A musician, who is originally from The Gambia, and a young girl exchange a smile as he plays a kora; it's a harp-like instrument from West Africa.

A Norwegian woman, wearing a hijab, and a young boy walk through Tøyen Square. The square has been renovated to include cafes and restaurants.

Diners and pedestrians in Tøyen Square.

Pedestrians on a local street.

An apartment building and passersby are reflected in a puddle. The value of real estate in the area has skyrocketed because of buyer demand.

Vaterlands Park caters to a diverse crowd. What the park has in abundance is atmosphere and incident allowing very different people to casually come together for cultural and social exchanges. It’s a park where immigrants and open-minded creatives, who find the layers of culture agreeable, create an environment for socializing that is unlike any in Norway.

Deeqa Mohammed Osman, left, and Lulu Mohamed take a selfie. Luul's daughter, Ilhan Fuad Afrat, 12, waits in the foreground. The women are longtime residents of Tøyen.

Hair stylist Freddy Larssen has operated his hair salon for over 50 years. His neighbor Muluken Tabor, right, stands outside Merkata, his second-hand store, which he has owned since 2010. Muluken arrived in Norway from Ethiopia in 1997. In February 2023 he was forced to relocate his store because the landlord wanted to take advantage of the area’s growing appeal to more affluent business owners.

Freddy, center, enjoys the camaraderie of long-time customers and friends at his barbershop.

Passersby take stock of items for sale at Muluken Tabor’s second-hand store (Merkata), which he has owned since 2010; he arrive in Norway from Ethiopia in 1997. It's next door to a men's hair salon (Herrefrisør).

The store window of the former second-hand store Merkata is bare after its owner was forced to move; given the increased value of real estate in the neighborhood the building's owner wants a higher end tenant.

Graffiti, some of which express political statements, is not an uncommon sight in area.

Pedestrians walk down a secluded street.

A child walking outside a park shares laughter with another pedestrian.

Cecilie Ingebrigtsen applies makeup as she prepares to go to a local bar. Cecilie was born in Norway to a Guyanese mother and a Norwegian father. She's a long-time resident of the Tøyen area. "I never had any problems in Tøyen, but I like the changes because it feels safer," stated Cecilie.

Garad Farah gets music advice from a fellow patron at Bydelskroa Bar. Garad is originally from Somalia and arrived in Norway 30-years ago; he has lived in the Tøyen area for 20 years.

A young couple sits atop a bus stop structure listening to music coming from one of the stages at the Øya Music Festival.

A man sleeps in Vaterlands Park.

Vaterlands Park is a microcosm of Grønland before the initiation of urban renewal projects, in social class as in stigma. During a community meeting local residents complained about the sale of illegal drugs in the park and the need for renovations to make the park more child-friendly.