Congratulations to
the May 16. 2010 graduating workshop participants!!
[graduated on June 18. 2010]

[standing from left]:
Wilder Fichter, David Wilson, Joseph Rivera-Ramos, Craig Shirley, Patrick Thompson and Mark Kieser [workshop and planning internship].

[kneeling from left]:
Jiwon Lee, Jacob Zucker and Masato Kurachi.

[photo: Steve Morse, with red helmet, at the Arcosanti foundry in 1997]

Steve Morse did his workshop in 1991 and stayed on to work in the Arcosanti Bronze Foundry until 1999. Part of that time he was the manager of the foundry.

We regret to report that Steve passed away on June 2. 2010.



[photo: Steve Morse at Arcosanti, Thanksgiving 1992]

There will be a Memorial Service on June 29. 2010, at 3pm, at the Veterans Cemetery on Overland Trail in Prescott, Arizona.

We send our heartfelt condolences to Steve's family and friends.



[photo: Steve Morse, November 1992]

Finding more photos.

Randy first came to Arcosanti for his workshop in June 1977. He later worked for some time with the construction crew on the beginning of the East Crescent. The left photo is of Randy in 1980.

Yesterday we received news from Randy’s wife Teri:

“My husband, Randall J. Cude, was an Arcosanti workshop participant and later a resident (around 1980-82, I believe). Arcosanti was a key element in his professional development as an architect, and an important time in his life."

Sadly, Randy passed away on April 6, 2010.

Since Arcosanti, he had become a registered architect in New York and spent many years as a partner at Voorsanger Architects. More recently, he completed law school and became a commercial real estate attorney at prominent New York City law firm, Proskauer Rose, specializing in construction-related matters.

Teri: The second photo is a pic of Randy (taken during our wedding ceremony on the 4th of July, 2007.)

We send our heart-felt condolences to Randy’s wife Teri. [tc@tcude.com].

[photo: Rosalinda and Jadae Johnson]
During the past week-end the Arcosanti site came alive with the "joyful sounds" of blues, reggae and rock-n-roll.
This was the 12th year that Milt Cannon organized the JUNETEENTH event here at Arcosanti.
Saturday started with a fiery dedication by Rev. Michael Cannon and gospel songs by Rosalinda and Jadae Johnson.

Here are some of the HIGHLIGHTS.

The MILT CANNON QUARTET with Albert Sarko on piano, Wayne Jones on bass, excellent drummer Randy Carter, and event organizer Milt Cannon.

The CUNNINGHAM DUO graced this event for the fifth year with performances on Saturday and on Sunday.

Reggae band HENRY TURNER JR. & FLAVOR have been part of this festival from it's very beginning.
This years band members are Henry Turner Jr. on guitar and vocals, Kenneth Campbell on keyboard, Danny Odudua on drums, James Turner, guitar and RasWayne, vocals, and the awesome Ronnie Huston on drums.

As every past year, the limbo dance was the highlight for kids of all ages.
With this reggae band something mysterious happens to peoples feet.

AISHIA was replaced by the DENISE ALLEN BAND, with Denise Allen on vocals, Sylvan Iancao on Bass guitar, Zach Parker on drums, Ricky Henderson on lead guitar and guest Nachama Greenwald on harmonica.

Husain Abdul-Alim of Spiritwood has been part of this festival every year with his beautiful hand carved wooden masks and a great selection of hand made jewelry, hats, eclectic clothing, incense and more.

Totally 'awesome' barbecue by "GEORGE" and family.

The CUNNINGHAMS during Sunday's performance.

HENRY TURNER & FLAVOR played Saturday Night and Sunday Night in the Vaults. Awesome dance parties.

As in the past, this years JUNETEENTH combined good music, a very interesting art show, good food, lovely people and a mellow atmosphere.

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Paolo Soleri. 91 years young, here on a visit to the High Tunnel Greenhouse at Arcosanti.

The photos were taken on June 17. by visiting scholar Jon Goodbun.

With Paolo were his daughter Daniela with husband David Cleveland and granddaughter Xina.

In preparations for the JUNETEENTH Festival, Tomiaki Tamura designed a new cover for the Colly Soleri Amphitheater.

Foundry staff member and awesome seamstress Cabiria sewed this large tarp together and strengthen the edges all around with seatbelt material.

Meanwhile the crew put in place a parachute in the East Crescent keystone, providing shade for vendors like Husain Abdul-Alim who for many of the past years has brought his collection of SPIRITWOOD masks and carvings to this event.

