News + Updates for May 2022
Architecture, Education, Celebration, an Unexpected Fire, + More
What a month, Friend!

As spring heads toward summer, the colors of the desert are really starting to show. Come see for yourself. While we definitely didn't anticipate some of the excitement May brought to the mesa, we're still looking forward to all the events and activities we did have planned at Arcosanti, Cosanti, and beyond.
An Architecture of Possibility
New exhibition with Phoenix Public Library brings the early roots of arcology into focus
Using passive solar design for sustainability in the desert. Repurposing industrial cast-offs for architecture and aesthetics. Connecting a building's inhabitants with the natural world.

If this sounds like arcology to you, you're right. And yet, those are also all characteristics of a structure that came long before the theory of arcology had been articulated.

Meet Dome House.

If Arcosanti is a prototype arcology, then this dwelling, more than 20 years older, is arguably a prototype of the prototype. Designed by Paolo Soleri and Mark Mills for Nora Woods (who would eventually become Soleri's mother-in-law), Dome House came about through a collaboration that followed principles and processes which would one day carry through into Cosanti, and later, Arcosanti.

Starting next month, you can explore these connections through "The Architecture of Possibility," a free exhibition at the Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix. Curated by our very own Noémie Despland-Lichtert, this exhibition illuminates both the history and current relevance of Dome House. Fittingly, the library is already home to a number of books and several works of art produced by Soleri, The Cosanti Foundation, and Cosanti Originals over the years, including examples of our famous bronze and ceramic bell assemblies. Moreover, the design of the library itself came from architect Will Bruder, an alumn of the Arcosanti workshop program.

Join us at the library on Thursday, June 9th between 5:00 and 6:30 PM for the opening reception celebrating this one-of-a-kind work of art and architecture. The reception is free, and no RSVP is required.

If you're not able to make it to the library this summer, there are a number of ways to search for more information about Dome House and the history of arcology through The Cosanti Foundation's archives and archival partnerships, both in-person and online.
Colly Soleri (whose mother Nora commissioned Dome House) and her daughter Daniela enjoy the inspired architecture of the space.
Dome House evolved from a conceptual drawing of a structure called Turnsole, part of a series of desert dwelling designs.
The original sections and elevations for Dome House are part of The Cosanti Foundation's extensive archival collection.
Dome House as is is today. Despite some changes, it remains a unique and beautiful home, well-suited to its desert location.
Synergies are a time-honored workshop tradition, bringing many hands together to make the work of building and maintaining an arcology—and now, a farm—much lighter.
The difference between making ceramic bells and earth-cast buildings is largely a matter of scale. Workshop participants explore both processes first-hand.
Being guided through our archives is one of the many special experiences included in the Arcosanti workshop.
No Ordinary Vacation
The School of Architecture at Arcosanti is on summer break, but education at Arcosanti continues throughout the year with our signature Multi-Week Workshop Program. If you've got a few weeks to spare and you're looking for a vacation like none other, these workshops are the experience of a lifetime:

  • June 11 through July 22
  • September 7 through October 6
  • October 12 through November 10
  • November 16 through December 15

Rooted in 55 years of tradition, our multi-week workshops combine volunteer opportunities with a core curriculum of hands-on classes (ceramic bell-making, basic welding), discussion-based seminars (the history of Arcosanti, the tenets of arcology), special tours (sustainability, archives), and field trips (Cosanti, Dome House). You'll be fully immersed in Arcosanti, living onsite as part of the community while gaining first-hand experience with the theory and practice of arcology. You'll also have full access to Arcosanti’s many amenities, including two miles of the Agua Fria River, thousands of acres of hikeable desert, and an outdoor pool.

When you graduate, you join an international network of more than 8000 official Arcosanti and Cosanti alumni, which includes many of our current staff and residents.

