UN FUTURO IN “RIMESSA”. IL “BERZOLLA” DI PIACENZA TRA MEMORIA E WELFARE

The former “Berzolla” locomotive depot in Piacenza represents an emblematic case of urban and environmental regeneration applied to disused industrial heritage. Built in the early 1930s by architect Pietro Berzolla next to the Farnese walls, the Liberty/Rationalist-style building originally served as the depot and terminus of the SIFT electric tramway, a crucial hub for provincial mobility. After the closure of the tram line and a partial reuse as a bus station, the complex fell into neglect, despite having been listed as a cultural asset since 1993. For more than two decades, the absence of a shared vision and fragmented interventions prevented its reuse. Only from the 2000s, through the “Federalismo demaniale” framework and funding from the “Bando Periferie,” did the Municipality of Piacenza launch a structured regeneration project aimed at transforming the depot into a public service hub to house the city’s Social Services offices. This contribution retraces the stages of this process, highlighting the value of industrial reuse as a driver for spatial justice, urban cohesion, and environmental sustainability.