From Baroque Planning to Contemporary Urban Design

This Turin architecture tour is designed for visitors who want to understand why Turin is so highly regarded by architects, urban planners, and architecture enthusiasts. The city offers a rare continuity of architectural languages, clearly readable in its urban fabric, which makes Turin a true open-air laboratory of architectural evolution from the early modern period to contemporary design.

Turin developed through a series of clearly defined urban projects, starting from the Baroque period. The Savoy dynasty transformed the city into a planned capital, using architecture and urban design as instruments of political power, order, and representation: straight streets, monumental axes, and carefully designed squares.

As the city entered the age of industrial growth neoclassical architecture was widely adopted not only for public buildings, but also by the emerging industrial bourgeoisie, who used architectural language to express stability, prestige, and modernity.

In 1902, the city hosted the First International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art, the first major international event entirely dedicated to what would later be known as Art Nouveau. As a result, Turin developed one of the richest Art Nouveau heritages in Europe, with more than 500 Liberty-style buildings, including not only private residences but also public commissions.

This layered heritage dialogue today with contemporary architecture. The city has attracted internationally renowned architects for recent projects, confirming its ongoing relevance in architectural debate. A significant example is the new Metro Line 2, whose stations will be designed by the Dutch archistar Ben van Berkel.

Why choose the Turin Architecture Tour

This Turin architecture tour offers a clear overview of the city’s architectural importance. Starting from the Baroque period and moving forward to contemporary design we’ll be able to see different historical phases within a unified urban framework.

Contact me for this guided tour: mariachiara.ambrosio@gmail.com

You may want to combine this experience with the: Turin city center walking tour

Explore all possible Turin Tours with Maria: Turin City Tours