[image: The CANONFIRE ENSEMBLE. Cannonfire musicians are Cal McCarthy, guitar, Randi Carter on drums, Ray Carter on the bass, Al Sarco, piano and event organizer Milt Cannon, saxophone]

The JUNETEENTH Music and Arts Festival here at Arcosanti will take place this coming week-end.

[image: One of the 2009 artists displays]

This annual event has been a musical highlight for many years and this year event organizer Milt Cannon has put together again a line-up of wonderful musicians.

[image: Reggea group Henry Turner & Flavour. Henry Turner Jr., guitar, Ronnie, drums, James Turner, bass and djembe, and Challa, keyboard]

Milt Cannon leads the Prescott Jazz Society and has conceived and organized JUNETEENTH here at Arcosanti for the past 12 years.
Over the years this has been a favourite event and we look forward to returning visits from many prior participants, musicians, artists and vendors.

[image: The Saturday night Reggea party in the Vaults]

This event offers two days of jam'n music with live bands, swimming, hiking, art and culture, dancing, fun and games, and wonderful food.

Celebration starts at
11 am on Saturday, June 19. and
11 am on Sunday, June 20. 2010.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cosanti Foundation Reacts to Demolition Plans for Paolo Soleri Amphitheater in Santa Fe

Architect Paolo Soleri hopes to find alternatives to demolition.

On June 8, 2010, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported that the Paolo Soleri Amphitheater at the Santa Fe Indian School “is scheduled for demolition.”

The theater was designed in 1965 by Italian architect Paolo Soleri, who is most noted for pioneering concepts in the fields of environmental architecture and alternative urban planning. Many alumni of the Santa Fe Indian School and local residents of Santa Fe are outraged at the idea of losing the theater, a well-loved venue for performing arts events and graduation ceremonies for the students.

Paolo Soleri said “I am willing to do anything to support the preservation of the theater.” Architect Doug Lee said about the demolition plans “It would be a great tragedy when we actually built the theater working with local Indian students.”

The Cosanti Foundation looks forward to supporting any effort to preserve, restore, and maintain the Paolo Soleri Amphitheater as a cultural and historic resource in Santa Fe and to work with a variety of organizations to both prevent demolition and to raise funds to help the theater continue to serve both the Santa Fe Indian School students and the Santa Fe community.

Soleri last visited the theater when he traveled to Santa Fe to participate in the 2009 Celebrate Sustainable Santa Fe Festival. Roger Tomalty, who has worked with Soleri for over 40 years, accompanied Soleri during the visit and “was surprised how enthralled Paolo was with the structure.” On his visit, Soleri said “I rediscovered the value of the theater.” Cosanti Foundation executive Tomiaki Tamura describes the structure: “The aesthetic vocabulary of the theater resonates with the environment and architecture of Santa Fe, then and now.”

In 1965 the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) approached Paolo Soleri to design an outdoor amphitheater at its campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Soleri’s design called for a dramatically upwardly-shaped, earth-cast concrete structure to cover the performance area. The theater has since been used for events ranging from internationally publicized rock concerts to IAIA graduation ceremonies to the annual Native Roots and Rhythms Festival.

From the book Soleri: Architecture as Human Ecology by Professor Iolanda Lima, Copyright 2003 by The Monacelli Press:
“In 1964 Lloyd Kiva New, president of the Institute of American Arts and a friend and admirer of Soleri, commissioned him to build a three hundred seat open-air theater that would both serve its traditional function and “frame the moon and sun. Soleri accepted the assignment… What he was after was not so much stage mobility as synergy among the participants. He achieved this by creating a stage and seating with no division, a place where actors and musicians could interact with spectators.”
“Soleri said of the project: ‘We were hoping actors would not just use the stage, but also the area above it, and that’s why we designed the bridge and other platforms. It was meant to be similar to the Elizabethan theater, with action taking place on different levels… The notion of using the local landscape, geology, and natural materials was an integral part of the process. We molded earth and arranged the arches, then we excavated trenches and poured concrete to form the walls, using a technique that captures the consistency and shape of the earth itself.”

Paolo Soleri recently said “Lloyd Kiva New was the mover that had the imagination and determination to have the outdoor theater at the Santa Fe Indian School. The construction began as the cooperation of the school’s students headed by Lloyd himself and me with the Cosanti Foundation of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Imagination was at the origin of the theater, imagination is essential now. This American culture is bent on demolition in all fields. It is a deleterious way of making history and forfeiting memories, the very memories cutting the landscape of history for country in search of culture and civility.”