If you've got extra time, you might even consider applying for our first-ever extended-stay 10-Week Summer Agriculture Workshop. Spend a whole season at Arcosanti for the same price as our regular workshop program!
More Ways to Experience Arcosanti
As we get ready to reopen our guest rooms for the summer (now with AC in every room!), here are a couple of special reasons to think about stopping by Arcosanti for a few days. Of course, you can also come out to enjoy our daily and specialty tours, onsite café, and hiking trails, too.
Arco Art Market
May 28

If you've visited the Arcosanti Gallery lately, you might have noticed that we've got a lot more than books and bells these days. Handmade jewelry, dishes, paintings, textiles, stationery, sculptures, and more are also shown and sold all year, and all created by folks who are part of Arcosanti, Cosanti, and our alumni network.

Want to meet some of these fantastic artists?

Visit Arcosanti on May 28th for an open-air Art Market under the iconic Arcosanti Vaults!

Hosted by the Arcosanti Cooperative, the Art Market will feature expanded offerings from a number of artists, as well as food, music, and more.
Cloth + Flame Dinner
June 18

Over the past few months, we have been honored to partner with Cloth + Flame to share the natural beauty and innovative architecture of Arcosanti and the Arizona desert with new audiences, all paired with a first-class outdoor dining experience and live entertainment.

The final installment of this springtime dinner series is coming up on June 18th, and this time, you really can make a night of it. We've set aside all of our overnight accommodations for the day, so you can book a room along with your dinner reservations through Cloth + Flame.

Attendance is limited, and room availability is even more limited, so don't wait to save your spot.
Reunion Sales End June 1

If you're still thinking about whether or not to attend the Arcosanti Alumni Reunion in June, don't wait too much longer. Ticket sales end on June 1st. This is our first alumni reunion in more than a decade, and we've got a lot to share with you. Check out the weekend's schedule here, and get your tickets here before it's too late.
Celebrating with Orme

In addition to the bells we make and sell every day, there are a few times a year when we do something special for friends and neighbors. At Arcosanti, one of those neighbors is The Orme School, which has been home to a number of Arconauts over the years, sometimes as students and sometimes as staff. Orme students regularly visit Arcosanti, and Arcosanti staff regularly teach at Orme. We even deejayed their prom this year! For the last couple of years, our foundry crew (one of whom is an Orme alumn) has elevated this unique partnership by creating special bells, pictured here, for graduating seniors to mark their achievement. Congratulations, everyone!
Thank You, Fire Crews!

The biggest news this month was not something we saw coming: a fire at Arcosanti. On Monday, May 16th, a blaze spread across the northern edge of our mesa, west of the Minds Garden and into the Agua Fria River canyon below. Prevailing winds pushed the flames close to the original ranch house that still stands at Arcosanti, but thankfully, no buildings were lost and no one was hurt. The swift response from both the Arcosanti community and local and state fire crews saved the day. In the end, a little less than 300 acres burned, nearly all of it desert grasses, shrubs, and brush. It might look a little rough out there as you drive down the Arcosanti road for the next few months, but the land is resilient. In the long run, the good news is that this type of burn will actually help the ecosystem thrive.

The other good news is that our already-positive relationship with Arizona's firefighting crews just got a whole lot stronger. Once the fire was fully contained, we were able to provide tours to our unexpected guests, many of whom expressed wonder at seeing Arcosanti for the first time. The Cosanti Foundation and the community at Arcosanti extends its deepest gratitude to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and to everyone who participated in putting the fire out. We look forward to having you visit us again under less fiery circumstances!
Coming in June

  • Equity Immersion Residency Program
  • Unearthing Buried Treasures at Cosanti
  • Countdown to the Alumni Reunion
  • Meet the Newest Members of Our Team
+ more!
About The Cosanti Foundation
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.

Join us in our mission to inspire a reimagined urbanism that builds resilient and equitable communities sustainably integrated with the natural world.
Images courtesy Paola Avila, Kate Bemesderfer, Pinto LeBrun, Maitri Mehta, Scott Riley, David Startup, and The Cosanti Foundation