Paolo Soleri

Happy Birthday Paolo Soleri!! Born in Italy, in 1919, this visionary architect studied with Frank Lloyd Wright after moving to the US in 1946. He is known as perhaps the most innovative Utopian planners of the twentieth century, planning for a day when mankind lives in complete harmony with nature. Aside from Frank Lloyd Wright, his work is also greatly influenced by Antonio Gaudi (whom we will discuss on his birthday in a few days). Among his many plans for self sufficient cities designed to support large amounts of people while enhancing the natural surroundings are a unique ceramics factory in Italy, a partially underground home, Cosanti, in Arizona and Arcosanti also in Arizona. Arcosanti is a model for Arcology, Soleri's vision for an intertwining of architecture and ecology. He saw it as vital that each interact and work together in a harmonious fashion in vertical layering rather than the horizontal sprawl we have slipped into. He dreamed of working, living and natural environments as "superorganisms" one relying and depending on the other. The project is located 70 miles north of the Phoenix suburbs on 10 acres of land, designed to support at least 3000 people. It includes workshops and performing arts facilities and is planned to be 20 stories high. Apprentice workers live in  12 foot cubicles with porthole windows as they continue to build the prototype.