On our recent short trip to Arizona, we got a chance to visit a magical and awe-inspiring place in Arizona called Arcosanti. We were on our way to Sedona, and after stopping at a gas station at the end of a long 10hr day on the road, we decided to sleep in our van somewhere close and realized quickly that we had accidentally stopped at the exit leading to this little haven in the desert. We had also received one of the famous bells they sell there as a wedding gift and thought it would be great to visit this unique landmark,
Since I couldn't describe this place better than the people who created it, here’s a description of this magnificent project on their website:
The World’s First Arcology Prototype
Arcology is a set of design principles conceived of by the late theoretical architect, Paolo Soleri. The term is a blending of “architecture” and “ecology” and is the antithesis of urban sprawl. Sensing the growing reliance on cars, the increasing appropriation of natural spaces for housing developments, and the negative impact of both on the human spirit and the planet, Soleri conceived of Arcosanti as a proof of concept of arcology. Begun in 1970 and based on an arcology-minded design theory, Arcosanti, dubbed “The Urban Laboratory,” one of the modern world’s first attempt at creating an urban living experience that is vertical, densely integrated with mixed uses, and environmentally-conscious.
Today, Arcosanti is considered an important and early example of a radical urban plan that enables conservation of land, energy, and natural resources. Over 8,000 sustainability-minded volunteers have contributed to the building of Arcosanti over the past 50 years, gaining valuable experience in construction, passive solar energy concepts, and responsible urban design, simply by contributing to the project and “learning by doing.”
https://www.arcosanti.org
We took a guided tour of the compound and learned a lot of things while sipping on some delicious local tea. I would love to apply some of their techniques to my future glamping business that will happen…in the distant future.
