Located in the center of the site, East Housing is the shared living quarters of some of the Arcosanti staff.
[Photo & Text: T]
Scupper/guardrail details are typical of the Arcosanti metal design employed elsewhere on site.
[Photo & Text: T]
One of the bedroom interiors was reworked by the current occupant Dan Kelliher, Planning manager.
[Photo & Text: T]
A unique siltcast ceiling drapes this split-floor penthouse unit.
[Photo & Text: T]
Boston Architectural Center exhibition of Paolo Soleri's work, THE ARCHITECTURE OR PLACE, THE PLACE OF ARCHITECTURE, is located in the McCormick Gallery. McCormick Gallery is physically and visually accessible from Newbury Street. Its exhibits celebrate the craftsmanship that inspires not only the BAC's architecture and interior design students but also neighborhood residents, artists, and professionals working in the design field.
Part of the exhibition is a earth and silt casting workshop, taught to BAC students by Cosanti Foundation staff member Roger Tomalty.[Photo: Jeff Stein & text: BAC, sa]
Earth and silt casting is a large part of the building process in the construction of Cosanti and Arcosanti. Roger Tomalty was construction manager of the Ceramics Apse and the Foundry Apse at Arcosanti.
[Photo: Jeff Stein & text: sa]
More information on day-long or week-long silt workshops at Arcosanti.
Paolo Soleri's Quaderno #3 is a 30 page publication about the earth casting technique with a collection of dynamic images of some of the silt cast buildings and details at Cosanti and Arcosanti.[Photo: Jeff Stein & text: sa]
School of Thought is a weekly open dialogue with Dr. Paolo Soleri examining his writings and philosophies. It is intended to provide both people passing through and those living and working at Arcosanti with a foundation to think about and discuss Arcosanti and Arcology.
[Photo & text: sa]
The main purpose is to study and seek to define "The Lean Alternative", especially as it manifests itself in Arcology Theory and Soleri 's hypotheses.
[Photo & text: sa]
Writer and publisher Michael Sarda visited School of Thought. The subject under discussion was Time. Michael Sarda is gathering material for an upcoming book, 'THE MIND GARDEN', which is a series of interviews and coversations with Paolo Soleri.
[Photo & text: sa]
The continuing exchange with Paolo Soleri during School of Thought provides clarifications for what is being attempted at Arcosanti. "Don't curse the darkness, light a candle." [Paolo Soleri]
[Photo & text: sa]
Director of Archives, Tomiaki Tamura, designed crates with snug custom layers of cushion for the framed original drawings.
[Photo & text: sa]
Spaces are marked for easy repacking.
[Photo & text: sa]
The truck has arrived and it takes a strong crew to maneuver the giant crates up the hill through the East Crescent keystone.
Angus and Janette, builders of the crates. Janette and Phillip have to lean on the crate to counter balance its weight, while the loading platform is raised.[Photo & text: sa]
The awesome crew.
Boston Architectural Center exhibition - THE ARCHITECTURE OF PLACE, THE PLACE OF ARCHITECTURE - opens on April 1. 2006. On Thursday, April 20, 2006 Paolo Soleri will deliver the Boston Architectural Centers 2006 Cascieri 14 Lectureship in the Humanities. From the exhibition announcement: Architect Paolo Soleri began writing, drawing and building in the Arizona desert years before the idea of sustainability became part of our shared vocabulary. Now his concrete urban design proposals are as fundamental to that idea as survival itself. ARCOLOGY: Soleri's understanding of the profound connection between Architecture and Ecology is the result of the research into urban form that has occupied him and hundreds of his students over nearly half a century. Yet for Soleri, How is as important as What. This exhibition of his projects includes the work of BAC students exploring siltcast construction techniques, for which Paolo Soleri was awarded the AIA Gold Medal for Craftsmanship.[Photo: sa & text: Boston Architectural Center]
Soleri Archives prepares for an exhibition at Boston Architectural Center: THE ARCHITECTURE OF PLACE, THE PLACE OF ARCHITECTURE. The exhibition is arranged by alumnus Jeff Stein, now Director of Architecture at the Center.
[Photo & text: sa]
Fifteen original drawings, including two of Paolo Soleri's scroll drawings, will be on display from April 1. to
April 30. 2006. Archive Director Tomiaki Tamura tapes the frame of this Two Suns scroll for transport.
[Photo & text: sa]
The second scroll drawing going to this exhibition is one of the Mesa City 'Axial Park' series, part of a 90 foot long drawing in charcoal, pastel, pencil and crayon, in a 192 inches long frame.
