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Arcosanti
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Museums Arts & Entertainment Art Galleries Shopping Art Galleries Museums, Art Galleries [Edit]
HC 74Box 4136
Mayer, AZ 86333
(928) 632-7135
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
23 reviews for Arcosanti
Review Highlights
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"Really interesting tour." In 13 reviews -
"Hippie Commune that will make you feel like your visiting..." In 6 reviews -
"but you need to be a part of the tour to see the site." In 3 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Karen D.
3/10/2012
I found this to be more fascinating than I expected. Between the intro video and the tour guide, who did a great job, I learned a lot about the project and the possibilities. Arcosanti is too extreme for most people, but a lot of the concepts could be applied to urban development in a more middle ground way.
The structures are pretty cool and for whatever reason, some of them reminded me of the old Planet of the Apes. -
Review from Leah C.
Dodgeville, WI
4/4/2012
I went here with a friend I met at army training in 2009. We didn't stay there overnight or go on any official tours. It was a pretty random trip but I would definitely like to go back again to learn more and maybe spend a night or two there. Seems like a great place especially if you like architecture, mountains & photography :) I have a few photos from Arcosanti on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.co...
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Review from chris l.
San Jose, CA
9/7/2011
For reference, this experience happened in May. I started the review then but was so angry I decided I didn't want to waste the energy on it. Have some free time now so, finishing it up.
Huge disappointment. First trip here 10 years ago was awesome. Really interesting tour. This time the woman at the desk clearly wasn't interested in generating income for the project (they are a nonprofit and tours make up a portion of the income).
We arrived at 3:30, plenty of time for the 4 pm tour. Batty desk lady was in a back office yelling at someone on the phone about her kid. Wow, professional. She clearly saw us but proceeded to continue her conversation for another 10 min while we waited. When she finally decided to grace us with her attention she said "it might rain, if you really want to wait you can but, i can't tell you if the tour's going to happen or not". Um, ok. We decided to wait as we had driven all the way from California to see the site.
So 4 pm rolls around and no rain. By this time two girls, who I assume were volunteers were chatting with her at the desk about dogs. Husband and I are patiently waiting (which they are all aware of as we're the only the people there, standing right behind them) and nothing. No acknowledgment, no "let's get the tour started". Instead we stand there for 10 more minutes listening to inane conversation about dogs. Oh and at one point the crazy yelling lady looks directly at me then pointedly turns her back to me. WTF!
Husband is ready to leave and proceeds to walk towards the door but by this point I'm pretty bent so I interrupt the conversation and say, "so I assume there's not going to be a tour?" and all of the sudden she's peaches and cream and says, "oh were you waiting? we can give you the tour".
Was I waiting?! Didn't we just have this conversation 30 minutes ago? Has anyone else come in since then? By this point I was done and definitely not going to give $20 (the cost of the tour) to a nonprofit that clearly doesn't give a damn. So I said, forget it and we left.
Extremely disappointing and a very different experience from the Cosanti home which we had visited the previous day. We will certainly not go back. Oh and the bells we were considering purchasing for gifts ? Yea, you can forget that too. -
Review from FiveSeven F.
Playa Del Rey, CA
10/4/2011
Hippies home to roost
Mos Eisley as ghost town
An experience -
Review from T W.
Cypress, CA
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Read about this place from a Frommer's guide, so decided to check it out when I was in Phoenix. read on their site that tours are $10 "suggested donation". now, being a penny pincher, i called them to see if paying is optional, and a lady said yes.
When I got there, some guy with a ponytail was gonna rang me & my wife up $20 for the tour. i said i thought it was suggested donation, and he said it's $20.
so we just left. -
Review from Joelle C.
Newport Beach, CA
11/27/2011
If you have the spare time as your drive along I17, Arcosanti is worth the side trip. I am not an architecture fan; I am not "green"; hippies irritate me; and I am no socialist. I went to Arcosanti because my husband had heard about the concept when he was in college. I had no desire to go. But once I was there, I was fascinated with the place and the people.
If you have any interest in how our cities could be different, why urban sprawl was the creation of Frank Lloyd Wright, are interested in design, planning or the appropriate use of space and resources, your hour at Arcosanti is well spent.
