Transitional form of industrial mixed-use

The re-adaptation, re-use or mix-use of buildings is not a prerogative of these years and has a long and complex history. Indeed, in the past, the dilapidated buildings or those no longer suited to their original function have been revisited in terms of spatial, functional and stylistic characters. Speaking of reuse and mix-use includes a reflection about the shape of the city. In particular, the transition from an industrialized city to a post-industrial one brings with it the characteristics of dismission and re-use, passing through practices of urban, social and economic policies. This work presents a research-based on studies about mix use of industrial areas inserted into the urban fabric in Tortona district in Milan. This case study appears as fertile ground for considerations regarding this type of transition, from industrial and worker district to cultural and productive district. The investigation on the simultaneous presence of manufacturing processes and other use of the space (residential, offices, cultural or exhibition places) is necessary to understand if economic changes and urban policies affect the spatial configuration of a part of the city. The on-going research is conducted through the comparison of Tortona maps in different periods and at different scales to highlight change over time and morphological transformations.