Preserving the past, designing the future: cultural revival through historic shops on Turin’s Commercial Heritage

Historic shops are commercial establishments recognized for their economic, historical, social, and architectural value. This typology, which thrived in 19th-century, introduced a concept of "museums of hospitality," where architecture became a medium for both sales and display. Within the context of the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of railway networks across European cities, economic growth encouraged these establishments to showcase new products in increasingly elaborate architectural forms. This study examines the architectural typology of historic shops in the city of Turin, emphasizing key features of storefronts and display cases that characterize this heritage. A historical framework was established through a review of available bibliography, which highlighted the scarcity of recent studies on this subject and underscored the need for a contemporary reassessment of these heritage sites. Via Po was selected as the primary study area due to its historical significance, the architectural continuity of its arcades, and its longstanding role in Turin's urban landscape. The study includes an inventory of shops along this axis, identifying those that meet criteria for classification as historic based on their storefronts and display cases. Following this preliminary survey, a specific urban block was selected for detailed analysis, including its architectural composition and the historic shops within. From this analysis, Caffè 101, a historic shop in need of renovation, was chosen as a case study. The project proposes an architectural and interior redesign of Caffè 101, integrating a contemporary use as a flower shop to reinforce its historic value. This adaptive reuse approach retains essential features of the historic shop typology while incorporating modern design elements, thus maintaining its relevance and continuity within Turin's urban fabric.