I would certainly never live there (it's less than half done), but my ideas on urban planning and design have been influenced forever.
They also have guest rooms. For as little at $30/night, you can have a peaceful, educational overnight stay at a fraction of the cost of a hotel. I think I may rent the skysuite for a couple of nights next time (sleeps 4 to 6 and is about $100/night). They also have programs for young architects and artists. You can go for five weeks and work, attaining valuable hands on experience. It's not my cup of tea, but the place is full of young talent fresh out of art, design or architecture school. -
Review from Beth A.
3/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Perhaps growing up in the strip mall and tract home dominated world of the West Valley has turned me into the architecture enthusiast that I am today. Finding any building that isn't in the "southwestern/territorial" design is pretty difficult. Arcosanti was a sight for sore eyes the first time I saw it.
I have stayed at Arcosanti twice and never gone on a guided tour. I read the wikipedia page before I visited, and I explored the area myself. I think that I was able to take away as much from that experience as I would have from a guided tour.
The first time, I made reservations and stayed in guest quarters (a small strip of rooms located far from the main grouping of structures). My friend and I paid for the whole dinner/breakfast experience. We swam in the pool which is very beautiful, and we watched the sunset from the top of the amphitheater. (Sidenote: you can climb all over every structure if you want and the food isn't that great.)
My second visit was on a whim. We went to see the Perseid Meteor Shower in August; this was a great decision because the surrounding area is practically uninhabited and very dark. The guest rooms get a little hot in the summer months because there is no AC, but they provide fans in the rooms.
The guest rooms are a cheap way to escape the valley for a night. The most expensive one is only $45, and you can stay for as low as $25. This is a great place to sit out, enjoy the scenery, and enjoy a bottle of wine. -
Review from Liz L.
Phoenix, AZ
8/29/2011
Arcology Concept for Urban Living with environmental friendly cities. aka (Hippie Commune)
Have passed by this place numerous times half way from phoenix to flagstaff off the I-17, and have wanted to check out the place. Tours are given throughout the day on the hour but are closed around lunchtime so if you want to stop by check the tour schedule times on the website before heading out. A lot of tourist from other countries go here, which I was surprised cause it's in the middle of nowhere and I having lived in phoenix now over 5 years was surprised how many friends out here never even heard of the place.
Tour "donation" is pretty high for what you are able to see on the compound. Video at the beginning of the tour is a nice background on the concept of this future living idea. Although the concept is nice to think about living, the reality of how fast paced our lives currently are I don't see this catching on any time soon. Even the tour guide stated this site would never be completed. Structure is old and the grounds aren't kept up as much as you would think.
They take you through a few common ground area's but don't show you inside any of the apartments individuals would live in. I also felt like there should have been some hands on help for making this place a little nicer, sorta make you feel like when you've left you have contributed something with this ongoing project. They do offer you education workshops that are quite pricey if you want to participate in the project, these are week long-month long stays.
Part of the tour is showing you how they make the bells and wind chimes which helps in funding the project. I thought that part was very uninteresting and felt forced with trying to sell the crap in the gift shop, which are very overpriced. I guess stop in if your curious but don't expect much. -
Review from Kerstin M.
Phoenix, AZ
7/19/2008
My husband lived at Arcosanti for about 11 months a couple of years ago, and we had our wedding and reception here. Everyone who flew in for our wedding was so impressed by the scenery and the unique structures. We have photos like few others do.
There are many misconceptions about Arcosanti, highlighted by the questions we got from our table mates during their Italian Night dinner and opera event this evening.
Arcosanti is NOT:
*a commune (Arco runs on a standard economy)
*an architecture school (you must be thinking of Taliesin West)
*a cult (this project has no ties to religion)
Arcosanti IS:
*a great place to see and experience
*committed to the arts and to the environment
*a project with idealistic beginnings that has grown very slowly, but is in fact still moving forward
When you have a stubborn architectural genius at the helm like Paolo Soleri (who is almost 90), things are done his way, or not at all. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the place when he is no longer making the decisions. The people who live and work at Arco tend to be very sincere and passionate about doing what they can to contribute to the project, and to live very consciously in an alternative environment. Is it perfect? Of course not. Do they have some great ideas? You bet. We sat with an architect from Toronto tonight, and he was thrilled to be there since he had not known until recently that Soleri had actually *done* something with the amazing sketches that he had seen many years ago.
