Arcosanti :: Communities Directory

Formed: 1970 Established: 1970

This page last updated:8/18/2011

Arcosanti

Cordes Lakes, Arizona,

United States

(Located about 1 hour north of Phoenix on Interstate 17 (on the way to the Grand Canyon))

Arcosanti is an alternative, experimental construction project in central Arizona. It is built based on architect Paolo Soleri's theory of Arcology, which blends architecture and ecology to create a pedestrian city in response to problems created by urban sprawl. Well known for its community, architecture, and setting, Arcosanti is a project of the Cosanti Foundation, a nonprofit educational foundation. As a construction site, our goal is to experiment with arcology design as a demonstration project. The main goal of Arcology is to create a complex, three-dimensional, energy efficient, pedestrian development where living, working, social, commercial, industrial, arts, and natural spaces are accessible within a short, walkable distance. The result is a huge savings in natural resources, especially from transportation, heating/cooling, and land use.

Today Arcosanti is an educational organization that has had over 6,000 people of all backgrounds participate in its workshop programs. All of our residents, volunteers, and interns join through our five-week workshops. People of all ages, backgrounds, experience levels, and lifestyles are welcome at Arcosanti; there is no religion or communal lifestyle that must be followed.

After successfully completing a five-week workshop, you have the option to become a resident or volunteer. We offer many areas of interest including construction, planning, bronze foundry, ceramics, facilities maintenance, cafe, landscaping, archives, organic agriculture, and other areas.

Please come visit! We host about 50,000 visitors annually. Guided tours are available several times per day. Our Gallery and Visitor's Center are open from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. every day (closed on major holidays). Cafe and bakery hours are variable. Overnight accommodations are available by reservation; call 928-632-7135. Please see our website for special events.

Website: http://www.arcosanti.org/

Contact:

HC 74 Box 4136
Mayer, Arizona 86333 United States
Phone: 928-632-7135, 928-632-6225 Public Relations

Links:

Arcosanti Home Page: Arcosanti's history, visitor information, & daily events

Arcosanti Workshops: Information on joining our educational Workshops

Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses)

Former/Other Names: Cosanti Foundation

This page last updated:8/18/2011

Visitors Accepted

(www.arcosanti.org for info)

Visitor Process: Please visit www.arcosanti.org. Whether it is for an hour or a week, anyone can visit. Guided tours are available several times per day and overnight accommodations are available by reservation (call 928-632-7135). If you are really interested in Arcosanti and would like to stay for more than a few days, we recommend that you join our one-week (Seminar Week) workshop. The cost is $485 including a full week of all meals and lodging, while giving you the chance to participate, learn, and get to know the community.

Affiliations: Findhorn Foundation and Community

Network Affiliations:

GEN - Global Ecovillage Network

Statement of Housing Non-discrimination:

Our community does not discriminate in regards to housing based on race/color, national origin, religion, sex/gender, family status (i.e. having children, not having children, or being pregnant), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, source of income, age, creed, personal appearance, political affiliation, HIV infection, military/veteran status, unfavorable military discharge, gender identity or expression, receiving public assistance, or being the victim of domestic abuse.

Population Members(adults and children): 56 Non-member Residents: 25 Open to new members: Yes (Must complete Arcosanti Workshop)	Government Decision Making: By a group of elders or other leaders (Arcosanti is managed by the Cosanti Foundation) Identified Leader: Yes (The managers of the Cosanti Foundation) Leadership Core Group: Yes (Arcosanti Leadership Team, Board of Trustees)	Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances (No income sharing; $40/ week is charged by Foundation as a co-use fee for utilities. Resident volunteers do not pay co-use.) Labor Contribution: Expected (40 hour/week: paid or volunteer) Join Fee: Yes (Must complete 5-Week Workshop; $1350 including food/lodging; financial assistance available.) Regular Fees: Yes (Plain employees: $40/ week is charged by Foundation as a co-use fee for utilities. Volunteers: do not pay co-use.)
Land and Buildings Rural (Urban laboratory in rural setting) Area: 4060 acres (1643.0 hectares) Land Owned By: Independent land trust (not controlled by the community) (Cosanti Foundation) Number of Residences: 30 (Residential spaces range in amount of space and style) Cohousing: No	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 1-5% Share Community Meals: 2-5 times/week (Resdients choose; some eat at home, some together in Cafe) Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Diet is up to each individual Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (Our Cafe offers both meat and vegetarian/vegan options and is sensitive to food allergies (on request)) Alcohol Use: Used occasionally (Everyone differs; beer and wine is available for purchase nightly in Cafe) Tobacco Use: Used Occasionally (Everyone differs; smoking permitted in designated areas only)	Social Factors Common Spiritual Practices: No (No, all welcome) Educational Style(s): Public schooled (Open to parents, usually public schooled)

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Comment from oneatarco on 7/29/2012 (Reader Rating: 0)

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As a current resident, I would like to validate and asterisk almost any and all past or future comments about this community. What is tricky about Arcosanti is that the relaxed standards for residents is both its biggest curse and greatest asset. Arcosanti's persona is whatever the current residents decide it is and demonstrate through their behavior, and due to the transient nature of about half of the residents, it's personality can take on many styles and this style can shift quickly, sometimes over the course of a weekend when one workshop ends and a new begins, or even because of the presence/absence of a single individual. Truth is, it won't be spoon fed to you, but you can make Arcosanti whatever experience you are hoping for. There is a lifetime of learning and skill acquisition to be done there if you can avoid the typical distractions of American life in all cities - TV, video games, the entertainment industry, the internet, romance, apathy, and intoxication. .

Comment from Maximilian on 5/19/2010 (Reader Rating: 7)

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Hi VirginiaM, would you contact me on skypename : simba_27 or kuklen (at) gmail.com. I have some really important questions about this community. Please contact me, it is urgent! Thank you!

Comment from VirginiaM on 1/5/2010 (Reader Rating: 1)

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I took this workshop and lived in this community, I was not happy with the way it was run, drugs were very apparent in the community, underage drinking was accepted, chaos was very apparent in the organization. Frugality, no commuting, etc is suppose to be what this community is about, there is no frugality except in the wages that were paid to the employees. The founder of this community does not even reside there, he commutes 1 day a week, I would not live in this community again unless it was changed drastically.

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