[Photo & text: sa]
Angus Gluck and workshop participant Janette Rhee are building crates of giant proportion.
[Photo & text: sa]
Morning meeting happens at 11:45 am on every work-day.
[Photo & text: sa]
This is where everyone comes together for news, for introduction of visitors and new ideas, for lost and found, show and tell, and general announcements for the day and week.
[Photo & text: sa]
A few alumni visit for spring break. [from top left] Adam Nordfors managed the agriculture department for 4 years and now studies at ASU Arizona State University in Tempe. Kim Young Soo interned in construction, graphics and model restoration and now studies at AU, the University of Arizona in Tucson. Little Robert and Anisa lived at Arcosanti with their mother Yvonne Brooks from 2002 to early 2005. Yvonne worked in landscaping.
[Photo & text: sa]
This gigantic old parachute got wet during recent rain and snow. As it fills the north Vault during drying time, it's many patches become visible. It echos with incredible history.
[Photo & text: sa]
The snow has already melted, but these photos from last weekends snowfall, so rare at Arcosanti, begged to be posted. The Arcosanti site viewed from the east valley.
[Photo: Erika Peres & text: sa]
The oxidation pond, with gardens and fields in the valley and the tree line of the Agua Fria riverbed.
[Photo: Erika Peres & text: sa]
The concrete mixer wears a fluffy hat. Site electrician Dr. Sparks enjoys the rare occasion to exercise his skies at Arcosanti.
[Photo: Erika Peres & text: sa]
Camp.
[Photo: Erika Peres & text: sa]
Joyce and Morgan Saufkie from the village of Shungopovie on the Hopi Reservation on Second Mesa have been part of our extended family for many years. Joyce is an elder of the Basket Weaving Clan and has taught many basket weaving workshops at Arcosanti.
[Photo & Text: sa]
During a visit this week, Joyce teaches a class of residents and workshop participants. The raw material is Yucca, a local cacti, with pointed and very sharp leaves. Joyce explains several harvest seasons for variety in the color of these very hardy grass-like leaves. Other colors are achieved with natural dies. The start of a basket with a very small middle coil is very difficult and takes very patient attention.
[Photo & Text: sa]
As the group settles into a task that looks easy and is anything but, Joyce works on one of her beautiful traditional Hopi baskets.
[Photo & Text: sa]
Joyce patiently gives help and suggestion. Mika Kawai with a nicely balanced little coil.
[Photo & Text: sa]
Snow at Arcosanti is a rare occasion.
[Photo & Text: sa]
The Colly Soleri garden in front of the vaults.
[Photo & Text: sa
The sky-suite patio has turned into winter wonderland
[Photo & Text: sa]
There is enough snow for a snowman.
[Photo & Text: sa]
People entering the Arcosanti office building are greeted by the cantilever handrails of the stairwell.
[Photo & Text: T]
The staircase leads down to the accounting office directly below and to the Red room further down the corridor.
[Photo & Text: T]
The Accounting Office at the foot of the staircase has a beautiful view of the opposite mesas.
[Photo & Text: T]
Welcome to the March 5. 2006 workshop participants:
[top from left] Jimmy, Brendan and Jim. [front from left] Erik, Ela, Janette and Chihiro.[Photo & Text: sa]
The January 29. 2006 workshop graduated. [top from left] Jay Helfgott, Nicole Rouillard, Winston Gilcrease, Lisa Wilcott and Cabiria Dourte. [front from left] Morgan Lawless, Dylan Cook and Janette Rhee.
[Photo & Text: sa]
Camp hosted a Gypsy Party where residents, workshop participants and guests dressed in costumes, played musical instruments and danced. Pictured here is the invitation poster (left) and Patrick playing ukelele in his finest attire.
[Photo, poster & text: Sarah Britton]
Sarah, Denman, Krystopher, Carmen and TJ show off their appropriate fashions.
[Photo & text: Sarah Britton]
Kathy awaits guests in her tent to apply make-up, and TJ hams it up.
[Photo & text: Sarah Britton]
A group of gypsies gather around the fire to toast the successful event.
[Photo & text: Sarah Britton]
Skytheater's large steps forming the roof of the Colly Soleri Music Center provide seating for an expansive view of the daytime desert or star constellations in the clear night sky.
[Photo & Text: T]
A terrace surrounding those big steps provides a pedestrian crossroad leading to various venues.
[Photo & Text: T]
Sometimes the space is used for Frugal Soup, one of few Arcosanti rituals. Here we share a bowl of soup and our thoughts on world hunger and related topics.
[Photo & Text: T]