The Experimental Mini-City In Arizona Where Wind Bells Fund A 50-Year Urban Experiment

Arcosanti, Arizona

Fifty years ago, Italian architect Paolo Soleri started building his vision of urban utopia in the Arizona desert. He called his concept “arcology,” which means “architecture combined with ecology.”

Arcosanti was meant to be an eco-city of 5,000. Today it’s home to less than 100 people, some concrete domes, and one of architecture’s most fascinating what-ifs.

Here are more interesting facts about this hidden Arizona gem.

Wright And Soleri Didn’t See Eye To Eye

Paolo Soleri joined Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West in 1947 after getting his doctorate in Turin. Their relationship lasted just 18 months because they couldn’t agree on design philosophy.

Wright liked spreading buildings out horizontally, while Soleri wanted to build vertically to save land. After they split in 1949, Soleri won a bridge design prize that was shown at the Museum of Modern Art.

He later set up Cosanti in Paradise Valley in 1956, creating a vision completely opposite to Wright’s Broadacre City idea by focusing on bringing people together rather than spreading them apart.

You Can Find This City At 3,732 Feet Up

Arcosanti sits high in Yavapai County’s desert at 3,732 feet elevation. The experimental town covers 25 acres but sits within an 860-acre protected area, with another 3,200 acres of state-leased land surrounding it.

Soleri designed this compact city to house 5,000 people in a space where you can walk everywhere, using just 2% of the land a normal city would need.

Even after 50+ years of building, only 5% of what Soleri planned has been built, and the newest building was finished back in 1989.

Handmade Bells Keep The Money Flowing

The foundry at Arcosanti melts bronze two or three times daily, making about 50 bells from each 100-pound pour.

Artists create these bells using 32 different Soleri patterns to shape sand molds, then carve unique designs before pouring in the hot bronze. They work in a south-facing curved building that stays warm in winter and cool in summer without needing air conditioning.

Since starting in 1970, more than 8,000 volunteers have helped build Arcosanti through construction workshops, with money from bell sales funding the project instead of corporate sponsors.

Soleri Thought Cities Should Work Like Living Things

In 1969, Soleri created the word ‘arcology’ by combining architecture and ecology. In his book ‘The City in the Image of Man,’ he explained that as living things evolve, they get more complex but also more compact.

He designed Arcosanti following this idea, making a dense community where you don’t need cars or long roads. This approach directly challenges sprawling suburbs that grew after World War II.

Soleri drew inspiration from ancient cliff homes and old European towns like Venice, where he led urban planning workshops in 2003-2004.

Buildings Emerge From The Desert Soil Itself

Arcosanti’s unique buildings feature concrete panels cast in beds of local desert silt.

Soleri created this ‘earth-casting’ method in 1961 after working at an Italian ceramics factory, where he learned techniques he later applied to buildings.

This approach gives structures their natural earth colors and textures that blend with the landscape.

Most buildings face south to catch winter sun, while roof designs block summer heat, creating natural temperature control without needing mechanical systems or air conditioning.

Music Festivals Here Spark Heated Debates

Arcosanti has hosted FORM music festival and concerts with electronic artists like Skrillex, which goes against its original anti-consumer values.

These desert parties bring thousands of visitors who pay high prices for fancy accommodations that critics compare to a ‘desert Burning Man.’ This shift toward commercialization began after a disaster in 1978 when a grass fire burned 180 cars in the parking lot, leading to huge insurance payouts.

This financial hit forced Arcosanti to find new ways to make money, creating tension between making enough income and staying true to Soleri’s vision of simple, sustainable living.

Many People Can’t Access Most Areas Here

Despite claiming to create an inclusive community with ‘maximum accessibility to all elements,’ Arcosanti lacks basic features for people with disabilities.

The multi-level complex has many staircases but no ramps for wheelchairs, and they decided elevators weren’t eco-friendly enough to install. If you have mobility issues, you can’t reach most areas because buildings connect through steps, narrow paths, and bridges.

Only the visitor center and gallery areas are fully accessible, creating an odd contradiction in a place meant to show fair community models.

You Can See Stars Like Nowhere Else

The Sky Suite at Arcosanti has floor-to-ceiling windows and a windowed ceiling that lets you stargaze right from your bed.

Located 70 miles from Phoenix’s light pollution, Arcosanti sits in a 4,000-acre protected zone that creates perfect conditions for seeing the night sky.

The site is in one of Arizona’s darkest remaining areas, and its elevation puts you above much of the atmospheric distortion that affects stargazing at lower altitudes.

When there’s no moon, you can clearly see the Milky Way stretching across the sky without needing a telescope.

Famous Filmmakers Borrowed These Designs

Arcosanti’s otherworldly architecture reportedly influenced how the planet Tatooine looked in the original Star Wars film.

The distinctive domed buildings and curved concrete forms rising from the desert create an alien-like appearance that has attracted many film scouts.

While not many movies have been filmed here, the site’s design influence extends beyond films into architecture and design circles.

In 2001, Arcosanti revealed plans for ‘Arcosanti 5000,’ featuring seven phases of curved super-structures that looked more like science fiction cities than regular urban planning.

The Dream Remains 95% Unbuilt

Despite five decades of work, Arcosanti has finished only about 5% of what Soleri originally envisioned, with the last major building completed in 1989.

Instead of 5,000 residents, the population hovers between 50-80 permanent residents. Thirteen major structures stand on the site, including essential buildings like the visitors’ center, bronze foundry, ceramics workshop, and amphitheater, but the farming areas remain mostly undeveloped.

At the current construction pace, experts estimate Arcosanti would need about 700 more years to complete Soleri’s full vision, making it a never-ending project rather than a finished community.

Visiting Arcosanti

Located in central Arizona at Exit 263 off Interstate 17, you’ll find Arcosanti 70 miles north of Phoenix. Visitor Center open daily 9am-5pm.

• Tours: Daily guided tours cost $15 per person with varying schedules
• Staying overnight: Rooms from $50/night, including the unique “Sky Suite” with stargazing windows
• Learning opportunities: Natural Construction, Archives, and Land Stewardship programs offered throughout 2025

You can’t explore on your own – guided tours only. Closed on major holidays. Best to make reservations ahead of time.