If you haven't been, I encourage you to make a day trip of it. The bakery and the cafe serve great food, but you should be sure to bring your own water. For uninitiated tummies, Arco's can be too mineral rich. Tour the galleries, and try to see a foundry pour or a ceramics demonstration. It still may be difficult for those with disabilities to see the whole property, but they are making improvements to its accessibility. And be aware- there are some knockoffs of the famous Arcosanti bells being sold at places like the Desert Botanical Gardens. I lived in the Phoenix metro for 9 years before I even heard of Arco. It's an Arizona landmark that should not be missed. -
Review from Heather L M.
Trenton, NJ
1/10/2008
I agree with Ten W.'s review. While the concept is very cool, the project really fell flat.
To quote Wikipedia, "Arcosanti is a self-contained experimental town that began construction in 1970 in central Arizona, 70 miles north of Phoenix. Architect Paolo Soleri, using a concept he calls arcology (a portmanteau of architecture and ecology), designed the town to demonstrate ways urban conditions could be improved while minimizing the destructive impact on the earth."
Though the Arcosantian's would not approve, in my opinion, the concept was essentially a "commune." Though construction began 38 years ago, to date only a tiny percentage of Soleri's vision has been achieved. The buildings and property that do exist are not well maintained. To really understand what it's all about, I recommend visiting their website - http://www.arcosanti.org.
I went on a group tour led by a woman who has been at Arcosanti since its early beginnings. Another person in our group (who apparently was involved in the project at the beginning) challenged her with questions regarding the lack of progress but she could not answer them. I guess no one really knows why it has not flourished as was intended. Perhaps finances.
The whole place reminds me of Epcot's future exhibition. Really cool and cutting edge when it first opened, but now just sort of shabby and dated. Another comparison that kept popping into my head during the tour was I felt as though this could be the grounds of the Darma Initiative (Lost fans will understand this reference).
On a positive note, the gift shop has a huge selection of the gorgeous bells that are produced at the Arcosanti foundry. The money Arcosanti makes selling the bells goes toward the building and maintenance of the site. -
Review from Ellen M.
12/29/2005 2 photos
Arcosanti is an urban living experiment, practing "arcology" or the blending of architechture and ecology to create optimal living conditions with minimal detriment to the environment. The project was started by Italian architech Paolo Soleri in 1970 and is far from complete. They just don't have the cash to get it finished.
Still, it's a great place to see. They offer tours, concerts, overnight stays in their limited quarters for a nominal fee, meals, discussions, etc. One of the ideas is to encourage cooperation between people by way of the structural details, including shared baths for overnight guests.
But more importantly, they theorize their city model would require just 2% of the land of standard cities, and would not require ANY cars. Their proposed development is for 5000 people. Frugal, efficient and very exciting. Most people will be a difficult sell when it comes to living in smaller spaces, closer to other people, relying more on their neighbors. I know what they mean - after so many years of privacy, each adult driving their own car, and urban sprawl, it's hard to imagine letting go of all that. Most of us are control freaks - are we products of our environments or the reason for them?
And if you never get to see Arcosanti, consider purchasing a ceramic artisan bell to support the cause. Or a brass one, or copper. They're all beautiful, and such a peaceful chime.Listed in: Places inspired by…, Artists, Photographers and Art…
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Review from Margaret L.
Surprise, AZ
7/18/2007
An interesting place to visit for anyone interested in unique architectural concepts and especially those bent on helping the environment. If you like Taliesin West, you'll like Arcosanti. In fact, the creator, Paolo Soleri was a student of Wright.
The only problem was that after driving all that way up there, at the last minute we were informed there would not be another tour until later in the evening. Would've been nice to have been told on the phone, don'tcha think? The cafe was closed as well. Ooo, fun.
So unfortunately I have to give a 3 star rating for now until I can go back and actually take the tour.
