The two largest human-built systems on this planet address how we house ourselves (our built habitat, culminating in the great cities of the world), and how we feed ourselves (our agricultural system). A third enormous system, the energy system, imbues the other two in the form of the energy necessary to build and maintain these systems. These systems are currently consuming resources, generating pollutants and creating inequities that dramatically exceed the ability of the environment and society to endure.

Arcosanti is an innovative experiment in a more sustainable alternative. The purpose of Arcosanti is to construct a living, walk-through demonstration model of a compact town, a proposed alterative to suburban sprawl, concentrated on 10 acres of an 860 acre preserve in the semi arid, central Arizona Upper Sonoran grasslands. A guiding principle of the project, and arcology design in general, is to concentrate the built habitat in a limited area, thus preserving the surrounding natural environment, and not building on agricultural land, leaving this non renewable resource for cultivation.

Thus an integral part of this project is to demonstrate not only an alternative urban morphology but also a rational approach to growing food in an environment that is largely ill suited to open field agriculture due to adverse climate and topography, conditions representative of two thirds of the world's marginal agricultural lands. As a laboratory, lessons learned here will have application elsewhere on the planet.

ARCOSANTI AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM

Arcosanti is involved with four areas of food production systems: open field, garden agriculture, orchard production and intensive greenhouse horticulture.
The goals of the program are:

1. Education: Through scientific research as well as emperical learning opportunities provided by Arcosanti agriculture program, researchers and students around the globe can share information and gain experiential values. It opens up for more collaborative research opportunities with other institutions.
2. Demonstration: Local food productions and effective energy/resource usage can be demonstrated though Arcosanti tours, food served at our restaurant, farmer's market, and limited community supported agriculture (CSA).
3. Aesthetic Experience: The innovative building/hardscaping/ energy technology applied in various urban agriculture settings can lead to unique qualitative experience.
4. Economic Viability: Our systemic (holistic) approach to food/energy production can be a viable alternative to the current energy/resource intensive agricultural system that puts a burden on our environment.

Currently our agricultural program, manages 3 experimental greenhouses and 14 acres of garden and field production. Solar Greenhouse work is central to our agricultural program. Collecting data and researching growing and construction methods for sloped greenhouses is critical for the future construction of the Energy Apron, a key design component of the Arcosanti.

Workshops and internships:

Tending to the soil, weeding, watering, starting seeds and harvesting may happen in a day. Other activities include composting, maintaining facilities and tools, caring for our chickens and peacocks, tending to our vermiculture system (earthworms) and farmers markets.

An agricultural emphasis may be incorporated with the Arcosanti workshop or if you are able to commit 3 months in advance, an agricultural internship may be for you. Please see internship application.