H A P P Y
H O L I D A Y S !!!

Planning Coordinator Dan Kelligher and the workshop crew continue work on custom fitted counters and sinks, now for East Crescent Light Scoop Unit 7 and Unit 9. Dan is building the forms for two countertops with kitchen sink.

Workshop participants David Dobie and Roohi Zaida work with Dan to mix, pour and level the concrete into the forms. The fast-setting mix is transported very quickly, then packed into the individual forms. The countertop for Unit 9 is mixed with an olive pigment to compliment the interior design of that space.

A special brick colored concrete countertop system by Fu-Tung Cheng, 'Concrete Countertop Pro-Formula Mix' is used for Unit 7. This report will continue.

This continues the report from 11/15/06 about the casting of a custom counter with sink for the Light-scoop in Unit 10 in the East Crescent.
Planning coordinator Dan Kelligher has designed and cast a series of custom fitted counters and sinks for bathrooms on the second floor of Unit 6, Unit 7 and Unit 9. This present counter project is for a small kitchen area in the light-scoop studio.
[from upper left] After the crew carefully packed the form, construction and utilities manager Scott Riley vibrates the concrete mixture to bring any air-pockets to the surface. The concrete has to set for a minimum of 2 weeks.
Once the concrete hardened the form was flipped over and removed. The custom molded wood pieces in the middle of the form left an exact impression for a small sink and drainage area, as well as an access hole for a faucet.

Dan carefully sands the surface and applies a professional concrete sealant. Once the sealant has dried, a coat of wax is applied and buffed.

The counter is been installed. Matching tiles make a splash guard over the counter. The cabinets were custom built by Maintenance and woodshop crew member David De Gomez.

Staff and volunteers gathered for the annual Christmas party this Wednesday evening at 5:30 pm in the Cafe. The party started with a potluck of hours d'oeuvres and a great selection of dessert. The most outstanding dessert was a large gingerbread construction of the existing buildings at Arcosanti, patiently put together by Melissa Soluski and Wendy Wu,.
[from upper left] Melissa and Wendy. Some of the wonderful details were a pile of sand in the Gingerbread Foundry, little fountains in front of the Ceramics Apse and East and West Housing, the Swimming Pool, in the East Crescent red licorice beams from the middle pillar to the individual units finger panels, candy coated cypress trees, all together an absolutely wonderful effort. Paolo Soleri admires this delicious version of his project.

At 6:30 pm the crowd moved to the Sky Theater for a special performance of Pictograph. This is a combination of music, light and dance projected against the mesa south of the Arcosanti site. The performance was choreographed by Project Director Tomiaki Tamura to the music of 'Radio Head' and 'Moby'. Performers were Murray Natkie, Rick and Debbie Frost, and Charlie Wicker. After the performance all the local children enthusiastically took to the stage and shadow danced. The glow above the mesa is from the city lights of Phoenix, 70 miles to the south.

The party continued with a lively dinner in the cafe.
[from upper left] As every year, after dinner Paolo distributed Christmas presents, with helper raindeer Melissa Soluski. Each person, including the kids, was called to come to the front to receive their gift and give a big hug to Paolo. The best entertainment of the evening was Melissa's very graceful and funny introduction of each person. Volunteer Jung Ju Lee makes a Heart with Paolo, for the camera. The foundry had produced a special collection of tiny bronze bells and everyone received one of the bells. The Italian volunteers made a lively cheering section. It was a wonderful party with many funny moments.

The Second Annual Arcosanti Holiday Open House took place on Saturday, December 9th! Hundreds attended from neighboring communities.
[from upper left] Murray Natkie (AIS member) gives a presentation in the Gallery before taking one of the large groups on a tour. The student choir from Copper King School graces the Cafe with carols and songs throughout the lunchtime hours.

Included in the General Site Tour was a visit to the Bronze Foundry. Pictured here, resident foundry workers Tucker Zenski and Eleanor Gilles do a bronze pour for visitors to see.

Also on the tour was a visit to the ceramics studio. The sunny day at the ceramics apse was quite pleasant. There were also two special tours that visited some of the residences and Soleri Archives was included in three of the tours.

