![020 Arcosanti-Buildings & Fall Foliage 11-22-2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/020_Arcosanti-Buildings_%26_Fall_Foliage_11-22-2011.jpg)
Arcosanti is a projected
experimental town with a bronze
bell casting business in
Yavapai County
Yavapai County is near the center of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, its population was 236,209, making it the fourth-most populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Prescott.
Yavapai County comprises the Prescott, AZ M ...
, central
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, United States, north of
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, at an elevation of . Its
arcology
Arcology, a portmanteau of "architecture" and "ecology",. is a field of creating architectural design principles for very densely populated and ecologically low-impact human habitats.
The term was coined in 1969 by architect Paolo Soleri, who be ...
concept was proposed by Italian-American architect
Paolo Soleri
Paolo Soleri (21 June 1919 – 9 April 2013) was an Italian-born American architect. He established the educational Cosanti Foundation and Arcosanti. Soleri was a lecturer in the College of Architecture at Arizona State University and a National ...
(1919–2013). He began construction in 1970 to demonstrate how urban conditions could be improved while minimizing the destructive impact on the Earth. He taught and influenced generations of architects and urban designers who studied and worked with him there to build the proposed town.
Overview
The goal of Arcosanti is to explore the concept of
arcology
Arcology, a portmanteau of "architecture" and "ecology",. is a field of creating architectural design principles for very densely populated and ecologically low-impact human habitats.
The term was coined in 1969 by architect Paolo Soleri, who be ...
, which combines
architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
and
ecology
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...
. The project has the goals of combining the social interaction and accessibility of an urban environment with sound environmental principles, such as minimal resource use and access to the natural environment. The project has been building an experimental town on of a land preserve, of which are owned by the Cosanti Foundation, with the remainder leased from the state.
Ground was broken in 1970 to begin construction on the site and has continued at a varying pace through the present. The most recently completed building was finished in 1989. The population has varied between 50 and 150 people, many of them students and volunteers. The goal was for Arcosanti to house a population of 5,000 people. Thirteen major structures were built on the site, some several stories tall. One master plan, designed in 2001, envisioned a massive complex, called "Arcosanti 5000", that would dwarf the current buildings.
Many features are particular to the design and construction of Arcosanti. For example, tilt-up concrete panels are cast in a bed of
silt
Silt is granular material of a size between sand and clay and composed mostly of broken grains of quartz. Silt may occur as a soil (often mixed with sand or clay) or as sediment mixed in suspension with water. Silt usually has a floury feel when ...
acquired from the surrounding area, giving the concrete a unique texture and color that helps it blend with the landscape. Many panels were cast with embedded art. Most buildings are oriented southward to capture the sun's light and heat – roof designs admit the maximal amount of sunlight in the winter and a minimal amount during the summer. The structure built to shelter bronze casting is built in the form of an apse, a quarter-sphere or
semi-dome
In architecture, a semi-dome (or half-dome) is a half dome that covers a semi-circular area in a building.
Architecture
Semi-domes are a common feature of apses in Ancient Roman and traditional church architecture, and in mosques and iwans in Isla ...
. The layout of all the buildings is intricate and organic, rather than the grid typical of most US cities, with the goals of maximal accessibility to all elements, a combination of increased social interaction and bonds, together with privacy for the residents.. Not all of the grounds are wheelchair accessible.
![The Cafe at Arcosanti](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/The_Cafe_at_Arcosanti.jpg)
Existing structures at Arcosanti are meant to begin to provide for the complete needs of a community. They include: a five-story visitors' center/cafe/gift shop; a
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
-
casting
Casting is a manufacturing process in which a liquid material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. The solidified part is also known as a ''casting'', which is ejected ...
apse
In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...
; a ceramics apse; two large
barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault, wagon vault or wagonhead vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance. The curves are ...
s; a ring of apartment residences and quasi-public spaces around an outdoor
amphitheater
An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
; a community
swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...
