Arcosanti—Arizona’s Unique Arcology Experiment

Nothing caps a motorcycle ride quite like a unique destination at the end of the road. And when it comes to those, you can’t get much more unique than Arcosanti, AZ.

Or does the world’s first town built according to the principles of arcology sound like something you’ll find anywhere else?

Well, Arcosanti may not really even count as a town. It’s really an experimental construction project and community, maintained by the nonprofit Cosanti Foundation, that aims to demonstrate arcology in practice.

But what on earth is arcology?

Arcology is a design and construction principle defined by Italian architect Paolo Soleri in 1969 as a combination of urban architecture with ecology (hence, arcology). Put simply, arcology aims to create functional, modern buildings for high population densities while minimizing their environmental impact. This is done through various means, such as constructing buildings to make the most out of natural sunlight and sourcing materials locally.