Planning for local development through the valorization of Cultural Heritage: the Master Plan for the Stupinigi Royal Palace and Park (Nichelino, Turin)

The paper presents the project experience of the Master Plan of Nichelino Municipality as a spatial and functional planning application for Southern Turin Region. It is an original design proposal for the urban form and landscape development, integrating the Park and the Royal Palace of Stupinigi in the management of social, economic and environmental resources at regional and local level. Starting from this, the paper aims at discussing the relevance of the cultural attractors as a key resource for more sustainable territorial structure. The project proposal for Stupinigi Royal Palace and Park enhances existing buildings and public spaces for generating cultural, social and economic benefits for the Municipality of Nichelino in a period of recession and industrial crisis. The valorization of cultural heritage can represent a key tool for local development if it is able to strengthen the site identity, enhancing environmental potential and attracting new investors - promoting a new economic profitability and increasing new vocations of the territory.