; an office complex, above which is an apartment that was originally Soleri's suite. A two-bedroom "Sky Suite" occupies the highest point in the complex; it, as well as a set of rooms below the pool, is available to overnight guests. Most of the buildings have accessible roofs.
Arcosanti has a Camp area, built by and for the original construction crew. It is used today as housing for approximately one fourth of the Arcosanti population. Camp has a small
greenhouse
A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of Transparent ceramics, transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic condit ...
, with easy access to gardens and large agricultural fields that, as of March 2017, were not being cultivated. Terraced greenhouses are planned along the slope of the main building site for winter plant and garden space, and to collect heat to distribute through the buildings.
Arcosanti was conceived of and remains primarily an education center, with students from around the world visiting to attend workshops, classes, and to assist with the continuing construction. Forty thousand tourists visit yearly. Tourists can take a guided tour of the site or stay overnight in guest accommodations.
Some Arcosanti funding comes from sales of bells made and cast from clay and bronze on site. Additional funding comes from donations and fees for workshops. Much of the present construction at Arcosanti has been done by workshop participants and volunteers. The average salary at Arcosanti for much of its history was barely above minimum wage.
Workshops
![Arcosanti vaults 04](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Arcosanti_vaults_04.jpg)
Starting in 1970, participants have come to help build Arcosanti by enrolling in workshops. During the traditional five- or six-week workshop, they attend lectures about Paolo Soleri and the principles of Arcology design while gaining hands-on learning experience by aiding construction. Although the program attracts many who are interested in art, crafts, architecture and urban planning, it is also pertinent to those interested in philosophy, sociology, science, and agriculture. Today, workshops are shorter in duration, one week or less, and focus on learning, including experiential learning. Workshops are offered in glass blowing, siltcasting, photography and other hands-on activities.
History
* 1956: Paolo and Colly Soleri purchased the land in Paradise Valley, Arizona, upon which the
Cosanti
Cosanti is the gallery and studio of Italian-American architect Paolo Soleri; it was his residence until his death in 2013. Located in Paradise Valley, Arizona, USA, it is now an Arizona Historic Site open to the public. Cosanti is marked by ter ...
studios were built. Their first official activities began there in 1959.
* 1969: Arcosanti – Soleri coined the term "Arcology" to describe his designs for ecologically sound human habitats, as elaborated in ''The City in the Image of Man,'' published by MIT Press to accompany a 1970 exhibition of the same name at the
Corcoran Gallery
The Corcoran Gallery of Art was an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, that is now the location of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, a part of the George Washington University.
Overview
The Corcoran School of the Arts & Desi ...
in Washington, DC. The book develops the concept of Arcology and its design variations for different settings. Arcosanti, introduced as the last (30th) example of this exercise, was originally planned to house a relatively small population of 1,500 people. The physical construction of Arcosanti began in 1970.
* 1975–1977: Two Suns Arcosanti – The
Xerox Corporation
Xerox Holdings Corporation (; also known simply as Xerox) is an American corporation that sells print and digital document products and services in more than 160 countries. Xerox is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut (having moved from Stam ...
sponsored a major Soleri exhibition, featuring a series of new arcology designs that suggested a sustainable urban habitat employing alternative energy sources. The project was called ''Two Suns Arcology: The Cities Energized by the Sun.'' The Arcosanti master plan went through a major overhaul reflecting this methodology. In the following year, Plant Show venues gave Soleri additional funding to update the Arcosanti design. The projected population was increased to 5,000.
* 1978: During a festival held at the site on 7 October,
a grass fire ignited in the area being used as a parking lot and over 180 cars were damaged or destroyed. This had the practical effect of ending the possibility of future music festivals at the site, due to the massive cost in damage payouts.
[
* 1980: Critical Mass – Ten years into the construction of the first prototype arcology, a developmental adjustment was made to gain momentum for the project. The Critical Mass concept was introduced as an incremental phase to house 10 percent of the projected population of 5,000. A series of small-scale structures, providing various amenities, were designed to support a viable community. This was intended to support the next major step, the completion of Arcosanti.
