Adaptive Reuse of Urban Religious Heritage A Historical Perspective from the Centre of Turin

The adaptive reuse of underused or abandoned historical buildings is an emerging topic in both academic research and architectural practice, particularly in relation to religious heritage, the cultural significance of which is often threatened by inappropriate reuse strategies. Given the high concentration of churches in the European—and especially Italian— historic urban landscape, effective reuse and mixed-use strategies for urban religious heritage can play a crucial role in social and cultural dynamics by integrating historical and cultural values with the transforming needs of contemporary urban communities. Research in this field, however, tends to focus on case studies of singular adaptive reuse projects, which limits a systemic understanding of the issues and the interplay between reuse strategies and broader urban dynamics. This paper, therefore, offers a systemic reflection on the practices of reuse of religious heritage on an urban scale, examining their potential social, cultural and economic impacts on the urban context. The historic urban landscape of Turin (Italy)— capital city from 1563 to 1864—serves as the case study, owing to its urban religious system characterized by a high density of churches (over thirty) and by increasing phenomena of underuse. These conditions have led to the implementation of various mixed-use strategies, with differing degrees of effectiveness in terms of the conservation and enhancement of the architectural, religious and cultural values of the buildings. A critical analysis of this phenomenon from a systemic perspective, carried out within the scope of the ChiesTo research project at the Politecnico di Torino and grounded in the interpretation of historical and documentary sources on architectural interventions undertaken on churches over the past quarter century, makes it possible to reflect on the effectiveness and adaptability of the reuse and mixed-use interventions implemented. This reflection, which opens up a range of questions, also offers insights for the systemic planning of strategies for the reuse of religious heritage, aimed at promoting environmental sustainability, social inclusion and the resilience of urban communities undergoing transformation.