Soleri’s primary work has been in city design and planning, rather than focusing on individual buildings. He is most known for the alternative planning concept arcology (architecture + ecology) as a method of reducing human impact on the environment while improving quality of life. Soleri often describes “the orchid vs. the forest,” comparing a single building as an architect’s beautiful “orchid” to a complex, interacting city as the “forest.” To Soleri, the amphitheater is an orchid he is proud of.

There have been many rumors recently that the PAOLO SOLERI AMPHITHEATER in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is scheduled to be demolished.

The theater is located on the campus of the Santa Fe Indian School and many of the beautiful old buildings on that campus have been destroyed in the last couple of years.

On June 7. 2010, these rumors were finally confirmed with an article by George Johnson, posted in The Santa Fe Review. The article was sent to us by Ryan S. Flahive, Archivist at the IAIA, College of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe. Thank you, Ryan!

According to this article, the Superintendent of the Santa Fe Indian School, Everett Chavez, publicly announced, on New Mexico’s 94 Rock’s Morning radio show, that
the Paolo Soleri amphitheater will be destroyed as part of the school’s “aggressive educational agenda.”
The reasons stated were yearly maintenance costs of $95,000.00 to $99,000.00,
and a sum of $578,000.00 to bring the theater up to code, which would include compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

From the earliest rumors to the actual announcement by Mr. Chaves and to date, there has been a terrific response against the destruction, from students and alumni of the Indian School as well as from the architectural and general community.
There have also been many many heartfelt testimonials from people that attended events at this venue over the years.

We at the Cosanti Foundation will do whatever we can to support the preservation and restoration of the theater as a cultural and historic resource.

Stay tuned for more information on how to help!

One of our interns put together a series of web-postings about the Paolo Soleri Amphitheater in St. Fe, see Today@Arcosanti from January 2. 2009 - January 12. 2009.

The Italian edition of Professor Iolanda Lima’s new book on sustainable architecture is ready.
The book will be officially presented to the public at Milan's Triennale on June 18th 2010, with several professors from Milan Polytechnic and other universities.

The book was written in Honor of Paolo Soleri, published by Jaca Books.
It is about many architects work, (not just Paolo's), all of them contributed to this initiative to honor Paolo Soleri.
The book will include the whole SOLARE Quaderno no.9, and Young Soo Kim's latest 3-D Renderings of Lean Linear.

The book includes work from the following architects:
Maria Bottero, Politecnico di Milano
Maria Antonietta Crippa, Politecnico di Milano
Antonietta Iolanda Lima, Univerista di Palermo
Francesco Moschini, Politecnico di Bari
Giovanni Puglisi, IULM Milano
Gianni Scudo, Politecnico di Milano.

Congratulations to new parents Colleen Reckow and Andy Chao
and a very hearty welcome to baby Rowan Alexander Chao.

Rowan was born on June 1. 2010 at 7am. At birth he weighed 7 lbs 4 oz and was 19.75 inches long.

[image: Birdseye view of the Lean Linear City design]

We continue our report from 6/2/10 with updated renderings of the Lean Linear City.

The text consists of excerpts from "QUADERNO 9, SOLARE: LEAN "LINEAR CITY" written by Paolo Soleri, 2005.

"The variations available for the single module (200 meters in length) to “clone” itself are unlimited, given the ingenuity and the resolve of the planners, designers, and populations involved.
Three major points:
[1] Food and habitat are mandatory (necessities), a priority, and a universal imperative.
[2] A continent as populated as China at the edge of hyper-consumerism cannot afford to engulf its farmland in parkways, highways, roads, parking lots, garages, and dumpsites.
These are consequences of the unchecked metastasis of the city into suburbia and exurbia.
[3] A child separated from nature, as even the most opulent exurbia imposes, will be a flawed persona."