Congratulations to the November 5. 2006 Workshop participants on their graduation. [top from left]: Curtiss Ross Sanchez Jeffrey Meylan, Bernardo Claus, Debra and Richard Frost, Julian Lauzzana and Errin Turner. [front from left]: Sara Pulici, John Foster, Andrea Paneghetti, Kinuko Tensaka. Andrea continues as a volunteer in the Maintenance department. Julian Lauzzana will continue at Arcosanti and split his time between Soleri Archives and fund raising. Debra Frost did her workshop in the landscaping department.

[from upper left] Erin Turner will continue at Arcosanti and split her time between work in Agriculture and the Visitors Center. Bernardo Claus and Jeffrey Meylan will volunteer in construction and Sung Sik Cho did his workshop in Soleri Archives and will continue in a work-study program.

[from upper left] Kinuko Tensaka will volunteer in Construction for two more weeks. John Foster accepts his certificate from interim workshop coordinator Matteo De Michele. Sarah Pulici will volunteer in Agriculture. Richard Frost accepted a job in the Maintenance department and Curtis Sanchez will continue in landscaping. Also graduated with this workshop were David Dobie and Roohi Zaidi.

Director/Curator David Tooker and associate curator Lori Toczek of West Valley Art Museum in Surprise, Arizona, came to view and select some of Paolo Soleri's original drawings for an exhibition planned to open January 12th through March 4th, 2007.

Archives Director Tomiaki Tamura shows and explains some of Paolo Soleris work in the Soleri Archives Department.

Work selected for the upcoming show revolves primarily around the SOLARE Lean Linear City proposal. Additionally, select original sketches were chosen to show the progression of Paolo's work from the 1950's concepts of Cosmic Potential, through the 2 Suns series into the SOLARE proposal.

Cosanti Foundation Director Tomiaki Tamura developed a series of light shows called PICTOGRAPHS. Each presentation is finely choreographed with changing lights and dancers, projecting images from infront of the Music Center onto the mesa across from the site.

Last evening, with a beautiful full moon, Tomiaki put together a Pictograph rehearsal to the dramatic sounds of 'Dark Side of the Moon' by Pink Floyd.

After the show, activities continued at the pool, right now at a temperature of 40 degree fahrenheit. The Arcosanti 'Polar Bear Club' enjoyed a refreshing dip and warmed up afterwards by a cosy fire. Workshop participant Sung Sik Cho was the champion of endurance.

This continues the November 3. 2006 report of the rennovation of the Resident library, which is now located one the first floor of Unit 9 in the East Crescent complex.
After intensive cleaning by the construction crew, parts of the ceiling and some of the walls were painted white to lighten the room.

The shelves were relocated and completely reorganized. Most of the books were already labeled by topics. Now the all of books are completely labeled.
Planning coordinator Dan Kelliher headed this renovation and re-sorting project. Volunteers from many departments helped with the work.

Thanks to a very structured effort the Arcosanti Library is now very well organized.

This continues the November 22. 2006 report of silt-cast panel construction. Two steel forms were prepared to cast a series of wall panels that will surround the walk-in refrigerator and recycling area behind the bakery, and upgrade the general entrance to the Arcosanti site.
The steel forms are wide enough to accommodate two wall panels, one on top of the other. The first panels have been poured and two days later the crew applied a layer of silt on top of each panel and installed the reinforcement bar structure.
[from upper left} Workshop participant Debra Frost and volunteer Darina Trendafilova, Darina and workshop participant John Foster, volunteer Alfonso Eliah and crew manager David Tollas, and again John Foster, Debra Frost, Darina Trendafilova and David Tollas.

[from left] After the completed pour of the first level the inner ring forms were moved up to accommodate the pour of the second set of panels. Volunteer Alfonso Elia taps the outer form to settle the concrete mix.

The second level is complete. The panels will now cure for a minimum of 2 weeks. In the background is the old wood-slat fence. that surrounds the recycling area behind the bakery. The next step will be to remove this fence, carefully dig out and transplant the old Star Jasmin and Honeysuckle plants, and dig a trench for the new wall panel footings. This report will continue.