The artwork of the Paolo Soleri exhbition at Boston Architectural Center returned to Arcosanti.

Excerpts from comments by Director of Architecture at the Boston Architectural Center and Cosanti Foundation alumnus, Jeff Stein, who arranged the exhibition and lecture:



The series of events here was terrific, really. Some of what we accomplished:
*We held an exhibition of Paolo’s beautiful early drawings at the Boston Architectural Center for the entire month of April. 25,000 pedestrians per week walked past the BAC’s glass-walled first floor gallery, and one particular weekend more like 150,000 people passed the place – the day of the Boston Marathon, whose route comes within ten feet of the gallery. 1,000 students per week – and a couple hundred faculty - passed through the gallery.
*And as part of this, we sponsored a public lecture by Paolo, the 14th “Cascieri Lecture” at the BAC. Paolo was awarded the Archangelo Cascieri Medal at this event, to a standing ovation. Archangelo Cascieri was the longtime Dean of the BAC, whom Paolo met many years ago, and who died recently at age 98.
*Around 300 people showed up for Paolo’s public lecture. The room holds approximately 200. We had planned for this, and the remainder watched on large-screen live-video in other parts of the BAC, and through the gallery storefront from the street. All these people attended a reception after the lecture. 80 of them attended a separate reception before the lecture, too.
*A dozen ex-Arcosanti workshoppers attended Paolo’s lecture and reception, including familiar names like Paula Wittner, Modestino Conti, Peter and Chiara Van Erp, and George Kosmides who organized the alumni gathering.

*While here, Paolo was interviewed by NPR/WBUR for an hour. This tape is still being edited and we do not know yet when it will be aired.
*Paolo was interviewed by a representative of “City Futures” magazine from New York.
*Paolo will be the cover story in May’s “Practice” magazine, a publication of the BAC.

Thank you, Jeff Stein and Boston Architectural Center, for a terrific effort.

This continues the report on Construction, which is mostly focused on interior work on the second floor of the East Crescent Complex. Tile work has been completed in the bathroom of the south apartment in Unit 6.

The concrete sink counter was poured at by Planning coordinator Dan Kelliher. The concrete was mixed with very fine gravel and sand, red pigment added to the wet mixture and carefully screed to achieve a very smooth surface.

The shower window faces the keystone and Phase 3 of the East Crescent. More to come.

Saturdays Vivaldi Festival was a lovely event. Chef Erika, with help of the Arcosanti crew, workshoppers and volunteers, put together another delicious meal. Beet Soup [vegan], Salad of greens, oranges, black olives, spicy cashews and Italian herb dressing, Bourbon-glazed chicken breast stuffed with bleu cheese, almonds and apricot sauce, Portobello mushroom with artichoke heart and roasted garlic in a warm spinach bed [vegan], glazed red onions and pesto sauce tart, crispy butternut squash with sun-dried tomatoes and capers [vegan] and for dessert maple walnut cake with pear vanilla cream.

[left photo] The serving crew: Jewel, Monika, Sean, chef Erika and Chieko. [right photo] Michel Sarda, president of the Art Renaissance Initiative, organized the event.



Paolo Soleri.

More to come on this event.

Construction is focused on interior work on the second floor of the East Crescent Complex. Tile work proceeds in the bathroom of the two bedroom apartment in Unit 9.

Volunteer Janette Rhee and workshop participant Natalie Woldarsky.

More on interior construction coming up.

The Colly Soleri Music Center prepares for the first musical event of the 2006 season. "Pasticcio" Carnival in Venice

Saturday, May 13

Dinner at 6:00 pm • Concert at 7:30 pm

Cast: Blanca — Helene Bergeon, soprano, Delisa — Karida Cardoso, dancer, Giuseppe — Hans Kliphuis, dancer.
Also Christine Parker, piano — Bianca’s mother, Celinda-Anne Levno, flute, Members of Terpsicore Dance Company: Danna Parker, Nicole Olson, Penelope Pantazon.

A “pasticcio” is a medley of music and arias by various composers. The form was so popular in 18th century Venice, when no copyright law existed, that Vivaldi himself compiled and produced about 40 of them.

Menu: Beet Soup [vegan], Salad of greens, oranges, black olives, spicy cashews and Italian herb dressing, Bourbon-glazed chicken breast stuffed with bleu cheese, almonds and apricot sauce, Portobello mushroom with artichoke heart and roasted garlic in a warm spinach bed [vegan], glazed red onions and pesto sauce tart, crispy butternut squash with sun-dried tomatoes and capers [vegan] and for dessert maple walnut cake with pear vanilla cream.

For more information please call (928) 632-6217 or (602) 254-5309

The handrail along the trail from the visitors parking lot to the Visitors Center - Gallery is just one of many improvements to welcome tourists and a steadily growing number of overnight guests and groups. Guest Services has been very busy with upgrading overnight facilities and the arrangement of special tours. For example, during the past week:
A group from Hohokam Middle School was here on Monday and Tuesday for an overnight stay in the dorms. Their educational visit included a tour, a silt workshop, delicious meals and a swim in the 25 meters long pool that is cradled in the basalt cliff, overlooking the Agua Fria River valley.
On Wednesday, students from Sequoia School came for a tour and the Prescott College Ph.D. Program students visited.

On Friday morning a group of students from the Holbrook Indian School came for a tour and a silt-workshop.
Also on Friday, students and parents from Mission Montessori Academy came for an overnight stay that included a silt workshop, tour of the gardens, a guided hike into the desert to visit some of the ancient petroglyps, swimming, delicious meals and the adventure of exploring the desert and a cave close to the Arcosanti site. A group of students from Thomas Elementary School joined the Montessori group for the silt workshop.

On Saturday the Arizona Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing took advantage of the Colly Soleri Music Center facilities for a workshop. And on Sunday a group of Environmental Educators visited the site.