Arcosanti
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Arcosanti is an experimental town that began construction in 1970 in central Arizona, 70 miles (110 km) north of Phoenix, at an elevation of 3,732 feet (1,130 meters). Architect Paolo Soleri, using a concept he calls arcology (a portmanteau of architecture and ecology), started the town to demonstrate how urban conditions could be improved while minimizing the destructive impact on the earth.
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[edit] Overview
The goal of Arcosanti is to explore the concept of arcology, which combines architecture and ecology. The town aims to combine the social interaction and accessibility of an urban environment with sound environmental principles such as minimal resource use and access to the natural environment[1]. To accomplish this, the project is building an experimental town on 25 acres (0.1 km²) of a 4,060 acre (16 km²) land preserve.
Having begun construction in 1970, the town is still very much a work in progress. The population varies between 50-150 people, based on the number of students and volunteers on the site, but ultimately the town is intended to hold 5000 people[2]. Currently there are 13 major structures on the site, of at most several stories in height, but the master plan envisions 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 the use of tilt-up concrete panels that are cast in a bed of silt acquired from the surrounding area, which gives the concrete a unique texture and colour and helps it blend in with the landscape. Many of the panes were cast with embedded art. Most of the building are oriented toward the south to capture the sun's light and heat, but with roof designs that admit the maximum amount of sun in the winter and a minimal amount during the summer. For example, the bronze-casting apse is built in the form of a quarter dome. The layout of the buildings is intricate and organic, rather than a typical city grid, with a goal of maximum accessibility to all of the elements, increased social interaction and bonds, and a sense of privacy for the residents.
Existing structures at Arcosanti have a variety of different purposes in order to provide for the complete needs of the community. They include a five-story visitors' center/cafe/gift shop, a bronze-casting apse, a ceramics apse, two large barrel vaults, a ring of apartment residences and storefronts around an outdoor amphitheater, a community swimming pool, an office complex, and Soleri's suite. A two-bedroom "Sky Suite" occupies the highest point in the complex and is available for overnight guests. Most of the buildings have accessible roofs.
The Arcosanti site also contains a camp area that was built for the original construction crew. It exists today as additional housing and is home to the agricultural department which maintains greenhouses, gardens, and agricultural fields. Additional terraced greenhouses are planned along the slope of the main building site to provide gardening space and collect heat which will be funneled throughout the buildings.
At present, the town is primarily an education centre, with students from around the world visiting in order to attend workshops, classes, and continue construction. It is also a tourist attraction with 50,000 visitors a year[3].
Some of the funding for Arcosanti is brought by the sale of metal and ceramic bells which are made and cast from bronze on site. Addition funding comes from donations and fees for attending workshops which run up to five weeks in duration. Much of the present construction at Arcosanti is done by workshoppers and volunteers.
[edit] History
In 1956, Paolo and Colly Soleri purchased the land upon which Arcosanti is being built. The first office and activities occurred in 1959, the design of Arcosanti was developed in 1969, and construction began in 1970.
In 1978, during a festival held at the site, a grass fire ignited in the area being used as a parking lot and over 100 cars were damaged or destroyed[4][5].
[edit] Criticism
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Arcosanti has been criticized for a lack of funding to realize its vision within a practical timeframe.[citation needed]
It has been suggested that even if any major discoveries or theories are achieved through the gradual development of the Arcosanti project, there is now no formal structure to gather, record, and disseminate these ideas to interested stakeholders. The internet, however, may be a perfect host for these purposes.
Others argue that Arcosanti has succeeded more as an educational project.[citation needed] It has hosted over 6,000 participants over what has been almost 40 years. Each person that participates brings part of their experience home with them and to their communities and professional disciplines, disseminating the principles learned.
[edit] References
- ^ Paolo Soleri Biography, Arcosanti.org
- ^ Arcosanti Project Background, Arcosanti.org
- ^ Urban design By Jon T. Lang, page 126, Google Books
- ^ Google News Archive The Prescott Courier - Sep 12, 1979
- ^ Arcosanti car fire photograph
[edit] See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Arcosanti |
[edit] External links
- Official Arcosanti website
- Arcosanti alumni address book
- The Arcosanti Work Song (c)1972
- Andrea Sachs, "Arcosanti: A 'City' Grows Green in the Arizona Desert", Washington Post, April 20, 2008
- Chris Colin, "Sipping From a Utopian Well in the Desert", New York Times, September 16, 2007
