La Polveriera

When cities fall into crisis, they don’t just lose people — they accumulate empty, silent places. Scratched walls, locked gates, squares no one crosses anymore. But those gaps aren’t just grey stains on the map: they’re hidden opportunities for fresh energy, new stories and human connections. This is the vision driving Progetto Polveriera: to transform a former military area just steps from the historic centre of Reggio Emilia into a lively, open and plural space. Once a dead urban void, today — thanks to the Municipality and the commitment of many local social cooperatives — it’s becoming a creative, inclusive hub for the Mirabello neighbourhood. A place where culture, services and local enterprise come together to shape a different idea of city life.

Spread over 35,000 sqm with six original buildings, the area began its rebirth in 2010 when the city launched a call for projects, inviting private participation. A consortium of social cooperatives secured the concession for two former military warehouses. Instead of just making them pretty, the project aimed to restore authentic social and cultural value to what had been left behind.

The architecture, designed by Caire Consorzio and carefully protected by heritage authorities, preserves the raw industrial character of these places — turning them into 3,600 sqm of active spaces: cooperative headquarters, coworking, a centre for people with disabilities, creative labs, exhibition spaces, and a bar-restaurant. It’s design that doesn’t erase the past, but reclaims it for everyone.

The two twin buildings might look symmetrical, but inside they tell different stories. One keeps its open, rough power; the other uses a big timber mezzanine to carve out quieter corners, perfect for privacy or special needs. Inclusive design means welcoming different bodies, lives and experiences, making sure no one’s left out.

Every intervention was built dry — steel columns, prefabricated timber slabs, plasterboard walls — so spaces can evolve and adapt over time. Outside, the transformation continues: a new pedestrian piazza with outdoor seating, a green park, a fresh entrance for the nearby primary school, and new service parking.

It’s more than renovation: it’s regeneration that puts people at the centre — turning forgotten structures into vibrant places where the city can breathe, meet and create again.