Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and the University of Turin, together with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and Polo delle Arti, undertake to breathe new life into a place that is both culturally and historically unique.
Turin, 19 October 2021 – Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and the University of Turin have won the auction for Lot 5 of the Cavallerizza Reale project after taking part in the call for tenders published by Cartolarizzazioni Città di Torino S.r.l.
The Lot includes the following Intervention Units: Corte delle Guardie, Ala del Mosca, Nucleo delle Pagliere, including the respective external courtyard areas of Piazzetta Vasco and Passaggio Chiablese.
The agreement between the University of Turin and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo provides for the creation of a Cultural Hub inside the Cavalleria Reale complex (the former royal stables and riding school) that will restore to Turin a fundamental part of its historic city centre.
The project provides a concrete and long-awaited redevelopment solution that is an example of how urban and contemporary innovation can be applied to the conservation of the historical and artistic heritage of an asset protected by UNESCO since 1997.
The shared objective of the University and Compagnia di San Paolo is to recover the eighteenth-century inspiration and connections in a unitary project that will offer citizens new courtyards and new pedestrian pathways across the historic centre, as well as a new access to the Royal Gardens.
“The Cavallerizza Reale redevelopment project sees the University of Turin take on a leading role that will have virtuous consequences for the whole city and the surrounding area. Not only because the University already has a presence in this area of great historical and cultural value with its Great Hall, which has been operating for years as a shared space for public cultural development and interaction with the city” – said Stefano Geuna Rector of the University – “In fact, this space is not only used to hold lectures and conferences, but also to host prestigious occasions associated with many of the great events that are the pride of Turin. A greater presence of UniTo at the Cavallerizza will also be positive for Turin because it signifies the birth of a real cultural district in the heart of the city. I would also like to underline the social and urban significance of this, given the centrality that cultural policies must play for the construction of a new model of local development. We are investing in this great enterprise with courage and vision, as we are also doing in other areas of the Metropolitan City, in the knowledge that we are operating levers that are essential for the change of course that we have been imagining for some time. Ours is an investment that opens up a new and unprecedented phase in the cultural planning of the University of Turin. The trajectories are clear, practicality is the key that distinguishes our work.”
“Today, working with our partners, we begin to design a highly innovative cultural laboratory.” – said Andrea Silvestri, General Manager of the University of Turin “The unity of purpose and the ability to network for the pursuit of common objectives is in fact the winning key to addressing the crucial challenges of an area. We will immediately start developing innovative management models that can generate attractiveness and sustainability for the new hub. We are also gearing up to deploy the resources needed for the redevelopment of the property. In this respect, the funds made available by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan are an important lever for the implementation of relaunch strategies for which we are working with great motivation.”
“The Cavallerizza Reale is a historical heritage that deserves to be redeveloped, admired and experienced by the inhabitants of Turin and tourists. We feel the responsibility of taking care of a monument made of wealth, beauty and values that can finally recover its splendour.” – said Francesco Profumo, Chair of the Turinese Foundation – “This is a highly complex challenge, made possible by joint work with the University, Polo delle Arti and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti: a team of authoritative public institutions and private individuals who share a design idea that focuses on culture and the enhancement of the landscape. All the conditions now exist to redesign a part of the city and attract further resources to restore the Rotonda Castellamontiana and Alfieri Maneggio, in order to create a link between Via Verdi and the Royal Gardens, in a space open to citizens and to artistic and cultural events.”
“The Cultural Hub that will be created at the Cavallerizza Reale will further enhance the cultural offer of Turin and the attractiveness to tourists of Turin and its historic centre.” – – said Alberto Anfossi, Secretary General of Compagnia San Paolo- “The Cavallerizza complex in fact stands a few short steps from some of the city’s main cultural institutions: the University, the Royal Museums, the Royal Theatre, the Stabile Theatre and the Museum of Cinema. This project will enhance and promote the historic link between our Foundation and these Institutions. Cavallerizza Reale will also provide space for the Foundation’s new offices, which we imagine to be open, in dialogue with the city and its inhabitants, particularly through the redevelopment of its distinctive green areas and public spaces.”