The Common Ground

Edessa Salci

Pedestrian activity plays a heavy influence on the layout of program. As you walk through the vibrant streets of Crown Heights, you can’t help but notice the bustling energy that surrounds you.

Approaching the community building, the main entrance is located on the West side of the site, Nostrand Avenue. This is because the north side of the site can be perceived as the louder side as it is wrapped by the surrounding streets, whereas on the south side there are buildings in between the site and Empire Boulevard.

The entrance is situated on Nostrand Ave and acts as a common ground, bringing together the high sound traffic of the North side of the building and the lower sound traffic of the South side. The theme of the building follows the surrounding context, with a focus of loud vs quiet spaces on the exterior and high activity vs low activity program in the interior.

View of courtyard: common ground

The North side of the building is a hub of activity, with program that’s suited to the heavy pedestrian traffic that passes by.

As you move to the quieter South side of the building, the pace slows down considerably as the program is designed to be more relaxed. In the center of the building, you notice another common ground, the courtyard, that that’s designed to emphasize community, tying together the loud and quiet programs, and creating a sense of unity and togetherness.