Visionary architect Paolo Soleri began building Arcosanti, his utopian city in the desert, in 1970 and continued to work on this “arcology” (“architecture + “ecology”) until his death at 93 in 2013. When I interviewed Soleri in 2000, he described the experimental city as a reaction to the scattering of people across the US landscape, what he called a “planetary hermitage”. In 2000, I interviewed the Begin-Tollas family, who as planning manager (Nadia Begin) and construction manager (David Tollas) were hoping to help build a different future for their 3-year-old son Tristan (“the first child to grow up in an arcology”). In 2014 I returned to this desert oasis, a year after Soleri died, where residents, like planning manager Rawaf al Rawaf, were trying to determine the future of this “urban laboratory”. The Begin-Tollas family still continue to help build this “prototype” arcology (Tristan is now 18). arcosanti.org

Comments

1. I've been there, a great place.
2. Soleri's work is being practiced in modern forms all over the Gulf States. Not his architecture of course, but arcology borrowing on his multiplicity of principals. I would love to see his heavy industry "vein" cities emerge somewhere.
3. As I watched I liked many things they have done, but I see problems. Seniors with mobility problems will have issues with all the small steps you see constantly. Access to medical seems to be a problem as well, I did not see any of those services.
   
   Fire, Police/Security service, might be considered all volunteer but none were pointed out really in the video. Forms of leadership seem vague, Government seems neither appointed or elected.
   
   This seem less Utopian and more like a potential mess.
   
   I like the Amphitheater design and the small shops near it, the foundry was very nice. I liked the forest they have planted and the fields, very good work. I liked the living spaces and common areas, reminded me of some Roman architecture I have seen in books before.
4. it's so cult-like, very interesting concept. looks straight out of a sci-fi book
5. Looks like a nice place to Test a NLRBE ...  ;]
6. still trying to be positive... but... it really seems to be the same known model we have seen many times, and perhaps it will always remain an utopia since I do not see an organic development -at least until now. I have been thinking about sustainable architecture for a long time (obtained my master-degree with this) and I can readily conclude that such experiments are always valuable BUT: the REAL solution is embedded in our actual cities themselves, in a very URBAN setting. It is THERE were we have to fight the big battle, winning new spaces beyond market considerations alone. Winning new empowerment for all, little by little, by means of efficient systems and design, and through a new social contract which is based on inclusion, cooperation, sufficiency, responsibility and commitment. An user-centered architecture which is able to embody the factors which enable social sustainability is certainly a step in the right direction. Arcosanti might have some of these features BUT if I would had built some arcology project in that region, I for sure would have looked first to the models that were there for thousands of years, like for instance the Hopi urban design. In vernacular architecture and "tribal" societies we can find many very important clues, which in addition do not violate the cultural landscape of the region!! I don't want to be negative, but instead of Arcosanti I would definitively vote for Pueblo Bonito (Chaco Canyon) at the moment of thinking about utopias in this setting...!!! Even so, to have planetary effects, utopias should be developed in real URBAN settings (Cities are not only the problem but also part of the solution), anything else is in many ways a sort of escapism...
7. No way just bells payed for allllll that!..
8. awesome
9. Like a scene out of Star Trek.. Very nice! Would not be surprised if this was used for something like that
10. Solar panel generating station ...where power is used on site and sold to grid...mfg panels and inverters batteries there as well instead of Asia...Texas and Israel are building huge solar array in desert areas...maybe this is the key to sustainability for such remote desert communities ..a positive solution...שלום
11. Even though this kind of community is not for everybody, watching this is profoundly invigorating. It's as if my very existence is enriched by their passion and their commitment to make all this work. Plus, they're so eloquent. Thank you for sharing this.
    
    I live in Hong Kong where everything is cramped and compartmentalised. The architecture protrudes against what "environment" we have. Very little of it is truly nourishing to the soul. I wish we had something like this or at least that this concept would carry over especially in metropolitan cities.
12. So viel Platz und Natur!!!! Liebe Grüße Aus Germany! Walter
13. Again great video on amazing channel.
    I found that tech most practical and durable, respect! :)
14. Kirsten
    
    Thanks for all you do, you channel should be on P.B.S. Have you ever though about reaching out to therm?
15. Building up creates a whole new set of engineering problems..not so simple..
16. Nice ...but where do are all the inhabitants going to work? And what about the poor or handi capped? Is this community affordable ? Or is it just for the wealthy or who are fortunate enough who seek to escape the ghetto? I am an architect in NYC and studied about this community and was intrigued back in the 1980s...The challenge is to make a community such as this for everyone...and provide employment within this village...not to have parkways and highways to commute to work...not another "Levittown,NY"...where cars and parking lots dominate. שלום
17. We had similar idea in Israel..kibbutz communes..but sadly they failed. It seems few would share the work load equally...and human nature prevails where people seem to want more or better than everyone else has by doing less work than his fellow....a few did 90% of the hard work while most found every excuse not to toil in the sun since they considered themselves "artists" or "intellectuals"...lol.שלום
18. This is communism.
19. can you skateboard or scooter through there or are they off limits
20. My husband and I were just out in that neck of the woods recently and no matter how much everyone around me discussed the beauty of the desert landscape, I just couldn't appreciate it, and there are communities out there that have to actually go and buy water and have the water truck place it in a cistern. It's good to get out and see how people live in different climates around the country, but I really realized that I need trees, big leafy trees to feel at home.