[image: Birdseye view of the Lean Linear City design, space between the city ribbons]

"According to the preliminary data, each “module” of the city, measuring 200 meters in length, accommodates about 2,000 residents and the spaces for productive, commercial, institutional, cultural, recreational, and health activities.
Each module is able to harvest a percentage of its energy needs on the spot, in addition to the staple harvests such as fruits and vegetables.
In SOLARE, auxiliary to the family’s windowsill pot for herbs and tomatoes, are the greenhouse aprons on the southerly elevation and the terraced orchards on the northerly elevation.
The most promising effect of the lean urban ribbon is a network of logistically distributed habitats capable, in time, of cleansing the land by substantially reducing an enormous fossil fuel dependence, thus restoring ecosystems and enriching the life of the countryside now under the threat of endless sprawl (the City of Phoenix Syndrome).
In addition, each module of the Lean Linear City (LLC) could define its proper characteristics: products, facilities, ethnicities, health, technologies, fashion, cuisine, and conviviality aligned sequentially along regional and continental routes."

[image: The space between the two Lean Linear City ribbons]

"If SOLARE’s modules, with well-lubricated logistics, traverse diverse ethnicities, in a few minutes one could arrive at different urban, civic, and cultural experiences, analogous to organisms whose blood carries vital load to heart, brain, lungs, liver, eros organs, etc.
Such an astonishing line up of provinces is only conceivable with a highly efficient and swift logistical support.
Once the provinces are splintered from common logistics, what remains are civic asphyxiation, societal paralysis, starvation, and death."

[image: The space between the two Lean Linear City ribbons]

"In SOLARE, five minutes on the train plus a five-minute walk takes you where you choose or need to be (daily cycles).
In five minutes on the train you could traverse ten “mini provinces” (modules), each with its own distinct flavor, akin to New York’s ethnic neighborhoods.
The modular characteristics could not be mandated; rather they would have to come about as SOLARE started to click as a lean, continuous human habitat.
Even though a single module of SOLARE (2,000 residents) is a relatively modest urban enterprise, a fully developed lean urban ribbon (tens or hundreds of kilometers), in addition to its planning, would be able to employ a very, very large, skilled, and varied labor pool for many years."

This completes this sequence of reports about the Lean Linear City.

Previous reports on the LEAN LINEAR CITY can be viewed on 4/20/05, 2/6 – 2/8/06, 8/5 – 8/14/09, 11/27 – 12/14/09.

The complete text is available in QUADERNO 9 - SOLARE The Lean Linear City.
The Quaderno is available in the Visitors Center - Galleries at Cosanti and Arcosanti, as well as on our web-site on-line store.

[image: Birdseye view of the Lean Linear City design with dam]

We continue our report from 5/31/10 with updated renderings of the Lean Linear City.

The text consists of excerpts from "QUADERNO 9, SOLARE: LEAN "LINEAR CITY" written by Paolo Soleri, 2005.

"The triumphal technological march of Homo faber is overloading the poorly designed “arterial and venous” networks we naïvely have embraced. The suburban logistical network is sclerotic, and worse, doomed. In order to remain marginally viable, the life of the “organism” becomes grotesque.
An aerial view of exurban diaspora evidences that grotesque, monotonous, shallow, delusional life. It is un-civil-ized, i.e., deprived of civitas (the city), but serves well the production, consumption, segregation, waste, and pollution cycles of raw capitalism.
The survival of the fittest is its rule, while its very livelihood rests in the obscurantism of materialism."

[image: Birdseye view of the Lean Linear City design, energy apron on the south side of the city]

"At the same time there is an alternative to the crude instauration of very large urban systems indifferent, in fact hostile, to that same “loving nature” we hypocritically herald.
We belong to the planet, we have been shaped for eons by it, and its basic indifference toward life’s evolution is plain to see.
Even the sun, source and first resource of life, is nothing more that a super hot, gaseous mass, the most apt god to idolize if we are so inclined."

[image: Birdseye view of the Lean Linear City design, major node]

"But our indifference toward the sun and its climatic rage taxes our fragile presence.
How to best harness a fraction of the sun’s energy, now that fossil fuels are beginning to show signs of exhaustion,
is essential
to the structural and functional morphology of the proposed urban ribbon.
Its predisposition toward a clean and lean nature includes harvesting solar energy on the spot and paying attention to the logistics of contemporary consumers."

[image: Birdseye view of the Lean Linear City design, modules]

"We have been de-coupling the urban from the logistical (transportation) and as long as we stay in hyper-consumption mode and persist in automobile supremacy, the conflict has no solution.
It is a simple fact of physics (transportation) and hyper-physics (the Urban Effect).
The Lean Linear City channels both the physical and the hyper-physical (civilization-culture) presence in self-contained complexes and intense urban ribbons capable of lining the continent in the leanest possible mode."

The third and last report of this series about the Lean Linear City will be posted on 6/4/2010.