News + Updates for August 2021
Fresh Faces, Site Improvements, Arcosanti Events, + More
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Thanks for hanging in there, Friend!
Like so many things, our monthly newsletter experienced a bit of disruption over the last year. Now, with the summer monsoons bringing the desert back to life, there's also a renewed sense of vitality ringing through the concrete at Cosanti and Arcosanti. Let's see what's been going on lately.
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Nicole Ackerina,
Director of Guest Experience + Operations
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Scott Riley,
Director of Site Management
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Welcome, Nicole & Scott
In addition to the hires announced earlier this summer, our staff has expanded once more. The Cosanti Foundation’s leadership team now includes Nicole Ackerina as Director of Guest Experience and Operations, and Scott Riley as Director of Site Management.
Nicole is a recent addition to the Arcosanti community, having arrived in April as part of our spring volunteer cohort. She has extensive experience with executive-level project and program management and organizational operations in both the public and private sectors, including 3 years as a Vice President for the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
Scott has been part of Arcosanti from the start. Following his workshop in 1973, he worked here and in the Bay Area for more than 25 years. In 2000, he became a full-time member of our staff, and has resided at Arcosanti ever since. Scott played a pivotal part in our facilities and infrastructure management long before stepping into this much-deserved role.
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Executive Search Continues |
The international search for The Cosanti Foundation’s next Executive Director is now fully underway. The talented person who takes up this mantle will be overseeing operations and activities for our total organization: both The Cosanti Foundation and Cosanti Originals, and both Arcosanti and Cosanti.
We’ve had dozens of wonderful applicants, some of whom have emerged as leading contenders for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Nonetheless, this position is open until filled, meaning it’s not too late share the position description, or to apply.
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We wouldn’t exist without the volunteer efforts of our 8000 alumni, whose contributions over the decades literally built both Cosanti and Arcosanti. While the old workshop program is on hold as we reinvent a few things, we are minting new alumni this fall with a special 6-week volunteer cohort program from September 29th through November 11th.
Much like the old workshops, volunteers will live at Arcosanti while participating in hands-on work, as well as discussion-based classes, seminars, and field trips, following a core curriculum rooted in arcology and experiential education. During their free time, volunteers can participate in community activities, explore Arcosanti's 860 acres, and work on their own passion projects.
Unlike the old workshops, this limited-edition program is completely free, and admission is competitive. If you've ever wanted to participate in the Arcosanti project, this is your chance!
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Arcosanti Gets a Little Love
We're making some big improvements to the arcology!
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If you follow us on Facebook, you may have seen our recent post about renovations in our main office, a collaboration with The School of Architecture (TSOA) as they head into their 2nd year in residence at Arcosanti. Folks were delighted to hear that such a long-overdue project was finally underway, so we wanted to spotlight it here, and share some other site improvements taking place this summer.
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Main Office Remodel
We're joining (office) forces with The School of Architecture as they near the start of their second year at Arcosanti. This total remodel of our main office will create workspace for more than 20 folks from Arcosanti & TSOA.
Special thanks to Michael Simmons from TSOA and to Jeff Rexrode, Scott Riley, and the intrepid Arconauts who are making this much-needed makeover happen so quickly.
We hope to have everything up and running again just before Labor Day weekend. Stay tuned to Facebook for updates.
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Sitewide Safety Railings
This summer has also seen some key enhancements to site safety and accessibility.
Arcosanti’s own Ace Schutte, a metal artist and welder-fabricator by trade, has been busy with the design and installation of new protective railings throughout Arcosanti, including:
- Ceramics Apse stairs
- Foundry stairs
- East Crescent spiral steps
- Keystone steps
- East Crescent roofline
- Sun Suite patio
- East Foundry Apartment patio
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New Roof for Crafts III
Crafts III is home to our Visitors Center, including our Gallery and Café, so the unintentional indoor waterfalls occurring with each rain have been especially problematic.
Fortunately, Randy and the team from Progressive Roofing have been doing a marvelous job, so much so that they’re also working on some roofing issues above East Housing, too.
Once the roof is done, we'll switch gears to focus on a significant café upgrade, to be completed by the new year.
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Let's Get Together
After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, events are returning to Arcosanti this October, starting with one of our favorites: the Convergence festival. Developed by Arcosanti alumni and the Arcosanti Cooperative, Convergence has held a special place on The Cosanti Foundation's event calendar since 2018. By bringing hundreds of people to the arcology for a unique 3-day immersion experience with a significant emphasis on indigenous perspectives, regenerative ways of being, and a whole world of arts, culture, and ideas, the festival is a true reflection of our mission "to inspire a reimagined urbanism that builds resilient and equitable communities sustainably integrated with the natural world."
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Coming in September:
- Blog Relaunch: What If?
- Solar Energy in the High Desert
- NRCS Riparian Restoration Grant
- The School of Architecture Returns
- Cosanti Renovation + Restoration
+ more!
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About The Cosanti Foundation |
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Since 1965, The Cosanti Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has advocated for the built environment to be created in harmony with nature through the concept of arcology (architecture + ecology), and through our Arizona demonstration projects, Cosanti and Arcosanti.
Our mission is to inspire a reimagined urbanism that builds resilient and equitable communities sustainably integrated with the natural world.
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Images courtesy Nicole Ackerina, Kate Bemesderfer, Jessica Jameson, Katie "Pinto" Lebrun, Courtney Weidner, Arcosanti Cooperative, and The Cosanti Foundation |
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