Turin is preparing to welcome an intervention of great architectural and urban value. The redevelopment project of the Ex-Manifattura Tabacchi, awarded through an international competition promoted by the Agenzia del Demanio, will be signed by Eutropia Architettura and Pininfarina Architecture, in collaboration with Weber Architects and other industry specialists, including Paisà Landscape.
The intervention is part of the broader urban regeneration of the Regio Parco district, in the northeastern area of the city, transforming the former industrial complex into a cultural, university, and residential center, strongly oriented towards sustainability and the enhancement of historical heritage.
The design concept developed by Eutropia Architettura and Pininfarina Architecture aims to establish a harmonious relationship between the existing urban fabric, the river landscape, and the site’s historical memory. The original industrial layout is reinterpreted in a contemporary key, with open and flexible volumes that connect the past with the future.
At the heart of the project is the new Archival and Cultural Hub, a space dedicated to document consultation and research, alongside the conversion of existing buildings into a modern University Hub, complete with student residences, advanced training spaces, and services dedicated to the academic community. The regeneration of industrial structures adheres to high energy efficiency and sustainability criteria, through innovative construction solutions and low-impact materials.
The intervention aims to redefine the relationship between public and private spaces, creating new gathering points within the complex. The Central Square, hosting the new archives, becomes the focal point of the entire project, organically connecting with the Binari Square, the Water Court, and the Student Residence Square. Industrial elements such as old railway tracks are repurposed and transformed into pedestrian paths guiding visitors through the site.
The buildings dedicated to archives, designed with an architectural language inspired by the original industrial structures, feature facades rhythmically marked by ribs that evoke the site’s history. The reinterpretation of double-pitched roofs with openings inspired by industrial sheds allows optimal natural light management and creates a visual dialogue with the surrounding context.
One of the main objectives of the project, developed in synergy with Paisà Landscape, is the creation of an urban landscape integrated with the existing natural system. The new urban layout includes functional and accessible green spaces, such as the Rediscovered Canal Garden, the Educational Forest, and recreational areas like the Sports Garden and the Children’s Tree Library.
Sustainable water management plays a key role in the project, with the adoption of advanced urban drainage systems including tree pits, rain gardens, and permeable surfaces. The path along the river, enriched by a water amphitheater, establishes a direct connection between the city and the natural landscape, fostering a dialogue between anthropized spaces and biodiversity.
The approach adopted by Eutropia Architettura and Pininfarina Architecture stands out for its integration between advanced technologies and the recovery of historical memory. The use of prefabricated structures assembled dry reduces construction waste and accelerates implementation times. Additionally, the use of efficient technological equipment and robotic systems for archive management ensures low environmental impact and optimized energy resource management.
The Manifattura Tabacchi will not only be a place for preservation and study but will become a true cultural and social hub, attracting citizens, students, and visitors thanks to its new architectural identity and the quality of public spaces. The adoption of an architectural language consistent with the site’s memory, combined with sustainability and functionality, will make this project a model of urban regeneration replicable in other contexts.
The transformation of the Ex-Manifattura Tabacchi in Turin represents a synthesis between historical memory and urban innovation, promoting a development model that integrates industrial heritage with new high-quality public spaces. The creation of open, accessible, and multifunctional areas will contribute to strengthening social cohesion and improving the quality of life for citizens.
Thanks to the contribution of internationally renowned architectural firms, this intervention aims to be a virtuous example of sustainable urban redevelopment, where architecture becomes a tool for enhancing the territory and generating new opportunities for Turin and its inhabitants.
For more info: www.eutropia-architettura.it
