Turin: the new Parco del Valentino is unveiled to the city

The urban renaissance of Turin begins with the new Parco del Valentino. The section of Viale Mattioli connecting Valentino Castle to the Promotrice delle Belle Arti was officially opened this morning, in the presence of Mayor Stefano Lo Russo and the Councillor for Green Spaces, Francesco Tresso. A key milestone in the long collaboration between the City of Turin and LAND, the inauguration gives tangible form to the “ecological, urban, and architectural restoration project” – as defined by Andreas Kipar – for the park, which began last March.

“Every project of ours starts from a story, and today we are reaping the rewards of our commitment to the city and its institutions,” said architect Kipar. “If 25 years ago we were redeveloping brownfields, today we are regenerating the city’s jewels. Breaking the asphalt means restoring our relationship with the land, even in historic parks. The permeable pavements and trees embody the ethical need to bring nature back to the city, combined with the aesthetic aspect of living daily with the beauty of this nature. Turin is on its way to becoming a nature-positive city, and we are proud to contribute to this journey.”

The plan for the new Parco del Valentino involves, over an area of approximately 20 hectares, the removal of 65,000 square meters of asphalt, to be replaced by 36,000 square meters of permeable pavements and over 20,000 square meters of new grassy areas. Additionally, 555 new trees will be planted, and the width of the main boulevards will be reduced from 16-20 meters to 9 meters.

Within the first section, 9,000 square meters of asphalt were removed, making way for about 7,200 square meters of permeable pavement and 4,500 square meters of new lawns. Around the 540-meter-long stretch along Viale Mattioli, 122 trees and over 600 shrubs have been planted. The intervention also included the refurbishment of the Mattioli fountain and the creation of a limited traffic zone (ZTL) at the intersection with Corso Massimo d’Azeglio, helping to return the park to people at the expense of cars.

Maximizing soil permeability will ensure citizens have safe, accessible, and functional spaces, while preserving the historic nature of the site and enhancing its landscape structure in a climate resilience perspective. Through the removal of existing physical barriers, the park will be able to interact with the new Civic Library of Torino Esposizioni and provide residents and visitors with various spaces that will foster social interaction and cultural enrichment.

The redevelopment of Parco del Valentino, conceived as a connecting element between the urban fabric and the grandeur of the Po River, echoes the municipal project for the river’s revitalization – also in terms of navigability – a symbol of nature entering the city as a driving force for socio-economic rebirth and a true infrastructure combined with the city’s green spaces.

The technical and economic feasibility plan, presented in November 2022 by a team that also included TRA Architetti, ICIS, RECCHI Engineering, BMS, and GAe Engineering, was followed by the development of the executive project, involving Consorzio Stabile A.L.P.I., MTA Associati, and AG&P Greenscape for the works.

Fully funded by the City of Turin with PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) funds amounting to 13 million euros, the construction site is managed in partnership with RECCHI Engineering, GAe Engineering for safety, and TRA Architetti for artistic direction of the works, with SCR Piemonte as the contracting authority. The opening of the phases is expected to take place in various stages, including throughout the next year. The completion of the works is planned for mid-2026, in line with the agenda set by the Municipality to make Turin a net-zero city by 2030.