Arcosanti, Panoramic View
Arcosanti is about an hour's drive north of Phoenix. Although its original design is described in Arcology: The City in the Image of Man, Paolo Soleri’s magnum opus on arcology, called for a place where thousands of people would live and work, Arcosanti has never been occupied by more than 100 people. Despite that, it continues to be regarded as an early example of sustainable architecture and vertically-dense building that prioritized live-work spaces and the surrounding natural environment over urban sprawl. Dubbed “the urban laboratory” in the 1970s by famed New York Times architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable, Arcosanti continues to experiment and test its own potential as a working alternative to urban sprawl, erosion of communities, and neglect of the environment while supporting its residents to lead lives that are enriched socially, energetically, and economically. The next stop on our tour was the amphitheater. Simple in design and scope, it looked like it got its basic design from the ancient Greeks and Romans. But why do you suppose that guy was running in the back? I thought about removing him with Photoshop but then where would we find the mystery of this place? At the far end of the property, we looked over the swimming pool and Jacuzzi built by students. They would certainly be welcome in this high desert area. And here we arrive at the end of the formal tour — the kiln, which is used to fire the ceramic bells that we saw being created earlier in the tour. That is one heavy-duty kiln! One final look at the Arcosanti complex in a panoramic view. It will be interesting to see how it survives and develops over time.
Size: 16657px × 3920px
Location: Mayer, AZ, USA
Photo credit: © B. David Cathell / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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