Arcosanti - Mayer, AZ - a city designed to allow harmless interaction with nature

The construction of the Arcosanti began by the Cosanti Foundation in 1970. Arcosanti is an experimental town seventy miles away from Phoenix, Arizona. When the project is completed there will be 5,000 people in the town to show ways that urban conditions can be improved while lessening the impact that is had on the Earth. Arconsanti is designed to occupy twenty-five out of 4060 acres of a land preserve with its solar greenhouse and compact structures.

A combination of architecture and ecology known as arcology is being used to design Arconsanti. The concept was developed by Paolo Soleri an Italian architect, the interaction of living organisms with the buildings is the same as in highly evolved species. There will be several systems working together with solar power incorporated into the structures.

Tours of Arconsanti can be taken every day of the week and last for about an hour. There is an introduction to the design philosophy and history of the development and a walking tour. There is a suggested donation of $10 for the guided tour. Group tours are also available for ten or more people. $7 or $5 a student is the donation amount suggested for groups.

Reservations can be made to have specialty tours such as in foreign languages and tours about the planning and architecture. There are archaeological and bird watching tours as well as others to give visitors to Arconsanti a unique experience. The specialty tours have set prices.

Arcosanti has meeting facilities that may be used for recitals, receptions, performances, meeting and other events. The staff will work with your group in order to design a special day long program, rent space for an event and to accommodate visitors overnight. The rate for indoor spaces is $75 a day for the Classroom with sixty people and the Red Room at a capacity of 100 people. The music center can be rented for $50 a day and can hold sixty people.

Arconsanti also offers three outdoor facilities that each cost $100 a day to rent and hold 350 people. Arrangements can be made to have picnics and cookouts at the outdoor gatherings with twenty or more people at a gathering. Arrangements should be made in advance if you intent to eat in the cafy.

Overnight visitors to Arcosanti are usually provided three buffet meals from the cafy. These are a continental breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. The meals include drinks and taxes; there is also an a la carte menu at the cafy. Those with ten or more in the group should make Arcosanti aware in advance if they plan to have group meals.

The workshop experience provided at Arconsanti is compromised of working and living in the community. This allows the full experience of urban living in an Arcology environment. Those participating in workshops will become a part of the community during them. There is the feel of a college campus to the community. Visiting Arconsanti is an experience that everyone should have at least once.