The purpose of the ethnographic and social research led by Tonite during these months is to understand the perceived local level of insecurity and of the quality of life throughout the neighborhoods of Aurora and Vanchiglia.
The report – made by Tonite’s partner Experienitia – is the result of different research activities which have been carried out with on-the-field qualitative and quantitative methods in a time period between November 2019 and may 2020.
The research project highlighted the presence of perceived level of insecurity in the specific area of Lungo Dora Aurora, especially during night hours, as well as specific zones and places like Lungo Dora Napoli, Lungo Dora Savona, corso Giulio Cesare, Pont Carpanini and Ponte Mosca. There are several local communities in Aurora, some of which not integrated with the rest and among which occasions of exchange and meeting are scarce.
The perceived insecurity in Vanchiglia is definitely less overwhelming, with the exception of few places where street lighting and intensity of frequentation are scarce.
Both areas have a rich associative tissue and a strong sense of belonging. These two characteristics will be the starting point of Tonite’s actions, which will be operating on the existing potential in order to promote mechanisms of participated care, strengthening of the social bond and of the social cohesion.
Green areas and open spaces, urban vacancies, street lighting and mobility. Within these macro-groups, participants to the ethnographic research have indicated the zones to consider for opportunities of neighborhoods improvement and regeneration.
Improvements to the care and the cleaning of parks or the sides of the Dora, as well as increasing street lighting represent just few of the several opportunities to make these places more habitable and attractive. By the same rationale, recovering urban vacancies, such as old industrial buildings, closed yards and railroad tracks is an opportunity to create new places of social gatherings or paths of slow mobility.
One of the possible solutions to make areas more attractive and livable is the creation of areas for pedestrians, as well as a more intensive use of the sides of the Dora river as a green pathway dedicated to sustainable mobility.
Visual maps working as a link between the research phase and the designing phase have been created. These visual maps indicate priorities onto which to organize further work and build a roadmap of interventions.
The study has found 33 opportunities, grouped in 7 thematic clusters: the valorization of the Lungo Dora, the habilitation for mixed frequentation of public space, the recovery and reuse of empty or abandoned spaces, the care of participated places, and the valorization of the local cultural heritage.
The city of Turin will have an enabling role for these opportunities by creating the conditions within which these opportunities will develop thanks to the initiative and resourcefulness of the civil society, local enterprises and associations; or an operative role, meaning a direct role.
The results of the research will provide useful elements to the next phases of the project.