* 1988: Nightfall – The science fiction film '' Nightfall'' was filmed at Arcosanti. Residents served as extras.
* 2001: Arcosanti 5000 – Developed from the Super Critical Mass in "Arcosanti 2000", with the design elements of "Nudging Space Arcology" added, Arcosanti 5000 features seven phases of truncated super-apse structures. It re-establishes the macro nature of this prototype arcology for 5,000 people. This design is in development, awaiting architectural and structural resolutions.
* 2009: Paolo Soleri's 90th Birthday Celebration and Alumni Reunion – Paolo Soleri celebrated his 90th birthday at Arcosanti, joined by 300 alumni and guests for the occasion. The official schedule started on June 19; this first day was devoted to alumni. Ongoing events included Kundalini yoga, a morning bell-carving workshop, a silent auction, and an exhibition with the newest renderings of Critical Mass. The festivities continued into the night with a bronze pour in the Foundry, followed by a techno party in the Vaults, and performances on a stage in the Ceramics Apse.]["Paolo's 90th Bronze Pour"](_blank)
''Arcosanti Daily Progress Report''The birthday celebration for Soleri resumed on Saturday with attendees partaking in a gargantuan "frugal soup" gathering in the Vaults.
Arcosanti Daily Progress Report Documentary film maker Geoffrey Madeja Geoffrey, Geoffroy, Geoff, etc., may refer to:
People
* Geoffrey (name), including a list of people with the name
* Geoffroy (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1095–c. 1155), clergyman and one of the m ...
presented a short video. Tomiaki Tamura
Tomiaki is a masculine Japanese given name.
Possible writings
Tomiaki can be written using different combinations of kanji characters. Some examples:
*富明, "enrich, bright"
*富朗, "enrich, clear"
*富晃, "enrich, clear"
*富章, "enrich, ...
followed with a visual presentation of Paolo's life and work and a pictograph especially choreographed for Soleri. The final performance of the night was hosted by Flam Chen
Flam or FLAM may refer to:
*Flåm, a village in Norway
*African Liberation Forces of Mauritania (FLAM), a paramilitary organization
* Flam (surname), a list of people with the surname
*Flam, a type of drum rudiment
See also
* Flåm Line, a railw ...
, in a series of acrobatics involving dazzling fire, lights, and extreme heights.[Paolo's 90th Flam Chen Performance](_blank)
Arcosanti Daily Progress
Arcosanti Daily Progress
* 2011: On July 14, 2011, the Cosanti Foundation announced that its founder Soleri had retired as its President and CEO. "There are other things that I want to accomplish," said the 92-year-old Soleri. "I am ready to leave the management of the Foundation and its primary project – the urban laboratory Arcosanti – to the next generation." That generation was to be led by Boston architect Jeff Stein, AIA AIA or A.I.A. or Aia may refer to:
Aia
* Aia, a small town in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa, Spain
* Aia, current Kutaisi, ancient capital of Colchis
* Aia, another name for Aea (Malis), an ancient town in Greece
* ''Aia'', the collected ed ...
. Stein's proposals for Arcosanti began with: a half-dozen new apartment buildings; a canopy for the amphitheater; a renovated commercial bakery; and a storage unit for Paolo Soleri's collection of architectural models.
Arcosanti operates under aegis of the Cosanti Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation runs workshops to teach Paolo Soleri's ideas. As of 2012, more than 7,000 participants had aided in the construction through participation in five-week workshops.["5 week workshop"](_blank)
Arcosanti.org Each workshop includes a Seminar Week, which covers Soleri's background and history, as well as his concepts about arcology design. They hear lectures from different departments at Arcosanti to see how Arcosanti operates, and then spend the following weeks working at the priority project of the site.
Arcosanti is the home of the bell-making enterprise of Cosanti Originals, which sells Soleri's sculptural wind bells to support the greater architectural project.
