Library, community, inclusion. The New Cottolengo Library as an urban regeneration project

Abstract

The article presents the New Cottolengo Library project, a public library currently under development in Turin, conceived as an integrated initiative that combines building restoration, bibliographic enhancement, and social regeneration. Starting from the adaptive reuse of a disused building and the valorization of a historical collection, the project aims to create a cultural and social infrastructure capable of impacting the urban regeneration processes of the Aurora district, an area marked by significant social and cultural complexity and ongoing transformation. The article examines the model of collaboration between institutional actors, third-sector organizations, and the academic sphere, highlighting how this synergy represents a key factor for the project’s long-term sustainability, innovation, and governance. It also explores the profile of the future library in relation to the needs of the local community, with particular attention to issues of access to knowledge, social inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and active citizen participation. Through a methodological approach that integrates contextual analysis, collection research, and service design, the article emphasizes the role of the library as a mediator between heritage, accessibility, and engagement. In this perspective, the New Cottolengo Library is framed not only as a place of preservation but as a dynamic and inclusive space capable of fostering social cohesion, cultural production, and civic empowerment, contributing to the contemporary debate on the evolving role of public libraries in processes of inclusion and urban transformation.