Title: From company town to 'reversed' company town: the firm's role in shaping the urban landscape: the case of Ivrea (Italy)

Authors: Cristina Simone; Antonio La Sala; Marcelo Enrique Conti

Addresses: Faculty of Economics, Department of Management, Sapienza – University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy ' Faculty of Economics, Department of Management, Sapienza – University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy ' Faculty of Economics, Department of Management, Sapienza – University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy

Abstract: The paper focuses on the phenomenon of company towns. Despite the deep impact that firms have on urban landscapes, the existing urban planning/managerial literature lacks the proper consideration of this issue. To fill this gap, this paper sheds light on how firms shape urban landscapes through categorical values, building a different model of company towns. It analyses the case of Ivrea¹ (Italy) as an interesting example of a 'reversed' company town, rooted in Olivetti's distinctive categorical values. The paper's final remarks underscore the oft-hidden role of categorical values in shaping an urban landscape's tangible dimensions.

Keywords: company town; complexity; urban landscape; urban planning; categorical values; Ivrea.

DOI: 10.1504/IJENVH.2021.122300

International Journal of Environment and Health, 2021 Vol.10 No.3/4, pp.179 - 194

Received: 23 Feb 2021
Accepted: 18 May 2021
Published online: 19 Apr 2022 *