A short video profile shows renewed interest in Arcosanti, the utopian community founded by architect Paolo Soleri. Could Soleri's 40 yr. old utopia be the wave of the sustainable future?
"The idea of "going green" is nothing new. The concepts have been out there for years. All you have to do is drive about 70 miles north of Phoenix to find a community that has been living "green" for more than three decades.
It's called Arcosanti. Originally built as an experiment in 1970 by Italian architect Paolo Soleri, it was designed to bring people together while eliminating the need for cars and using less energy. Right now about 75 people live in the collection of odd shaped buildings. But there is method the madness of their construction. They're designed to control temperature. Windows and natural ventilation maximize the amount of cooling they get during the summer and warmth in the winter."
FULL STORY: Arcosanti: a lesson in sustainability
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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