allows it to blend into the context of the building - one would hardly realise that modifications had taken place at a glance.

Stepping into the inner confines of the thoroughfare is quite a visual spectacle made possible through a rich spatial experience spanning along the diagonal cut. Attention is drawn to the interplay of light and shadow between the periphery and the heart of the building, the dynamic perspective of the intersection between cut and atrium, the volume of the atrium and expanse of the floor. In short, it is at this point that you get a sense of the entirety of the building all at once. 

The large aperture carved within the vent block wall functions as a framing device that offers multiple readings. When seen from the entry, it invites an appreciation of the existing staircase, revealing its surprisingly sculptural form that is a tense balance of weightiness and lightness. The vistas also create a sense of transparency in the interiors as they guide your eyes to the entrance, breakout spaces, landing areas of the stairs, and corridors. These seemingly mundane views are reflective of Common Ground’s ethos on conversation and collaboration - after all, interstitial spaces are often where chance encounters between people happen.

With all in that place, the space planning then comes very naturally. On the ground floor, generous break out spaces take up the heart of the building and spill into the main circulation route, encapsulating the spirit of community. Partner offices are lined up along the edge of the building to offer them a public front. The second floor is mainly delegated to MSF’s office – but quiet booths made from old library shelves can be found here for people needing some privacy. Lastly, on the third floor, the language of the diagonal is echoed here, forming a pathway that connects the administrative offices. The former children’s story-telling space containing an existing projection room, has been repurposed as an auditorium. This, together with the old library shelves, creates small call-backs to the history of the space.