Working Heritage. By working the past we work the future

This exhibition forms a part of the European Programme "Culture 2000" Working Heritage, which analyses the future of this heritage in different historical industrial centres of Europe. The programme comprised a series of seminars to present studies and analyses as to the issues of the urban industrial structures of the cities and colonies covered. The aim behind the programme is to promote the conservation and integration of industrial heritage within urban renewal interventions, a challenge faced all across Europe.

The programme involves English Heritage (UK), the Direction du Patrimoine et de l’Architecture (DAPA) of the Ministry of Culture (France); the University of Padua (Italy) and the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage of the Department of Culture of the Autonomous Regional Government of Catalonia. The four countries belonging to the project have identified towns where innovative industrial practices are being developed on the basis of industrial heritage: three textile centres, the Güell Colony in Catalonia, Schio in Italy and Roubaix in France, and two metalworking centres: Terni in Italy, and the Jewellery District in Birmingham, England.

The exhibition has a structure divided into 34 panels, presenting a selection of locations in the aforementioned cities, showing how industrial heritage can play a positive role in the urban life of today and tomorrow. By comparing methods of protection and management, the participating locations aim to identify the points in common in these innovative initiatives that contribute towards success and sustainability, while also reinforcing the identity of the locations and of their inhabitants.