Innovation in architecture education is increasingly oriented towards the analysis of real problems considered in their complexity and multi-dimensionality and the active involvement of the stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to highlight how the active role of stakeholders can improve the economic and cultural value of enhancement projects developed in architecture and planning schools, focusing on the potentialities of the problem-based learning (PBL) approach. A three-step educational procedure based on the PBL approach, applied at the atelier "Heritage Preservation and Enhancement" of the Politecnico di Torino, is presented. The results showed how a continuous interaction and dialogue with teachers and stakeholders can effectively support students in addressing real problems and in developing sustainable and feasible enhancement projects able to integrate heritage preservation and economic-financial issues.