The Client
Italgas
Italgas is Italy's leading company in gas distribution. Founded in 1837 as the Compagnia di Illuminazione a Gaz per la Città di Torino, it has undergone several name changes over the years, eventually becoming Società Italiana per il Gas, then Stige, and finally, Italgas.
Partners
Activities performed
Project Design
Digitization Process Management System
Archive Digitization
Development of Cataloging Software Platforms
Creation of a Digitization Laboratory
OPAC Development (Online Public Access Catalog)
Creation of a Digital Library
Digital Archival Consultancy
AI and Algorithm Development for Cultural Heritage
Context and needs
Over the years, Italgas has accumulated a vast amount of archival documentation. Surprisingly, it has also built a valuable art collection of cultural and economic significance. The leadership at Italgas recognized the importance of preserving and enhancing this wealth of heritage, leading to the creation of Heritage Lab—a space for knowledge, experimentation, and innovation focused on Italgas' historical and cultural heritage. Through digitization, two centuries of history are now looking towards the future. Heritage Lab represents a distinctive model in Italy—a digitization lab that not only aims to recover and organize the historical archive of a major company but also transforms it into a valuable business asset and shares it with the broader community.
The Project
Making the Italgas Historical Archive accessible is a monumental task. The archive consists of an initial core of one kilometer of documents, with an estimated extension up to three kilometers. Among these documents are records from the original companies and subsidiaries, with materials dating from 1288 (mainly parchments) to 1990. This immense collection of historical data is ready to be utilized by historians and researchers worldwide. Additionally, the highly specialized historical library and periodicals section contain texts dating from the 1600s to the present day.
This growing archive not only traces the history of Italgas and its employees but also reveals its connections to key national events and the energy sector, as well as its role in Italy's industrialization and urban development.
To protect and enhance this wealth, a digital transformation process is essential. The digitization of historical materials serves as a bridge between the analog and digital worlds, ensuring they remain connected through technology.
Through Heritage Lab, the Italgas Archive is expanding its collaboration opportunities both nationally and internationally, fostering new skills in the digitization of cultural assets.
Objectives
Heritage Lab aims to digitize and innovatively make accessible over 3 linear kilometers of documents; 6,000 volumes, brochures, and journals; 35,000 prints, photographs, and posters; and 350 vintage devices and instruments. Additionally, the project includes the creation of a Museum-Laboratory, open to the public and specializing in the digitization of corporate historical and artistic heritage.
The museum, once fully operational, will employ 16 people, many of whom will be involved in the digitization of the Italgas Historical Archive.
Results
At Heritage Lab, the archive comes to life, transforming history into a contemporary adventure. Today, Heritage Lab is a vital physical and virtual reference point where the rich Italgas Archive is preserved and made accessible to the wider community. It is much more than just a conservation space—it is a laboratory for knowledge, experimentation, and above all, digital innovation.
Since the launch of Heritage Lab’s activities, significant efforts have been made to protect the past with a view to promoting the future. Here are some key results achieved as of March 30, 2024:
3 kilometers of documents analyzed: The Italgas archives house a vast collection of documents spanning decades of history in the gas industry, narrating stories of innovation and progress.
32,327 cataloged archival units: Each unit tells a part of the Italgas story, a valuable piece in the mosaic of the company’s commitment to serving its community.
88 terabytes of stored data: Thanks to cutting-edge technological infrastructure developed by Made In Heritage, a vast amount of data is securely and easily accessible, ensuring that Italgas' heritage is always within reach.
1,913,538 digitalized records: Heritage Lab has transformed its analog assets into digital resources, allowing anyone to explore and discover this history with ease and convenience.
These results highlight the exciting journey through the past and present offered by this extraordinary initiative. Through Heritage Lab, visitors can immerse themselves in the richness of our archives, uncovering the stories behind the roads we still travel today.
