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The Olympic Village plans include the building of 3 lots of residences for around 52,000 sqm. (Lots III, IV and V), services areas for around 40,000 sqm. (Lot II) in addition to a connecting pedestrian bridge with the centre of Lingotto (Lot VI). Before construction begins, preparatory work is planned to clear the area of asbestos, move the existing service ducts, demolition work, earth moving and structural consolidation of the original building.
Lot II
As part of the construction work of the Olympic Village, the preservation and renovation of the buildings located in the original central area subject to special control by the Office of Monuments and Fine Arts is planned. The purpose of the restoration and reuse of the buildings of the fruit and vegetable market is to create a service zone for the Olympic Village (logistics centre). The General Market complex in via Giordano Bruno n. 181 was built during different periods from the post-war period to the present and was enlarged according to necessity and needs. It is made up of reinforced concrete buildings divided into stalls once used for the wholesale sale of fruits and vegetables, covered with roofs in metal and reinforced concrete. These one-story structures will be used for offices, services and storerooms for foodstuffs. The arcades, also in reinforced concrete, will serve as loading and unloading bays. The buildings in the central area have an historical and architectural importance as they make up the centre of the former business and commercial complex. This complex was completed in 1934 according to a plan of the architect, Cuzzi, and comprises: a central tower, two buildings opposite with an arcade that serves as an exedra near the main entrance in via Giordano Bruno 181, and 14 reinforced concrete curved structures for communication passageways and store rooms. The renovation plan includes the enclosure of the arcades with glass walls and the realisation of multi-functional areas set aside as an international and service area for the OLYMPIC VILLAGE during the Olympics and for services for residents later on in the post-Olympic period.
Lot VI
The gangway is not only necessary to connect the area of the former General Market and the Lingotto commercial centre, but is also a symbol for Torino, host city of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. The plans include an urban area that is an integral part of the city and open to the potentiality of the Lingotto complex and railway yard. The gangway will create a pedestrian connection between the area of the former General Market and the adjoining multi-functional Lingotto centre. The above area is characterised by the presence of the General Market building: the roofing of the exhibition area (the two side sections and the main body), the storage tank tower and the "loading ramp" parallel to the railway tracks. The railway cuts the area into two sections, on one side lies the Market area and on the other the Lingotto complex. The pedestrian walkway begins next to the main body of the General Market and terminates beyond the railway near the existing gangway. Several limitations, such as the presence of the railway; influence planning of the gangway and give it its particularity: the impossibility to create any supports along the entire area occupied by the railway tracks gives the impression that the gangway is suspended like an arch and that it is only supported in the section where supports can be laid. The arch, created for structural requirements and functionality, immediately recalls the arcades of the General Market.
Lot VII
The overall plan for lot VII arises from the need to renew and make the maximum use of a large area indicated as a site that will host the Olympic Village. The main objective is to create a useful area for the Olympic and post-Olympic periods that will absolve its function in the community as a place for the inhabitants of Torino to meet and relax, and also as an outdoor area for recreation. Lot VII is the centre of the public area outside the Olympic Village. In particular, it is made up of the entire eastern part bordering the railway, and a vast central area between Lots III and IV above the existing road underpass.
Residential lots
The choice of the promoter to locate the Olympic Village in undeveloped urban areas gives the event the role of a driving force for the renewal of the entire district. Consequently, the plan was designed to give special character to the buildings so that the district would be recognizable in the future as the Olympic district, as had already happened in Torino during the 1960s with the complex for Italia '61. The Village will also function as a link between the functional district and the Lingotto complex beyond the railway, re-establishing the visual and structural continuity of this part of the city.
