Dellepiane Theatre

Client: Comune di Tortona
Research team: Anna Merlo, Claudia Tacchino, Marina Nicoli

The research set out to undertake a feasibility study for the reuse of the area of the former Dellepiane Cotton Mill in Tortona, an industrial complex built at the beginning of the 20th century and abandoned in the 1980s, following the bankruptcy of the Company that headed the industry.
The study starts from an analysis conducted at the social, demographic and economic level of the province of Alessandria and in particular of the Tortona area (economic and social framework, demographic evolution, tourist and hotel receptivity, heritage and cultural activities in the area) and the state of the art on the projects planned for the reuse of the former cotton mill. This first analytical phase was completed by the identification of a number of national cases of recovery and reutilization of former industrial areas, with which it was possible to carry out a benchmarking analysis, useful for identifying realities that could serve as "models" in terms of the organizational aspect of the portfolio of activities or in terms of managerial and economic-financial characteristics.
The feasibility study concluded with the development of some hypotheses for the reuse of the former Cotton Mill. In particular, two approaches were identified, namely a short-to-medium-term objective, which involved the definition of a portfolio of activities for the Dellepiane Theater, and a long-term objective, consisting of the formulation of hypotheses regarding a broader urban redevelopment project. With reference to the short-term hypothesis, three redevelopment scenarios were subsequently developed, accompanied by a comparative assessment and the definition of guidelines for the realization of the scenario chosen by the City Administration according to its strategies and priorities.