Special public-private partnership

This paper shall analyze a legislative tool aimed at promoting cooperation between public, private, and third-sector players for the purpose of conserving and valorizing built cultural heritage. Such tool was established by the Italian Lawmaker by the name of “special public-private partnership” (partenariato speciale pubblicoprivato) through Article 151, Paragraph 3 of Legislative Decree No. 50 of April 18, 2016. Considering that special public-private partnerships have only recently undergone regulation and in light of the frailness fatally inherent to the history marking the collaboration between public and private entities even as to the standard forms of public-private partnership, this study will describe heritage partnerships by means of a literature review, focus on their potential and limitations, and analyze some case studies with special reference to the extent to which they may lend a valid contribution to preventive or planned conservation activities. What became apparent is that the two forms of partnership mentioned hereinabove are indeed mutually complementary, with each one of them featuring different strengths, weaknesses, objectives, and contexts of reference. If developed properly, both standard and special partnerships are well-suited for achieving heritage building reuse and revitalization.