Project proposal by
- Institution : Politecnico di Torino
- City : Turin
- Country : Italy
- Type of region : More developed
- Population : 850 000
Looking for Project Partners
Many European cities are facing a growing social and urban challenge: older people are increasingly excluded from historic centres due to barriers in accessibility, mobility and services, while at the same time many heritage buildings remain vacant or underused. In heritage-rich cities, this dynamic contributes to a progressive loss of residential use and everyday urban life, with historic areas increasingly oriented towards tourism and short-term uses rather than supporting inclusive and liveable communities.
From a local perspective, cities are already addressing these challenges through different policy instruments, such as urban regeneration strategies, heritage plans, sustainable urban mobility plans or age-friendly frameworks. However, these policies are often developed in parallel, without sufficient integration between heritage reuse, accessibility and social inclusion.
This project aims to use these existing policy frameworks as entry points to test a more integrated approach. It will focus on linking heritage reuse with age-friendly urban development by improving accessibility, activating underused spaces and strengthening the connection between buildings, public space, services and local communities.
Partner cities will implement concrete pilot actions at local level, such as the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, accessibility improvements, temporary uses or service innovation. These actions will be co-designed and tested through URBACT Local Groups, involving relevant stakeholders and ensuring that solutions respond to real needs.
At network level, cities will exchange experiences, identify common barriers and refine their implementation approaches, improving governance and the delivery of integrated urban policies.
The ambition of the project is to demonstrate how heritage can support more inclusive, resilient and people-centred urban environments, preventing the loss of urban vitality in historic centres and contributing to sustainable urban development