Exploring Arcosanti
When I said I wanted to visit Arcosanti for my pre-bday trip I never imagined that it would be so difficult to leave. I’ve always been obsessed with Architecture and Arcology so the mission of Arcosanti really struck me to the core. Situated on 20 acres of land (they own + preserve 8000 ac), Arcosanti was a vision by Paolo Soleri to build a sustainable city that works harmoniously with the land.
What really made our time there special was the people, we met some of the original elders that helped build this place back in the 70’s and when we asked them “do what did y’all do”, she replied “we built things, got drunk, did drugs, and enjoyed our freedom”. Chatting up elders is my specialty. Beth was just one aspect of Arcosanti that enriched the experience; Arcosanti embodies the idea of a third space (a common area where ppl can meet and commune).
Wherever you went on the land, there were ppl working on projects, getting laundry done, or sharing laughs.
One of the fascinating parts of Arcosanti is that you can actually LIVE there. Right now they have about 40-50 residents who work there full time and make minimum wage. Their rent is only $300/month (utilities incl) and they have an array of living styles. We met a resident, Josh, who told us that he moved in last year after Burning Man– I thought that was an appropriate progression 😂. Another resident Adam, who was tiling the amphitheater, visited Arcosanti for a festival and never left– that was 5 years ago!
This beautiful safe haven still needs a lot of work. It was started in the 70’s so the futuristic design is not-so futuristic anymore. There are structural issues and the path to the overnight guest rooms is a rocky dirt road on the side of a cliff. Still, even with so many incomplete thoughts, the intention is vibrant and captivating.
I asked Beth, an original builder who now comes back twice a year about the Sexual Abuse allegations brought on Paolo Soleri by his daughter, to which she replied “Oh it’s all true. It’s all true. He was a mean son of a bitch. But he didn’t build this place. We did. He stayed at Cosanti [the sister city] and was rarely here”. I have to say, there was something so comforting about her ability to address the allegations head-on and witnessing her own frustration. I guess I expected her to be avoidant, stoic, and protective; in fact her openness was a sort of protection that I wasn’t prepared for and it allowed us to move on with more comfortability.
All in all Arcosanti was an experience I couldn’t imagine on my own. It’s a reminder that freedom requires community and that it’s important to continue seeking out innovative Arocological spaces so that my own imagination stays fed. The future I want is more than attainable and I’m simply in the research phase of learning what’s been done, why it works (or not), and getting familiar with the sorts of community arrangements want to be re-birthed through me. If you’re ever in Arizona, I 10/10 recommend giving Arcosanti a visit. It’s near Prescott AZ and encapsulates what people think Sedona will be like. There’s a. bunch of awesome places like Arcosanti all over the state in fact, maybe I’ll share a list one of these days!