Lot III
The configuration of the plan for the building complex designed for Lot III of the Olympic Village is dependent on the layout of the general city plan of Torino. The structure of the houses in the lot is designed so as to create a space open in the diagonal directions and closed longitudinally. In fact, the buildings in front located on via Giordano Bruno serve as a boundary and visual barrier for the lot, creating a uniform skyline effect with the nearby structures. The lot was designed so as to create distinct private and public areas, which includes the presence of squares, roads and courtyards, and it is in these areas separating the private from the public that the various services such as transportation, leisure-time facilities and refreshment areas can be found. There are areas set asides on via Giordano Bruno for commercial activity, shops, bars and offices. In particular, the square formed by the intersection of the internal roads, in addition to being a crossroad, serves as a meeting place for the inhabitants of the district. The buildings have an area of 20.37x13.77 m with an intermediate landing of 3.10m so as to have free internal space for each unit of 2.71m. The quality of the housing units is designed in particular for the post-Olympic period, and housing regulations were strictly followed and an attempt was made to construct buildings with a well-designed heating system and soundproofing and with a modern design. Each unit has at least two areas, but what characterises them the most is that they conform to standards for the disabled. The standard unit on the ground floor is designed as a duplex, meaning on two levels, so that it can be divided into separate living and sleeping areas. The duplex on the ground floor is the best solution to optimise living space, since it enables the living area to be next to the garden, while the sleeping area above is free of noise and people passing by. The flats on the upper floors are arranged on a single floor and each is located on at least one corner of the building. From the fourth floor above, they are set back flush with the façade allowing space for marvellous terraces for the various units. Each flat has at least one balcony. The internal stairway has a noteworthy architectural design, starting from the entrance hall twice as high through the building up to the external glass walls that provide it with natural light. It takes advantage of lighting from the top of the building. The stairway also makes it possible to reach the terrace accessible to everyone from the top floor, from where there is a marvellous view.
Lot IV
Lot IV has a unified front on via Pio VII that connects the architectures of lots III and V, while the towers inside follow the square grid defined by the road that join the city district's road network. The different heights of the buildings and the variety of the façades reveal work done by international teams that, by reducing the visual impact of the complex, create unexpected spectacular settings and perspectives. The front of the buildings features bow windows, continuous projections and sunshade structures that liven up the façade with chiaro-scuro effects and are also the leitmotiv of the other lots. The windows are all full-length to ensure maximum lighting inside and the Persian blinds are designed as sliding elements that create new geometrical patterns depending on the time of day and presence or not of people in the flats. The objective of the plan for Lot IV is to meet the requirements of the twin objective of the works: on one hand the Olympic Village and on the other its transformation into residential housing. After the first phase in which the architectural complex will accommodate the athletes and will therefore be a functional structure for use during the sports events, a second phase will follow in which the Olympic building will be adapted without costly refurbishment into residential housing and the architecture will become an integral part of the city. The requirements of the Olympic Village are those of accommodation facilities that guarantee the comfort and safety of the athletes, but at the same time make maximum use of the available housing areas. Consequently, each building is designed as a hotel and organised into residential units varying in size from one to 4 rooms with at least one toilet facility suitable for a disabled person. To ensure minimum transformation costs into housing, flat types were chosen that are adaptable to future residential use without any structural modification, also as far as installations are concerned.
Lot V
Lot V borders on the northwest with via Giordano Bruno and on the southwest with via Bossoli, on the southeast with via Zino Zini and with an area set aside for the public with a bicycle lane, and on the northeast with a dividing garden in common with Lot IV. The almost square lot has a total area of about 10,234 sqm. The northeast to southwest side rises slightly with a difference in level of about 1.5m. 13 buildings are planned on the lot, eight of them along via Bossoli and Giordano Bruno, and five located inside the lot. The arrangement and configuration of the buildings is aimed at creating a variety of spaces and images. Each building, although an integral part of the total complex, stands out for its special features in size, shape, materials and decor. The internal distribution of the flats will be varied so as to obtain, according to their location, the best living and environmental conditions. The average height of the buildings is seven floors with some sections that rise to eight floors. Only a limited section of the central building will rise to nine floors with the construction of a tower that will serve as a visual landmark. All the buildings located along via Bossoli and via Giordano Bruno have commercial areas on the ground floor and are connected by a lightweight continuous arcade structure.