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Nazneem Shaji

BArch

I am an architecture student driven by cultural identity, collaboration, and design innovation. Balancing conceptual thinking with technical skill, I aim to create thoughtful, people-centric spaces that respond to context, celebrate diversity, and contribute meaningfully to the built environment.

THE COMMON GROUND – GRADUATE PROJECT

My project, The Common Ground, is a Brazilian Migrant Cultural Center in Alcântara, Lisbon. It is a spatial celebration of cultural integration and cultural celebration, deeply rooted in the symbolic and physical qualities of water, while also being inspired by the journey of water: connection and movement. The architecture expresses these values through a carefully choreographed sequence of levels, curved forms, and open connections that bring together migrants and locals in a shared cultural space
Through immersion into the rituals of exchange, this project creates a bridge between Brazilian migrants and locals of Lisbon. The space enables migrants to find their identity within Lisbon and share it with the wider community. The architecture uses water as the unifying thread — a timeless element that connects past, present, and future, weaving together people, places, and experiences across the common ground.
The project took inspiration from The Fun Palace by Cedric Price with its pioneering adaptable principles. Creating a space that reflects the migrants’ way of life through open and adaptable spaces helps to create a bridge between cultural integration and cultural celebration, while also reflecting the vibrant colors and lifestyles of the migrants.
Anchored by a large central courtyard, the design promotes openness and gathering. The courtyard acts as the heart of the project, an accessible platform for informal exchange, public performances, and spontaneous celebration. All programmatic elements are arranged around this core, with circulation designed to encourage exploration, interaction, and layered experiences allowing for various views of the Tagus river and Alcantara.
Theater Interior
Community Workshop Interior
Library Interior
Exhibition Space Interior
Hydroponic Garden
Community Kitchen
Ground Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan


This diagram depicts how The Common Ground project aims to enhance the wider socio-cultural context within Lisbon, Alcantara, including the beneficial effects for migrants, artists and the local population.

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