Turin has completed the renovation of Boncompagni primary school at via Vidua 1, one of the city’s historic schools, and presented the works on 20 October 2026. The €9.5 million project, funded by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), covered the building’s structure, facades and interiors and brought it into line with current regulations. It returns renovated spaces to the school’s 175 pupils.
What the works covered
The project was drawn up and managed by the city’s School Building Service and divided into three lots.
| Lot | Funding | Main works |
|---|---|---|
| First | €6.6 million | Seismic upgrading, structural consolidation, roof, electrical and plumbing systems, facade restoration |
| Second | €1.3 million | Replacement of external windows and shading systems |
| Third | €1.6 million | Replacement of internal doors and new floors |
The first lot included strengthening masonry, floors and reinforced concrete beams, as well as the timber roof structure and the metal walkway in the courtyard. It also restored the facades on via Galvani, via Vidua, via Le Chiuse and the inner courtyard, including decorative elements and the entrance doors. According to the city, the works addressed structural safety, energy efficiency and functionality while preserving the building’s historic features.
Funding and the wider programme
The money comes from Mission 4, Component 1, Investment 3.3 of the PNRR, which is dedicated to making school buildings safe and upgrading them. The project is part of “Torino Cambia”, the urban transformation programme through which the city presents works funded by the PNRR and EU programmes. Mayor Stefano Lo Russo said the administration had decided to invest an important part of its PNRR resources in school buildings. The ribbon was cut in the presence of the mayor, councillor for education policies Carlotta Salerno, District 4 president Alberto Re and Paola Antonella Bianchetta, head of the Pacinotti school institute.
A school with a long history
The first part of the building was constructed between 1880 and 1882. It was extended in 1924 along via Vidua and via Le Chiuse and enlarged again in later years. The school was named in 1889 after minister Carlo Boncompagni di Mombello, who described it as a “rational and modern” school building with heating and a gymnasium. It is known as a probable source of inspiration for Edmondo de Amicis’s “Libro Cuore”. The head teacher said the renovated building would help strengthen the school’s historic link with the San Donato neighbourhood.