Changing the agenda of a city region, thanks to a landscape vision

Previously known as a one-company town, and then become a post-industrial shrinking city, Turin (Italy) reacted by embracing a new urban model of sustainable development, largely based on a landscape concept (the so-called “Green Crown”). This concept, at the beginning of this century, integrated in a unique vision (proposed by a Strategic Plan) the regeneration of brownfield, of degraded and periurban areas, the enhancement of natural and cultural heritage and of the riverbanks, the reinforcement of the ecological network and the qualification of periurban agriculture in a city region of more than one million people.
The Turin’s network of blue and green spaces was conceived, planned and implemented during the last twenty years, thanks to a process of strategic planning and governance. Some lessons can be learned. Firstly, the concept of landscape played a strategic role allowing the convergence of different actors, and of sectoral actions. In particular, the landscape vision linked the cultural and the natural heritage in multifunctional projects. Secondly, the definition of spatial plans were turning points. The analysis focuses on the spatial planning tools, and their interrelation at different scales, ranging from the urban scale up to the metropolitan and regional level.
The landscape concept of the Green Crown was disseminated and shifted from the arena of landscape and environmental professionals to the general public. Initially based on a regional program, funded by EU structural funds, Green Crown has now several follow up in programs and initiatives led by different actors, including a project focused on ecosystem services.
The aim of the proposed paper is to show how a strategic planning process contributed to the achievement of landscape quality objectives , in a Country, such as Italy, where landscape is usually a matter for protective regulations and regulatory planning. Actual problems of management and future perspectives in the system of governance will be outlined.