RETURNING TO ARCOSANTI

The World’s First Prototype Arcology

Founded in 1970, Arcosanti is the creation of architect Paolo Soleri and The Cosanti Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring reimagined urbanism. Its mission is to build resilient, equitable communities that are sustainably integrated with the natural world.

A trip to Arcosanti combines both a nostalgic look at our architectural past and a provocative glimpse into what our future could hold. Remarkably, it has now been over fifty years since the first constructions began. I returned recently, perhaps as a way to reconnect with those ideals—how architectural experimentation and utopian thinking can still inform our desert experience.

Arcosanti is a unique place in every sense. Centrally located in Arizona, it’s just about an hour’s drive from Phoenix, Flagstaff, Prescott, and Sedona. It’s an ideal day trip or a fascinating detour if you’re traveling through the Verde Valley. The road leading in piques your curiosity, especially with a Soleri-inspired exit bypass. There’s a tangible sense of mystery and anticipation as you approach. This wasn’t my first visit—but it had been a while, and I was eager to reacquaint myself with its vision.

A Living Laboratory

First impressions affirm that this is a visionary place—one that still deserves far more attention.

Frozen in time, yet quietly evolving, Arcosanti is a living laboratory. It explores not just architectural form but also cultural and societal ideals—something between a utopian maker community and an immersive design experiment.

I’ve always harbored mixed feelings about Arcosanti. As someone who grew up near Soleri’s Cosanti in Paradise Valley, I witnessed the early phases of this desert dream firsthand. Cosanti felt intimate and explosive with energy, a birthplace of raw, conceptual architecture. As momentum shifted to Arcosanti, I could see the gravitational pull redirect. Even today, I find the early work at Cosanti more poetic in scale—but Arcosanti was always the next step.

Returning felt like reconnecting with an old friend. Thanks to a superb personal tour, I came to understand it more fully—from the inside out.

Scale, Vision, and Reverence

Arcosanti is undeniably important. The fact that Soleri realized this much is a marvel. The scale demands commitment and, unsurprisingly, has come at the cost of some of the intimacy seen in earlier works. Still, what exists here is nothing short of incredible. Visiting evokes a sense of curious wonder—much like walking through Roman ruins. You may not know the names of the many creatives and volunteers who helped bring this dream to life, but their impact is etched into every cast panel and poured surface. There should be a plaque honoring every hand that shaped it.

Today, Arcosanti continues its mission through experimentation and application of Soleri’s arcology principles—a fusion of architecture and ecology offering an alternative to unsustainable urban sprawl.
As with many experimental architecture sites, time has taken its toll. Some structures are aging, but they remain bold statements—nearly Brutalist when compared to Soleri’s earlier organic forms. The experience of the place, however, is not in single buildings. Arcosanti is best considered as a whole. The voids between structures are just as important as the massings themselves. There’s a profound spatial dialogue happening here, where form and absence are in conversation.

Relevance and Reverence

It would be a mistake to consign Arcosanti—or Soleri’s ideas—to the past. This is not, and never was, a “hippie hangout.” These built environments stand as testaments to rigor, vision, and idealism. The mission is as viable today as it was fifty years ago—perhaps even more so, given today’s environmental and urban challenges.

Imagine the effect Arcosanti could have if it were fully funded. People come for the bells and the architecture, but the seriousness and philosophical underpinnings are the true draw. If you have the chance, take the archive tour—you’ll see for yourself.

There’s still an idyllic quality to the place, perhaps even more than when it began. Meanwhile, Phoenix continues to suffer the consequences of unchecked suburban sprawl and leapfrog development. Seeing, in literal and concrete form, an alternative to what is helps you imagine what could be.

If You Go:

Visitors to Arcosanti will explore a site that continues to influence architects, urban planners, and designers from across the globe.

Guided tours are required to explore the grounds and architecture in depth.

Visitor Center Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Tours: Held multiple times daily year-round
(excluding major holidays)

Seasonal schedules may apply check:
[www.arcosanti.org]

The Visitor’s Center, Café, Gallery & Gift Shop, and restrooms are accessible to day visitors not taking a guided tour.

Editor’s Note

The legacy of Paolo Soleri is complex and important. It must be viewed in its entirety. Neighbor and classmate Daniela Soleri courageously shared her experience and trauma in an essay that deserves attention and reflection.

Arcosanti has publicly reflected on this essay; their response can be found at arcosanti.org/me-too.

Read Her Statement