News + Updates for October 2021
Staff Expansion, Program Innovation, Site Improvements + More
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Happy autumn, Friend!
With monsoon season over and the heat finally gone, fall at Arcosanti and Cosanti usually arrives with a renewed kind of energy. This year is no different. The big news right now is the hire of our new Executive Director (so big it pre-empted our September newsletter), but there are a lot more good things to discover this month.
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Liz Martin-Malikian
Incoming CEO & Executive Director
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Our Next Executive
In case you missed it, The Cosanti Foundation has announced the hire of Elizabeth (Liz) Martin-Malikian as our next CEO & Executive Director. An architect, author, and academic, Liz will oversee both Arcosanti and Cosanti, as well as both The Cosanti Foundation and Cosanti Originals. Liz starts on December 1st, and we're thrilled to have her onboard!
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Status Update: Renovations |
As reported in August, we've been giving some long-overdue restorative care to many parts of Arcosanti and Cosanti.
We're nearly done with a major renovation of our main offices (historically called SOD—Soleri Office of Design), which now double as the studio for The School of Architecture. With all-new desks made right here at Arcosanti, the space is lighter, brighter, and far more versatile than before. Stop by and see for yourself the next time you visit.
Additionally, we recently cleared out the Pumpkin Apse and a Barrel Vault at Cosanti, bringing many early models and exhibition materials to the Soleri Archives at Arcosanti for proper cleaning, cataloging, and storage.
This month, after some long delays, we also began work to improve the café in Crafts III, including a total replacement of our rather ancient kitchen equipment. We're hoping to have that space restored by early December, in time to open for the holidays. We'll also be looking for a café manager soon—stay tuned.
Last but certainly not least, thank you to the many donors and volunteers who are making all of these improvements possible.
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We love our office makeover! |
A volunteer learns arcology & archiving at the same time. |
After cooking a million meals, it's time to say goodbye. |
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The classic Arcosanti Workshop Program—the way 8000 people have become alumni over the last 5 decades—is finally in the process of being reimagined for the 21st century. This year, thanks to the dedication of Volunteer Manager Pinto LeBrun and three cohorts of intrepid volunteers from across the country (including the folk pictured here, who are part of our current cohort), we're dialing in a new curriculum for what will become an ongoing cycle of 6-week workshops starting in 2022.
We'll of course be teaching the essentials of arcology and the history of Cosanti, Arcosanti, and The Cosanti Foundation. We're bringing back shared experiences like Conviviality, Synergies, Frugal Soup, and School of Thought, and trips to key places like Cosanti, Dome House, and the Soleri Bridge. We'll be layering in opportunities to get involved with our growing agriculture program, the archives, landscaping, multimedia communications, events, and various renovation projects.
Most importantly, we're adding in new experiential learning opportunities with that have as much to do with place-keeping as with place-making, and for the time being, more to do with building community than building construction.
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We've Got a Few More Friendly New Faces |
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As we work to position The Cosanti Foundation for future growth and projects—including, eventually, new construction—we're building up our core organizational capacity with some stellar staff. Here's a brief overview of who's new and what they do. |
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Larry
Bergholz
Larry joins us as our Chief Operations Officer, overseeing finance, HR, and organizational operations across the entire organization. He brings an easygoing demeanor and decades of nonprofit management experience to a critical role.
Welcome, Larry!
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Nikki
Check
Nikki joins us as our Director of Experience and Operations, overseeing tours, overnights, general events, site rentals, and the café at Arcosanti. She brings tons of positive energy and years of professional experience in central Arizona to a big job.
Welcome, Nikki!
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Norm
Pratt
Norm joins us as our Director of Education, overseeing lecture series, workshops, archives, and other experiential education opportunities, like K-12 curriculum-building. If Norm seems familiar, it's because he is—he is returning to our staff after taking a year off.
Welcome, Norm!
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Come Ring Some Bells
Cosanti Originals' Annual Bronze Bell Sale takes place on Friday, October 29th and Saturday, October 30th from 9 am to 5 pm at Cosanti in Paradise Valley. It's the only time of year that our bells—handmade by artisans at Cosanti and Arcosanti—go on sale, and you have to be at Cosanti (not Arcosanti) in person on those days to take advantage of it. It's a golden—er, bronze—opportunity, but you might want to prep a little before you go.
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Coming in November:
- An Alumni Reunion in 2022?
- Hosting AmeriCorps VISTA
- Restoration along the Agua Fria
- College & University Partnerships
+ 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.
Join us in our mission to inspire a reimagined urbanism that builds resilient and equitable communities sustainably integrated with the natural world.
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Images courtesy Kate Bemesderfer, Larry Bergholz, Nikki Check, Jessica Jameson,
Katie "Pinto" LeBrun, Norm Pratt, Natalie Walsh, and The Cosanti Foundation
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