Common Ground is a mixed-use commercial-residential building located in the Harbord Village neighborhood in Toronto. The client, Unity Charity, is a non--profit organization that teaches hip hop to promote resilience and well-being among underserved youth. Their first brick-and-mortar location provides a dance and sound studio to host Unity’s free after-school programs, a juice bar, and residential units for youth seeking shelter. Common Ground aims to promote hip hop as a positive force in the community by encouraging passerby to engage with and learn about hip hop. The design creates moments for informal collective gathering, inspired by urban street life. The juice bar features a ceiling mural by a team of local Toronto street artists, lead by Jerry Rugg (also known as birdO).
