ARCOSANTI WAS STARTED IN THE SEVENTIES WHEN WE FIRST MOVED TO PHOENIX FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL. WE VISITED IT WHEN IT WAS BEING BUILT AND ATTENDED A JAMES TAYLOR CONCERT THERE ANOTHER TIME. WE GOT STUCK IN THE MUD ON OUR HONEYMOON TRIP TO THE GRAND CANYON AND DROVE ON THERE DIRT ROAD. ITALIAN ARCHITECT PABLO SOLERI SOUGHT AN ALTERNATIVE TO CAR DOMINANT HYPERCONSUMERISM SOCIETY. AT 88 HE BUILT THIS SELF CONTAINED COMMUNITY TO BE SELF SUSTAINING. THEY HAVE FOOD FROM ORGANIC GARDENS. AND SOLAR POWER, BUILDING MATERIALS FROM NEARBY NATURAL SURROUNDINGS. IT IS SIMILAR TO A PUEBLOAN CLIFF DWELLING OF SORTS. HE HOPES TO RUN A CITY WITH CONTRIBUTING RESIDENTS. WHO HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED ON 15 ACRES. IT INCLUDES A CAFE, A BAKERY, APARTMENTS AND DORMS FOR RESIDENT GUESTS HOUSES. APARTMENTS, A FOUNDRY, SWIMMING POOL, AMPHITHEATRE AND CERAMIC STUDIOS. ARCOSANTI AIMS TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR THROUGH WORKSHOPS, TOURS, CONVERSATIONS, HIKES, AND TOURS.
IT IS BOTH A SUCCESS AND A FAILURE. A FAILURE BECAUSE THE FOUNDER WANTED IT TO BE AN EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS IN THAT THE PEOPLE HERE CHANGED THEIR LIVES. IT'S GREATEST SUCCESS HAS BEEN IN IT'S ARCHITECTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. IT WAS MADE AS A BEE HIVE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE WITHOUT CARS. IT DOES HAVE ARTFUL DETAILING AND IT IS IN A BEAUTIFUL AREA OF ARIZONA. SOLANI HAS SOLD MANY BRONZE BELLS WHICH ARE FAMOUS. THERE ARE MANY OTHER ARTISTS AND VISITING COLLEGE STUDENTS HERE. THEY ALSO RAISE FUNDS THROUGH THE SALE OF WORKSHOPS. IT IS ONLY 5% COMPLETE. AND ONE IS ABLE TO STAY THERE AND VISIT OVERNIGHT. IT IS STILL ON THE GRID AND THEY STILL ORDER FOOD FROM OUTSIDE. SOLERI GOT HIS IDEAS FROM FRANK LOYD WRIGHT AND WRIGHT GOT HIS IDEAS FROM NATURE - NATURE WAS HIS RELIGION. THERE IS AN ANTHROPOLOGIST THERE WHO FOUND HUNDREDS OF PETROGLYPHS. THEY ARE ON NEARBY ROCKS AND STONE WALLS BUILT BY PREHISTORIC INDIANS ABOUT 1300 AD. HE LEADS TOURS IN THE DESERT. WE REMEMBER SEEING TWO TARANTULAS FIGHTING IN THE DESERT WHILE WE WERE WAITING TO GET IN A JAMES TAYLOR CONCERT.
WASHINGTON POST.COM
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