Common Ground East Perth
Gresley Abas are currently engaged in the design and delivery of the Common Ground project for the Department of Communities. Common Ground is a prominent and important initiative for the State Government, as one of the flagship strategies to end chronic homelessness and improve Aboriginal wellbeing. Excitingly, Development Approval has now been obtained.
It is an inclusive model and providing permanent housing for people from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds. For most tenants Common Ground will be their forever home.
For some, the apartments will be safe place where they can rebuild their lives and maybe even change their identity. For others, it will be residence which finally guarantees long term security and permanency.
The apartments will provide much needed housing for Aboriginal people to live with dignity, gain valuable life skills, training, and health support to help break the cycle of intergenerational trauma and achieve independent resilience.
“All the evidence tells us that combining safe and stable accommodation with support services is the key to breaking the cycle of homelessness”
The design aspirations for the project have been developed through an extensive consultation and engagement process with people with lived experience and the community housing and services sector. Through this process the following core design principles have been determined:
Welcoming + Friendly - A place that is welcoming, comfortable, and friendly (to all)
Well-being, dignity & joy - A healing place – where people feel good about where they live.
Safe, Secure & Privacy is Respected – Safe and secure to meet the diverse needs for all people + cultures
Social & Neighbourly – a place to build friendships and relationships
Promotes Autonomy Choice & Control – design for flexibility to nurture empowerment and self-control
Sustainable + Practical – Quality design for energy efficiency and maintenance minimization to keep costs down for residents and operators