In popular culture
*Over six years in the making, the (2013) feature-length documentary film on the life of Paolo Soleri and the birth of Arcosanti, '' The Vision of Paolo Soleri: Prophet in the Desert'' (2012) features on-camera interviews with journalist Morley Safer
Morley Safer (November 8, 1931 – May 19, 2016) was a Canadian-American broadcast journalist, reporter, and correspondent for CBS News. He was best known for his long tenure on the news magazine ''60 Minutes'', whose cast he joined in 1970 aft ...
, Will Wright, architectural critic Paul Goldberger
Paul Goldberger (born in 1950) is an American author, architecture critic and lecturer. He is known for his "Sky Line" column in ''The New Yorker''.
Biography
Shortly after starting as a reporter at ''The New York Times'' in 1972, he was assign ...
, Catherine Hardwicke
Helen Catherine HardwickeAccording to the State of Texas. ''Texas Birth Index, 1903–1997''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. (born October 21, 1955) is an American film director, p ...
, Will Bruder
Will Bruder (born 1946) is an American architect.
Biography
Self-trained as an architect, Will Bruder received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, taking supplemental courses in structural engine ...
, Jean-Michel Cousteau
Jean-Michel Cousteau (born 6 May 1938) is a French oceanographic explorer, environmentalist, educator and film producer. The first son of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, he is the father of Fabien Cousteau and Céline Cousteau.
Life and care ...
, architect Steven Holl
Steven Holl (born December 9, 1947) is a New York-based American architect and watercolorist. Among his most recognized works are the 2019 REACH expansion of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the 2019 Hunters Point Library in Q ...
, and Eric Lloyd Wright
Eric Lloyd Wright (born November 8, 1929) is an American architect, son of Frank Lloyd Wright, Jr. and the grandson of the famed Frank Lloyd Wright.
Early life and education
Wright was born in Los Angeles on November 8, 1929 to Helen Taggart a ...
.
*In February 2022, Arizona hip-hop group Injury Reserve
Injury Reserve is an American hip hop group formed in 2013 in Tempe, Arizona by rappers Stepa J. Groggs (Jordan Groggs), Ritchie with a T (Nathaniel Ritchie), and producer Parker Corey.
History
2013–2014: Career beginnings, ''Depth Chart ...
released a music video for their song "Outside", shot on location at Arcosanti.
See also
* Paolo Soleri Amphitheater
The Paolo Soleri Amphitheater is an amphitheater in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which opened in 1970 and closed in 2010. The structure, which was never considered finished, was designed by Italian architect Paolo Soleri.
The amphitheater was built in ...
* Sustainable city
The sustainable city, eco-city, or green city is a city designed with consideration for social, economic, environmental impact (commonly referred to as the triple bottom line), and resilient habitat for existing populations, without compromisi ...
* Biosphere 2
Biosphere 2 is an American Earth system science research facility located in Oracle, Arizona. Its mission is to serve as a center for research, outreach, teaching, and lifelong learning about Earth, its living systems, and its place in the univers ...
References
External links
Official Arcosanti website
Arcosanti alumni address book
Lonely Planet Travel Guide Description of Arcosanti
* Andrea Sachs
''Washington Post'', April 20, 2008
* Bishop, Snowden
"The Genius of Arcology: The Sustainable Theories of Paolo Soleri
''AZ Green Magazine'', February 6, 2011
* Chris Colin
''New York Times'', September 16, 2007
* Duncan Geere
"Five real-world arcologies under construction"
Wired.co.uk, June 21, 2011
* Tortorello, Michael
''New York Times'', February 15, 2012
{{Authority control
1970 establishments in Arizona
Architecture in Arizona
Architecture related to utopias
Buildings and structures in Yavapai County, Arizona
Car-free zones in the United States
Ecovillages
Intentional communities in the United States
Landmarks in Arizona
Open-air museums in Arizona
Planned cities in the United States
Populated places established in 1970
Sustainable building
Towns in Yavapai County, Arizona
Unfinished buildings and structures in the United States
Utopian communities in the United States