Arcosanti, Future Model
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. In addition to bells, books, photos and posters (all for sale) they had this model on display. At the time, I did not note a explanatory placard but after the tour, I realized that it appears to represent a vision for the future of Arcosanti. The small greenish buildings in the middle look like the current Arcosanti. The tan structure is the future (maybe).
Size: 7127px × 4751px
Location: Mayer, AZ, USA
Photo credit: © B. David Cathell / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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