Reviving Urban Greening in Post-Industrial Landscapes: The Case of Turin

Abstract

This paper explores the strategies for reviving urban greening in post-industrial landscapes through nature-based solutions (NbSs). The case of Turin was selected to investigate peri-urban farming practices at the old FIAT premises in the Mirafiori Sud area. Starting in the 2010s, the City of Turin launched new urban regeneration projects to transform degraded post-industrial landscapes into creative urban living labs (ULLs) for experimentation. The data were collected by reviewing the literature available from public sources, including project documents (deliverables, public reports, MOOC content, scientific articles, etc.). Interviews and focus groups with policymakers (municipality), volunteers (NGOs), and inhabitants were carried out to gather insights as primary sources. A qualitative thematic analysis was adopted to determine how NbS can be a force for enhancing multi-functionality in post-industrial areas by incorporating ULLs and green tourism as a co-creation model to connect with nature. The results showed that (1) Mirafiori Sud became a remarkable hub for co-creation projects to foster the transformation of brownfields into experimentation sites capable of hosting sustainable and inclusive solutions, (2) regenerative art practices in shared spaces play a crucial role in community engagement, (3) the support for urban agriculture initiatives could improve the ability of cities to provide alternative food (and cultural) networks. In sum, NbSs drive change in urban landscapes and promote green tourism via agricultural production.

Aula Verde (tree room) as a link between art and science to raise public awareness of nature-based solutions

“…This practice involves collaborative co-design, where public art is incorporated to align with the ecological context of NBS. This approach not only enhances environmental and economic conditions but also stimulates art-related tourism, fostering a dynamic urban landscape 39 . The ability of ecological art to raise environmental awareness among urban populations is notable, engaging the public through creative processes and fostering a deeper understanding of ecological challenges, can inspire co-creation strategies to promote "creative energy" in the design of NBS 35 .…”

“…Another project carried-out in the city of Turin (Italy) and described by Dogan et al 39 combines art and nature in NBS design to improve the environmental and economic conditions of the place, stimulating art-related tourism. Furthermore, the authors stated that the regenerative art practices in shared spaces play a crucial role in community engagement.…”

Pathways for Cleaner, Greener, Healthier Cities: What Is the Role of Urban Agriculture in the Circular Economy of Two Nordic Cities?

“…Several studies have highlighted the diverse opportunities that UA can potentially foster in terms of promoting social inclusion [66,99,100], reducing poverty and crime [9,35,101], dismantling social barriers [10,101,102], empowering women [9,102,103], preserving and maintaining traditional knowledge and cultural connections [104][105][106], supporting human health and well-being [105,107,108], and improving environmental education [10,103,104].…”

Sustainable Countermeasures for Skin Health Improvement for Green Consumers: The Utilization of Hsian-Tsao during Global Warming

“…This can be understood as related to the impact on biota redistribution. Accordingly, the Kyoto Protocol mandated specific solutions, such as reducing CO 2 levels by 7% by 2011 [1,73,[81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92]. Fossil fuel economies, population growth, and the consequent industrialization worldwide further increase the importance of green industries as they regard land use, urbanization, and agricultural productivity.…”