Innovation Mile, a Vision or Feasibility? Torino Innovation Mile: From a Broad Urban Vision to a Concrete Design Proposal for Strategic Investment

The objective of this thesis is a critical approach to the Innovation Mile and its shortcomings to this day, with the aim of proposing a feasible and reproducible methodological framework,seeking to bridge the gap between the quantitative and qualitative aspects studied for this specific project. The proposed approach is based on an in-depth contextual understanding of the Innovation Mile: looking at the origins and meaning of the name, the value it holds and the expectations, other contexts where the name is employed, and the historical processes that have led it to be the empty space it is today. As part of the larger Spina Centrale, which is one of the largest urban transformation projects in Turin, the Innovation Mile represents a missing piece in the city’s ongoing evolution and expanding economy. To better understand why this site has lagged behind, while neighboring projects were steadily developed and achieved economic success, a deeper investigation into the socio-economic conditions, the target community, and the key stakeholders involved is required. By examining the context in depth, it becomes possible to identify the site’s potential and to define strategies capable of activating its development. This thesis does not aim to produce a fully detailed design as its outcome; instead, it seeks to establish a key strategic, design-based framework that sets unified rules for the design space. A framework that defines clear boundaries within which investors retain the possibility and flexibility to materialize their projects, while remaining aligned with the broader vision of the Mile. Since this thesis is academic research in the field of architecture, it also benefits from a practical design component. The development therefore focuses on a strategic framework applied to just one of the two areas of the Innovation Mile, serving as an example of how the proposed model can be implemented. Spina 3 has been chosen for this purpose, as it represents the largest and most urgent case: a district that still lacks essential services and continues to suffer despite ongoing regeneration and remediation efforts. By addressing Spina 3, the thesis demonstrates how a complex and comprehensive regeneration strategy can be developed within a challenging urban context.