Click over picture to enlarge it. Arcosanti is an experimental town that has been developed by the Italian-American architect, Paolo Soleri, who began construction in 1970 in central Arizona. Using a concept he called arcology, he started the town to demonstrate how urban conditions could be improved while minimizing the destructive impact on the earth. Existing structures at Arcosanti provide for the complete needs of the community. They include a five-story visitors' centre/cafe/gift shop, a bronze-casting apse, a ceramics apse, two large barrel vaults, a ring of apartment residences and storefronts around an outdoor amphitheater, a community swimming pool, an office complex, and Soleri's suite. A two-bedroom "Sky Suite" occupies the highest point in the complex and is available for overnight guests. At present, the town is primarily an education center, with students from around the world visiting to attend workshops, classes, and continue construction. 40,000 tourists visit yearly. Tourists can take a guided tour of the site or make reservations to stay overnight in guest accommodations
