Urban regeneration: Italy wins big at the European Heritage Awards 2026

Urban regeneration: Italy wins big at the European Heritage Awards 2026

Italy received five of the 30 prizes awarded at the European Heritage Awards 2026, part of the EU's Creative Europe programme. The recognized initiatives show how heritage-led interventions can drive urban regeneration and strengthen social ties.

Highlighted projects recovered disused areas and historic complexes, turning them into vibrant, community-oriented places:

• DumBO (Distretto Urbano Multifunzionale), Bologna: redevelopment of a 40,000 m² former railway site using minimal and reversible interventions to host workshops, affordable offices and cultural activities.
• Polirone Monastic Complex, San Benedetto Po: post-earthquake restoration that redefined the site’s functions, making it accessible for events, education and civic initiatives.
• ASRI – National Historical Archive of Italian Restorers: winner in the Research category for creating a public database of private restorers’ archives.
• HIMASS: an international summer school linking modern structural analysis with traditional geometric principles for masonry buildings.
• Intorno a Minerva, Breno (BS): conversion of an archaeological park into a space for intercultural exchange, involving refugees, students and local communities.

Collectively, these examples underline that heritage conservation can be an engine for local development: by listening to communities and adapting uses, the past can help build inclusive and sustainable urban futures.