Overview

DiWine Path Summer School 2026 is an international educational program organized by Politecnico di Torino that explores the relationship between climate resilience, vineyard heritage, rural landscapes, and innovative territorial strategies. The program focuses on Valle Maira in Piedmont, Italy, where historic agricultural landscapes are being studied through architectural, environmental, and technological perspectives.

The summer school investigates how climate change is transforming mountain territories and how these fragile landscapes can be regenerated through interdisciplinary approaches. It combines architectural research, landscape analysis, digital surveying, and field-based activities to explore new possibilities for rural development and heritage preservation.

The program connects strongly with contemporary architecture practices by examining how built heritage, natural systems, and territorial planning can work together to create resilient environments. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Focus

DiWine Path Summer School 2026 focuses on the recovery and enhancement of historic vineyard landscapes through innovative design and planning methods. The program studies how rural heritage can become a resource for economic, social, and environmental regeneration.

Participants explore topics including landscape transformation, climate adaptation, agricultural heritage, rural architecture, geomatics, 3D surveying, mapping techniques, and slope stability analysis. These methods support a deeper understanding of how territories can be documented and transformed through integrated planning strategies.

The program also examines relationships between landscape identity and design, highlighting how contemporary interventions can respect historic environments while introducing new functions and experiences. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Highlights

The summer school combines online lectures, on-site research, laboratory activities, and final project development. Participants will work on a case study focused on Lottulo in Valle Maira, developing ideas for a hiking trail that connects the historical characteristics of the wine landscape with future uses.

The program includes lectures from specialists in architecture history, geomatics, architectural engineering, landscape ecology, climate studies, and heritage documentation. Participants will also engage with field investigations and digital analysis methods.

The educational approach creates a connection between territorial research and contemporary interior design thinking by exploring how human experience, cultural identity, and spatial environments influence one another. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Audience

The program is intended for Master’s and PhD students from Italian and international universities, particularly those interested in architecture, landscape studies, heritage conservation, territorial planning, and environmental design.

The summer school accepts a maximum of 15 participants and awards 3 ECTS credits upon completion. It is designed for participants interested in interdisciplinary research and practical exploration of rural and historic landscapes. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Event Details

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

DiWine Path Summer School 2026 presents architecture as a tool for understanding and regenerating vulnerable landscapes rather than only designing individual buildings. The program reflects a broader shift toward territorial thinking, where architecture, ecology, technology, and cultural heritage operate together.

For architecture professionals and students, the importance of the program lies in its approach to rural areas as active environments with social and environmental value. The use of digital surveying, mapping technologies, and climate analysis demonstrates how contemporary practice can support heritage preservation while responding to future challenges.

By focusing on vineyard landscapes and mountain communities, DiWine Path highlights a different dimension of architectural work: designing relationships between people, nature, and existing territories. This approach represents a growing direction in sustainable design where regeneration becomes as important as new construction.