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ew life for an ancient place is the goal. The vitality of the ancient district of Bergoglio, inserted with new sap in the formal architectural and environmental context of the Citadel of Alexandria, born on its ashes. An ancient civil settlement “lent” to the military world which returns, in the 21st century after more than two centuries, to a third life of civil activities this time of international amplitude. Here is explained the title that dresses up the program: “Bergoglio 3.0 • new life for an ancient place“.
The project is aimed at the complete structural and functional recovery of the Citadel for its regeneration, cultural enhancement and public use.
The project is entirely financed by the private sector, since from the first phase of startup installation. An investment of about 25 million euro has been planned, the project does not postulate any direct public financial involvement. The complex development program, resulting in investments of around 400 million euro, consists of twenty years for the complete structural and functional recovery. Appropriate economic engines have been appropriately identified which will be implemented and which will permanently feed the demanding spending requirements.
Not just a “monument charity”, but ideas to achieve profit. An indispensable opportunity to relaunch the labor market and the local cultural offer and to build a new system of skills, relationships and professional opportunities and employment. We believe that wealth cannot be «asked for», but has to be generated. Culture needs economic autonomy and independence from the public institutions whose mission should be to control, to support and to «put in condition to». It is necessary to create the right conditions to ensure the long term maintenance and success of such a Project, in complete autonomy both economically and energetically, regardless of any public contributions, national and/or supranational.
The program isn’t just about transforming the Citadel
in a simple container for large events.
Bergoglio 3.0 has the ambition to develop, first case in italy, a true Citadel of cultural and creative sectors promoted by technology and innovation labs that can activate a unique and competitive european circuit.
Wealth cannot be “asked for”, but has to be generated: culture needs economic independence from the public institutions, favoring both national and supranational public savings.
A big Cultural Project, a massive cultural gathering, the restoration of the Citadel, new life for the city, creating and connecting multiple events, promoting the Citadel year round for a major international summer musical event. Drawing in national and foreign tourists to Alessandria and receiving an influx of attention otherwise not achievable, for the town and the Citadel itself and the whole Piedmontese area. The festival would allow employment of over 1,500 people and the fortress would benefit millions of euro each year for redevelopment and enhancement. All powered by a virtuous private enterprise, with a paramount sense of State and Community, with a long-term vision and with enough resources to ignite the initial economic engine.
We came to the conclusion that a Public–Private Partnership-based Governance can actually and concretely ferry the Citadel towards unprecedented results. The State, in agreement with its various institutional forms and in consultation with competent local public entities through a Memorandum of Understanding, exercises its controlling role over the work of the private and may intervene with additional funding or facilitate the support of other European financing channels. The private, instead, can focus on providing the right and appropriate skills, drawing its efficiency from more agile and market-proof experience leveraging the resources of investors that are ready to take action.
We are so far from wanting some kind of private speculation:
the Citadel of Alessandria is a monumental asset of the State,
and an invaluable international cultural treasure.
This must remain in the highest meaning of the term.
It is important to emphasize how much the project is designed not to be exclusive but inclusive. We think that Public–Private Partnership could be the right way, the right perspective to achieve all these challenging, overwhelming and fascinating targets. Not for us but for generations to come.
he future of the Citadel of Alessandria, the main meta-destination of use, will be that of becoming a great open european building site of knowledge. a cornerstone on which to build the meaning of cultural heritage in the 21st century, on urban regeneration methodologies. a different way of thinking (and living) energy and (t)ec(hn)ological transition: a new cultural ecosystem. it will be a constantly evolving building site, open to research and innovation. a living testimony of the past leaning towards the future. a new legacy that will outlast us for generations to come
