Reuse of Cultural Heritage in Bergamo: A Dialogue between Public and Private

Abstract

In contemporary cities, certain sites of historical significance may assume a renewed communal role through the provision of functions that serve collective and cultural interests. This is particularly evident in state-owned properties, which are often subject to adaptive reuse processes. Such places, emblematic in nature, are rehabilitated and reintegrated into the social fabric through complex regeneration strategies.

This contribution examines two notable examples of reuse that emerged from dialogue between public institutions and private stakeholders. The analysis focuses on two interventions concerning historic architectural complexes in Bergamo’s Upper Town: the former Sant’Agata Prison, designated for social housing in combination with cultural facilities and a prison museum, and the Carmine Monastery, which has accommodated the Teatro tascabile di Bergamo since 1996. Both projects illustrate the interaction between public and private actors in adaptive reuse processes, fostering a synergy between accessibility and the valorisation of public heritage.