Ostana and Topolò are two small villages at the ends of the Alps that have a macroscopic point in common, not so obvious for the Highlands: the reversal of the trend of the demographic trend. It is not just a question of numbers, but meanings: for the re-birth of these communities it was crucial to act simultaneously both on the material dimension of the place, with the restoration and reuse of the architectural heritage, and on the intangible one, with the introduction of new activities, new functions and collective uses. The widespread design and restoration of the architectural heritage, together with the presence of aggregative and social-spatial foci is what characterizes the two experiences. These spaces, located within the settlement fabric, are configured as the reference points of the community: they are an expression of a need still present in the contemporary world, and are themselves, in turn, capable of generating new processes. Casa Juliova in Topolò and Lou Pourtoun in Ostana are the most significant social focuses of the two countries, two different ways of interpreting the reuse of local architectural heritage, both objects of a ‘memory and creation strategy’ (Choay, 1995). The two experiences demonstrate how the ‘physical’ intertwining between culture and welfare is a winning strategy in the revitalization and self-centered regeneration of the Highlands. Are marginal territories ready to face the next socio-environmental challenges?
