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Arcosanti is an experimental town that is being built in central Arizona, 70 miles (110 km) outside of Phoenix. Paolo Soleri, using a concept he calls arcology (architecture + ecology), designed the town to demonstrate ways urban conditions could be improved while minimizing the destructive impact on the earth.

Arcosanti is being built on only 25 acres (0.1 km²) of a 4060 acre (16 km²) land preserve, keeping its inhabitants near the natural countryside. The Arcosanti web site describes how an arcology functions in Arcosanti: "The built and the living interact as organs would in a highly evolved being. Many systems work together, with efficient circulation of people and resources, multi-use buildings, and solar orientation for lighting, heating and cooling."

As of 2005 Arcosanti stands some fraction of 1% complete. Existing structures include a three-story visitors' center / cafe / gift shop, the bronze-casting apse (half-dome) carefully situated to accept maximal winter sun and minimal summer sun, two large barrel vaults, a ring of apartment residences around an outdoor amphitheatre, a community swimming pool, and Soleri's suite. A two-bedroom 'Sky Suite' occupies the highest point in the complex and is available for overnight guests.

In Arcosanti, apartments, businesses, production, technology, open space, studios, and educational and cultural events are all accessible, while privacy is paramount in the overall design. Solar greenhouses are planned to provide gardening space for public and private use, and act as solar collectors for winter heat.

The city serves as an educational complex where workshops and classes are offered. Students from around the world are constructing Arcosanti. In addition, about 50,000 tourists visit Arcosanti each year.

Funds to build Arcosanti are raised through the sale of art objects, the most famous being cast wind chimes. More funds are raised from workshop tuitions, which people ("workshoppers") pay for a five week hands-on experience. The workshops are the principal means by which Arcosanti is constructed.

External links

• The Arcosanti Web Site
• The Arcosanti Work Song (c)1972
• Sky Suite guest review

Ik ben kapot XX(

De voorbije twee nachten maar een paar uurtjes geslapen. Ik moet er echt veel te vroeg uit, om 6u, maar kan echt niet in slaap geraken zo vroeg, ook al ben ik doodmoe, ik word gewoonweg terug wakker en actief 's avonds. Vannacht bijna helemaal niet geslapen: veel te laat gegeten door omstandigheden (en dan nog wel frieten met mosselen, uitermate zwaar), veel te warm en irritante muggen. Ik moest er toch weer om 6u uit en ben vandaag maar om 21u terug thuisgekomen: heel de dag gewerkt (en vooral gewacht) in de Thalys. Gelukkig moet ik morgen maar om 9u45 in Brussel-Zuid zijn, kan ik toch weer wat langer slapen: ongeveer een half uurtje treinen van hieruit in plaats van de normale 1u30 naar Wolfstee.