I did end up home with a Soleri bell. It's a beautifully designed copper bell molded from dirt! It's no wonder Paolo Soleri made his fortune from the bells.
It intrigued me enough to make me want to go back to see the actual tour, and maybe even staying overnight. A night in the Sky Suite, the penthouse of Arcosanti will run you $100, not the $75 as stated in the website. But heck, you practially spend that much in a one bed room at other hotels. However, there doesn't seem to be any airconditioning in the suites, so I'd suggest going for an overnight when the air is cooler. -
Review from Renegade F.
Mesa, AZ
12/11/2009
It's like seeing unfulfilled dreams in concrete...
What has been built is beautiful as is the setting. I love the structures and the social architecture.
There are some interesting ideas here, a bit dated and many are so impractical. I admire and wince at the same time - you want me to share my commode with my neighbor?? You live next to a foundry?
The tour was boring. Our guide was a bit of a neophyte and a Soleri sycophant. I can't help but compare it to the tour at Taliesin West which was so much more engaging. Here I felt like I was able to snap some pretty pictures but not ask any deep questions about the why's. Also, lots of talk about the next big build which after 40 years this seems like wishful thinking.
Still, it's easy to be a critic. While Most of Arizona development is driven by real estate prices or big bottom-line focused developers with uninspired and recycled master plans, or strip-malls with lots of parking, it's nice to see a place that aspired for something more. It's worth a stop next time you're heading down the 17 freeway.
Here's my flickr set from the trip: http://www.flickr.com/... -
Review from Emily R.
Chandler, AZ
2/16/2010
Once upon a time, perhaps this was a wonderful place to visit. Our tour guide told us his last day was going to be that week, so maybe he was a little unhappy with the place and unmotivated to try to impress us. Even if he had been trying to impress us though, it probably wouldn't have helped.
You can read their website for the full history, but not much of that cool stuff seems to be going on anymore.
Arcosanti was showing its age with cracked pavement and broken windows replaced with plexiglass that also got cracked. The Bakery was closed. They don't grow their own gardens anymore. They do have solar power and wind turbines, but they only produce 18% of their own energy. There were chemicals leaking on the ground around the area where the copper bells were made. The buildings aren't made with recycled materials. 65 people live and work there most of the year. There are still students that pay tution to take workshops there, but I felt a little bad for them, paying to work on what appears to be a failed experiment.
It seems that they are definitely in need of new management to revitalize this project. -
Review from Scott L.
1/29/2010
Hippie Commune that will make you feel like your visiting Luke Skywalkers Step parents on Tatoone.
Cafeteria, crafts for sale, and occasional "happenings".
I spent 3 quiet nights here on a road trip. The "hotel" area is secluded, rustic and cheap. -
Review from N. C.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2007
This is a 3 stars with hesitation.
The idea and concept of this urban experiment is amazing, but the execution and what's been built are not quite amazing.
I heard about this italian architect Paolo Soleri's project awhile ago and always admire his attempt to such scale of urban experiment. Because it's an experiment, the place doesn't have to be prestine or highly planned, but it should look like a abandoned junk-land either.
We drove about 1.5 hours from Scottsdale to get there because we wanted to see the real project and not just the "Cosanti" tiny souvenir shop in Scottsdale. We were extremely disappointed once there. There's no sense of direction around the complex.
The complex is a series of construction in progress buildings. The main concrete tower is quite nice, the access point wasn't that obvious but we figure out eventually. Take the exit stair tower instead of first floor of the building itself to the upper exhibition floor. The tall space filled with light is really nice. They have somewhat comprehensive exhibition of Paolo Soleri's concepts, ideas and projects, which are very interesting and educational.
After that we were told the tour guides weren't available for that day so we tood a "self-guided" tour. Hmm.. that was basically walking around and getting lost.
One cool thing about the site is that they have resident artist lofts. Actually that would be a nice place to getaway and just do arts.
To learn more about Arconsanti, the website contains all the information you need to know:
http://www.arcosanti.o... -
Review from Sheila L.
Scottsdale, AZ
Had an awesome time for the show Electropolis..based on movie Metropolis...cool how they had a bar tucked in one of the rooms/patio near the smaller stage but how about having a bar out in the middle where everyone can see it, buy beer and help support the ground...Hint: never hide the bar, you always want the bar in plain view. We saw Paolo there and took some pics with him, He is very sweet. The views are gorgeous and they have camping now...( I didnt know that) dogs are welcome on leash and its a real fun place to hang out. We had dinner plus show so it was go stand in line, and then dump your dishes, kind of like elementary school style but the food (lasagna-spinach or meat) was delicious and so was this tasty little peach cobbler and I was impressed because they cooked hard and long and it looked like 500 people got to eat and line moved quickly. Very well organized for being run by a bunch of hippies. Will go again and again.
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Review from Aileen B.
10/31/2008
Finally had a chance to tour this architectural experiment after first reading about it many months ago. I had visited Cosanti already, had seen the beautiful bells and heard of Soleri's visions of self-sustaining communities, and I couldn't wait to have a look at this dream in person.
Judging after the 51-minute tour my cousin and I, and a few other couples, took it's apparent that a few of the community's 75 residents have woken up from that dream. Most of the minutes were spent watching a video describing Soleri's background (born in Italy, apprenticed under Frank Lloyd Wright, learned bell-craftmanship while in Europe), his dreams of self-sustaining communities, and how humanity's obsession with the automobile is so detrimental to society's happiness and very existence.
While some parts of the community looked appealing (the entrance, the stairs leading up to the gift shop, cafe and bakery, and downstairs to the visitor's trail, and the pool), what tiny fraction of the grounds shown to us were in need of more than just dusting. The tour guide sounded to me like he'd spent many days memorizing his speeches detailing Soleri's plans for the community and its development, the bell-casting techniques, and the layout of what little has actually been built in thirty years; yet, he's only lived there for six months. I'd think that something as cool as Soleri's design of heat tunnels would be presented by showing us a model of these actual tunnels NOT being used as storage for folding tables and chairs. And were those residents who suddenly appeared in a courtyard watering grass, shooting some hoops, and just chillin' minutes after we were shown the area really enjoying a break? I hope so, but I left with a feeling that their appearances were all staged.
If you're on your way to Sedona and going there by pickup or jeep (good tires and excellent shock absorption HUGE pluses), then do stop by and have a look. I suggest that the tour be reworked, though (why weren't we shown to the guest rooms and the sky suites? This could've been an opportunity to sell overnight lodgings- so close to Sedona!). If Arcosanti does not receive the financial support it needs, I can only see this site as a getaway community for those who have a few thousand dollars and five weeks to spare to make bells (and get a great workout), or, if you can get six others to join you, an overnight stay for about $20 per person, including continental breakfast, in a sky suite. Don't forget a dip in the pool.
Skip the lunch buffet. Menu posted pasta, mini-burgers, meaty mac 'n cheese, soy entree, pinto beans, and rice, plus soups, salad bar, and bread. Right before buffet opened, mini-burgers were taken off the menu. Highlight for me was the natural peanut butter that may or may not have been freshly-ground on-site. I suspect it came from a jar. On-site bread was very good, but most of the breads were grocery-bought. Perhaps dinner buffet is better. -
Review from John P.
6/9/2008 13 photos
i think that if you go to this place expecting it to be an utopia of sorts, you will leave with a sub-par image of it. much of it has to do with a lack of funding, and as the cost of construction skyrockets, their masterplan becomes even more intangible without big donors.
having always studied architecture history, this trip was well worth it for me. i had gone to Scottsdale for a wedding, but had some time before my flight home so i made the 1 hour drive north. off of the 17 at exit 262, you will find your way to a dirt road that leads into Arcosanti. don't drive too fast or you might run into cows crossing.
here are my pros & cons:
Pros:
- exploration of sustainable living
- Arcology
- $8.95 buffet lunch, mix of vegan & non-vegan.
- composting bins for left over lunch
- interesting composition of architecture
- the incomplete forms & materials are reminiscent of roman ruins, but has an amazing juxtaposition since you know its a work in progress and you try to imagine what it will be like (kinda like old books that tell you what the roman ruins USED to look like)
- a good mixture of presentation boards that show oldschool models as well as high-tech renderings.
- concrete silt casting...first time i've seen it and its quite an elegant way of adding coloration
Cons:
- as with a lot of avante garde architecture, a lack of maintenance will give off a sense of dated-ness.
- it is still plugged into the grid. for a self-sustaining complex, it really should be completely utility free. it is already zero-discharge, so that's good, but its gotta be zero-energy with all that free arizona sun & canyon winds.
- ironically, the only way to get there is to drive (the car is this antichrist in this urban lab)
- the tour was informative but mainly on the focus of the production of the bells & commune events, not enough about the architecture...but you need to be a part of the tour to see the site.Listed in: Earth Day tribute
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Review from w w.
Scottsdale, AZ
5/17/2007 1 photo
It's probably safe to assume that most people don't know what Arcosanti is. The Arcosanti Project and I quote directly from the website is, "an experimental town in the high desert of Arizona, 70 miles north of metropolitan Phoenix. When complete, Arcosanti will house 5,000 people, demonstrating ways to improve urban conditions and lessen our destructive impact on the earth. Its large, compact structures and large-scale solar greenhouses will occupy only 25 acres of a 4060 acre land preserve, keeping the natural countryside in close proximity to urban dwellers."
Interesting, huh? People do live there now and plenty of tourists visit, although I don't know anyone else besides myself that has. There is a gallery, bakery and a cafe too, and even rooms for anyone interested in an overnight stay. If you want to take a road trip this summer, I recommend you go to Arcosanti. It will be unlike anything you've ever seen before and you just might learn something new, too. -
Review from jon r.
Chicago, IL
7/5/2009
I took the tour two years ago, and decided it would be an interesting place to stay for a few days--which my girlfriend and I did last month, while we were visiting relatives in Prescott. I mainly like the architecture and scenery, and I'm not looking to get on anyone's case about whether or not it is a fully-functioning community or completely self-reliant for utilities.
I figured it would be worth in to stay in the Sky Suite, since at $100/night, its not really more than a decent motel room. Much to our chagrin, the upkeep of the Suite was not quite up to the level of a decent motel-- it wasn't really "dirty", but it wasn't really clean either. Garbage from the previous guests was stacked outside the entry-way, and their toiletries were still in the shower-- which didn't appear to have been cleaned either. We gave them the benefit of the doubt that the sheets were clean. But there was a doubt. While I realize that Arcosanti's focus is not providing lodging, I feel that if you advertise and take money for lodging, you should at least be *trying*. If nothing else, its good public relations for the Suite to be an attractive destination--the space itself is really cool.
While housekeeping issues should be easy to rectify, it will be a bit harder for Arcosanti to make guests feel welcome in terms of the attitude of the folks on site. I'm not under the impression that its a commune or a cult or anything like that... but it is obviously a place for folks who are a bit out of the norm, and this translates into a lot of "what're you doing here?!" stares. Most people we ran into would barely return a "hello". Someone should probably explain to these folks that "tourists" are there to pump money into the project and promote good will-- neither things will happen if they continually get the stink-eye during their stay.
Also, the "continental breakfast" that we were allowed with our stay consisted of some industrial-grade bagels, pb&j, and yogurt and granola... kinda weak. As was the coffee.
The scenery was great and I really like the architecture, so we did wind up staying the three nights we booked (we were charged up front, and getting out of it didn't seem like it was going to be easy), but I would think that those in charge of Arcosanti would want people to come away thinking "I really want to go back" instead of "that was tolerable". -
Review from P R.
Saratoga, CA
5/31/2009
This place is ok. Food is organic, etc, and pretty tasty (actually really tasty) but I think there was a bug in the food. There was definitely a fly in the ice tea. But it's just that kind of place, so not a big deal.
The tour is kinda boring. The only part worth going to is the 10 minute video in the beginning.
I'd recommend going for lunch (if you are okay with the possibility of a bug in your food), seeing the video, and getting out! -
Review from Sharon G.
Scottsdale, AZ
12/21/2010
Awesome community, I grew up in Paulo's culture in the late 70's and it is the right thing for the world today.. A man before his time.
