Finding Common Ground
News 18 December 2011
In an extremely positive end to the year, GML is pleased to report the opening of the Common Ground Project—a major new development to provide permanent accommodation for the chronically homeless, located at Camperdown, Sydney.
Introduced with great success in New York in 1990, the Common Ground supportive housing model responds to the particular circumstances of vulnerable people who not only require secure long-term accommodation but also on-site support services to improve their health, wellbeing and ability to live independently.
Following the introduction of Common Ground to Australia in Adelaide and Melbourne, the Sydney site at Camperdown was chosen in July 2009. It was at this early stage that GML became involved, working with Housing NSW, architects Hassell, and the developer Grocon to progress the initiative from the concept stage, through the development approval process and finally to construction. GML provided initial heritage advice, an assessment of heritage impact, and later archaeological excavation and site interpretation concept designs.
The site has had a complex layering of nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century land uses, including factories, a church and school. In 1927 the City of Sydney developed part of the site for what at the time w as an early and progressive example of public housing. By continuing this historic use, and retaining the majority of the public housing units in conjunction with the new Common Ground building, the key heritage values of the site were conserved. Pre-construction archaeological excavation by GML also revealed a diverse collection of relics as evidence of previous developments on the site. A range of on-site interpretation 
devices, such as the use of markings and text in the floor of the new Common Ground building, illustrating the footprints of earlier buildings on the site, will enhance the residents’ enjoyment, understanding and connection to their new home, and the history of which they are now a part.
GML is proud to have been involved with such a ground breaking initiative, and congratulates the team led by Housing NSW and Grocon on the successful completion and opening of the project in November 2011.
Click here for more on the exciting and innovative Common Ground initiative