ToNite is a project focused on improving the livability and accessibility of urban spaces in Turin, specifically during evening and night hours, particularly 2 specific areas of the city surrounding the Dora river.
During the day, services and economic activities and the general hustle and bustle of a city provide the citizen with a feeling of security due to the presence of other people on the streets. ) However, during the night these activities are considerably reduced, so the task of protecting the public falls heavily on the local authorities. In addition, like many European cities, Turin is facing rapid social change that puts increased pressure on its public spaces at night, including:

• Changes in population mix with increased cultural and ethnic diversity which have led to different connotations linked to the use of urban public spaces.
• Changes in urban lifestyles which have led to an increase in nighttime use of the city, with public spaces being employed more regularly for social gatherings, events, exhibitions, sporting events and cultural activities.
• Worsening of the socio-economic conditions with an 80% increase of people living in poverty in the city since 2008.

ToNite aims to develop solutions which will help both local authorities and citizens to understand the evolving demands on public spaces at night. The project will concentrate on high density areas (which are often associated with high noise levels, street fights, public drinking and disorders) as well as low density areas.

In order to achieve its objectives, the project will involve 4 main activities:

• Conduct ethnographic and social enquiries in target neighbourhoods to:

• engage key stakeholders to understand the current culture of security (specifically during the night/evening)
• assess the potential positive impact of infrastructure technology that could be placed in those areas
• determine a baseline and a model to support City’s policy and services

• Develop an improved and integrated technology infrastructure to:

• better understand urban security trends
• provide open intelligence to improve citizens’ perception of security

• Co-design with communities opportunities for urban regeneration (including services aimed at improving social cohesion and public safety at night)
• Monitor and assess the impact of such solutions throughout the duration of the project to ensure actions are in line with project objectives.

• Ethnographic and social research on local perception of urban security at night-time
• Engagement and empowerment of local community and stakeholders
• Data-driven multidisciplinary approach to urban challenges

Efus will support and guide the City of Turin in making its actions transferable, not only in Italy and France, but also in other European countries. Efus has provided European examples to inspire a plan for long-term sustainable and integrated security in Turin.

Efus will hold a webconference (in French only) on Wednesday 28 June 2023 on how to develop innovative and participatory solutions to understand the specific nature of night-time uses, manage public spaces and improve residents’ feeling of security at night.

This webconference is organised as part of the EU-funded ToNite project, coordinated by the City of Turin with Efus, the Torino Wireless Foundation, Engineering, Experientia, SocialFare, Espereall and the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI).

The example of the City of Turin

Speakers:

Simone d’Antonio, National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) and Stefano Di Polito, Director and Head of Community Involvement, Espereal Technologies

Through this webconference, participants will be able to draw on the results of activities implemented within the ToNite project in Turin and foster exchanges about the implemented methodology for research and data production, the participation of local residents, neighbourhood regeneration, and the set up of local services at night.

🔗 The webconference will be held in French only: Register here.

Led by the Municipality of Turin (COTO), the project gathers apart from Efus, the Torino Wireless Foundation (TOWL), Engineering (ENG), Experientia Limited Company (EXP), SocialFare (SOFA), Espereal Technologies (ESP) and the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI)