Young students with their parents and instructors, from the ECO TECH Charter School in Chandler, visit the Arcosanti Gardens. Agriculture manager Brad Crutchfield explains some of the details of organic gardening.
[Photo: Brad Crutchfield & text: sa]
After a visit with the chickens and one duck, the students are devided into work groups, including a compost turning detail.
[Photo: Brad Crutchfield & text: sa]
And enjoyed the play at work very much.
[Photo: Brad Crutchfield & text: sa]
Part of lunch was some delicious Arcosanti watermelon. The Arcosanti project receives frequent visits from student groups of all ages. The tours are educational and enjoyable. For more information about special tours please contact Charles Provine in Public Relations.
[Photo: Brad Crutchfield & text: sa]
Current construction efforts are focused on the East Crescent, ten units arranged in a semi-circle facing South. Around the perimeter of the Crescent are "light scoop apartments", each with a curved concrete roof. The light scoops allow low-angled winter sun into the apartments, reflecting light down into the living spaces. Higher-altitude summer sun is blocked, keeping the summer heat at bay.
[Photo: sa & text: Jacob Schwartz]
Paul's Roofing has been contracted from Mesa, AZ, to apply a spray-on weatherproof foam insulation to the curved roof panels. Paul Robinett oversees the operation.
[Photo: sa & text: Jacob Schwartz]
Spraying is completed, and the foam has hardened. It's time to clean up the edges, and August 29. workshop participant Erika Peres is wearing a harness attached to scaffolding to paint the bordering panels. With the insulation in place, the light scoop units will remain cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: Jacob Schwartz]
The Colly Soleri Music Center featured a concert sponsored by the Arcosanti Community Council and the Mission Montessori in the Desert Scottsdale Arizona.
[Photo & Text: sa]
Paolo Soleri and attendees enjoyed the afternoon performance of santoor player PANDIT TARUN BHATTACHARYA, one of India's most brilliant and original musicians. He has performed throughout India, the Far East, North America and Europe, including the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, for the BBC and in London's Royal Albert Hall for members of the Royal Family.
[Photo & Text: sa]
PANDIT TARUN BHATTACHARYA was accompanied by tabla player ABHISEKH BASU in a lively performance.
[Photo & Text: sa]
At the end of the performance the crowd was treated to an indepth explanation of the instruments and the music.
[Photo: Jacob Schwartz & Text: sa]
The Arcosanti gardens, fields and orchards are surrounded by wild Highland Desert. When one hikes into this desert, awareness is of potential encounters with a rattlesnake, a group of wild pigs, skunks, a beautiful hawk floating overhead, an amazing diversity of birds and if moving with quiet stealth, possibly a bobcat. The Arcosanti chickens and their eggs are a great temptation for the natural predators in our desert neighborhood. A bobcat has been visiting and helping himself to chicken dinners. Since we have a no-gun rule at Arcosanti, the Agriculture crew set a cunning cage-trap with a rooster in another cage as bait ....
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & Text: sa]
... and caught this beautiful bobcat.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & Text: sa]
Agriculture manager Brad Crutchfield smiles. The bobcat was recovered by Southern Arizona Wildlife Conservationists for re-location.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & Text: sa]
The Agriculture crew prepared a special dinner for everyone. The menu consisted entirely of items grown in the Arcosanti gardens.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & Text: sa]
August 29. workshopper Helga Roessler harvests delicious tomatos.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & Text: sa]
The crew is busy with preparation. >> left >> SaraBeth Kurzhals. >> right >> Yvonne Brooks, manager Brad Crutchfield and Helga Roessler.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & Text: sa]
There was a beautiful presentation of appetizers, including deviled eggs that were made with fresh eggs from the Arcosanti chickens. Long tables with flower arrangements were set up in the gardens. Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal of pasta with a garden vegetable sauce, baked fresh tomatos with fresh basil and baked squash.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & Text: sa]
Construction crew members Nick Bortel and Brendan Scott install a new low-pressure, gravity-feed manifold in the Arcosanti gardens.
[Photo: Scott Riley & text: sa]
This manifold will control the irrigation system for the gardens, orchards and Agriculture fields at Arcosanti.
[Photo: Scott Riley & text: sa]
To continue the report from Oct.6. on the Foundry extension, a set of four awnings are to be installed. The first of four, a white canvas awning threaded onto a curved pivoting steel frame, is installed by a crew of staff and workshoppers. This first awning shades half of the newly completed Foundry porch, a quarter of the total Foundry space.
[Image & Text: JS]
The shade structure is designed with a subtle curve matching that of the apse. The shadows cast by the two passive solar structures, apse and awning, align in congruence on the ground.
[Photo & Text: JS]
The installation crew is composed of Construction staff and workshoppers, and Maintenance staff and workshoppers. Foundry Extension Project Manager Dave Tollas helps workshopper Megan Willis thread the awning onto its steel frame.
[Photo & Text: JS]
The second stretch of canvas is in place, and this first half of the shade structure has been completed. Adjustable posts on the two outer corners allow the angle of each awning to change depending on the Foundry's shade requirements.
In the foreground, bell moulds laid out by Foundry employees are ready for the morning bronze pour.
[Photo & Text: JS]
Welcome to the workshop that started on October 3. 2004: >> top from left >> Manjula Selvam, Isabel Hankart, Della Hansmann, Susannah Mira, Lakhena Raingsan, Nick Simpson (seminarweek only) and Jenna Bagnall. >> front from left >> Bruno Larios, Maria Rita Rodino, Leah Ellis, Kim Meyer and Sarah Cox.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: sa]
DIFFERENT SKIES participants: >> back row from left >> Doug Wellington, Nick Rothwell, David Tristram, James Lacey. >> second row from left >> Chris Short [black shirt], Tim Walters, Greg Waltzer, Brian Good, Dave Brewer and Jim Combs. >> front row standing, from left >> Bill Fox, Giles Reaves, Otso Pakarinen, Paul Nagle, Russel Foster and Paul Vnuk Jr.. >> in front >> Clark Salisbury, event organizer Mike Metlay, Duane Ford and Steve Whiteley.
[Photo & text: sa]
Chef Eleanor Gilles delicious menu for this event: Potato and Herb Crusted Sole, Pea & Carrott Soup, Greens with Pears, Pecans & Arcosanti Peach Vinagrette, Roasted Beets & Oranges, Butternut Squash & Cranberries, Eggplant & Arcosanti Tomato Gratin, and for Desert: Fresh Raspberries and Cream.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: sa]
The new workshop got right into the action and helped with the many chores to make this another successful event. >> left >> Della Hansman and >> right >> Maria Rita Dodino.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: sa]
David Tristram provided live video VIVIOGRAPHY for an amazing concert. Words fail to do justice.
[Photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: sa]
For the second year, the Colly Soleri Music Center hosts DIFFERENT SKIES, a electronic space music festival, a workshop for artists in these and related experimental music genres. The intensive workshop is a week long with sessions and concerts by different combinations of the attending artists. This afternoon a group of young students from the neighboring Orme School attend a concert followed by an instructional session.
[Photo & text: sa]
The stage is a maze of the most sophisticated electronic boards and instruments, and a terrific group of musicians.
[Photo & text: sa]
During the instruction, Different Skies organizer Mike Metlay explains the individual instruments, while video artist David Tristran films the respective musician in action. The video is translated on to the big screen for all the students to see. >>right>> For the demonstration, Arcosanti resident Stephen Kelly performs one of his rap-songs.
[Photo & text: sa]
After the concert and demonstration, the students are invited to the stage to talk with the artists. October 9., this Saturday evening at 7:30, will be a series of performances by Different Skies musicians at the Colly Soleri Music Center. This is preceded by one of the special concert gourmet dinners of chef Eleanor Gillis. You don't want to miss this!
[Photo & text: sa]
Arcosanti staff and volunteers prepare another delicious dinner, this time for a performance by HUMAN NATURE. This is the 11th year that this dance group from Flagstaff, AZ has come to Arcosanti for a 7-day workshop that accumulates in a public performance on their last night.
[Image: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: sa]
Chef Eleanor's menu: Chicken prepared with Proscuitto & Pears, Yellow Pepper & Beet Soup, Greens with Hazelnuts, Oranges & Arcosanti Peach Vinagrette, Roasted Arcosanti Tomatoes & Zucchini. Leek Tart, Parsnips with Rosemary & Honey. For Desert: Chocolate Peanut Butter Pielettes.
[Image: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: sa]
A festive crowd enjoys the delicious dinner.
[Image: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: sa]
The title of this years intense and beautifully executed performance is "Extinction, once there were birds". Intention of the dance is to illuminate the ways in which humans are accelerating extinctions, leaving holes in the fabric of our planet. During the eleven years of Human Nature's existence there has been a continuing central dialectic between set work and improvisation. EXTINCTION is the first performance that is entirely improvised. Performers this year are Mizu Desierto, Jayne Lee, Arcosanti alumna Anastazia Millison, Nathan Mongomery, Arcosanti alumnus Paul Moore and Delisa Myles.
Further performances of this play will take place as follows: FLAGSTAFF ORPHEUM, October 17, 2004 at 7:30 pm and at the SEDONA FUTURE STUDIOS, October 23. 2004 at 8pm.[Image: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: sa]
The Foundry Extension project is nearing completion, with only the shade structures left to finish. Paolo Soleri designed a set of pivoting curved frames to hold the awnings. The curved shape of the structure allows the awning shadow lines to match those of the apse. The awnings can be hoisted according to the shading needs of foundry employees throughout the year.
[Image: DT & Text: JS]
The design calls for steel supporting posts, which are fabricated by Metal Shop Coordinator Jacob Schwartz and Foundry Extension Project Manager Dave Tollas. The posts are transported to the construction site by foundry staff...
[Photo: SA & Text: JS]
... and welded in place on the new foundry porch.
[Photo: SA & Text: JS]
At the Equinox celebration lunch in the foundry, Dave Tollas presents the design to Arcosanti residents.
[Photo: SA/YY & Text: JS]