The role of living labs for cities sustainable transition: evidence from the Turin living lab

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of Living Labs in fostering the sustainable transition of cities, adopting stakeholder theory as its theoretical lens. Through a qualitative case study of the Torino City Lab, based on official documents, the Lab's website, and semi-structured interviews with municipal officials, the research explores how local governments can use Living Labs as policy instruments to promote sustainability. The findings reveal that the Torino City Lab facilitates access to public spaces, fosters collaboration across administrative sectors, and builds networks connecting SMEs, public and private entities, and the research community. The Lab also engages citizens in co-creation processes, enabling the design of scalable experiments that address sustainability challenges and integrate circular economy principles. The findings highlight the multifunctional role of Living Labs, not only as platforms for innovation but also as instruments for policy implementation. Beyond contributing to the literature on urban sustainability, this study enriches stakeholder theory by demonstrating how multi-actor ecosystems such as Living Labs extend stakeholder engagement and value co-creation to the urban and policy domain, thereby advancing the understanding of collaborative governance in sustainability transitions.