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Paolo Soleri was born in 1919 in Turin in Italy. After studies of architecture in Italy, he flies away for the United States, Arizona, where he will start his career with Franck Lloyd Wright during some years.
In 1950, he returns to Italy to develop a project of china factory. He discovers the art of the ceramic what will allow him to produce afterward carillons which, during the next 50 years will bring back money necessary for the construction of these big works.
In 1970, Paolo Soleri starts the most ambitious of these projects: ARCOSANTI, right in the heart of the desert of Arizona. ARCOSANTI represents the shape succeeded in the theory of Arcology created by Paolo Soleri. This one arose from the contraction of architecture and ecology.
The purpose of Arcosanti is to build a prototype of ecological city to minimize the impact of the human activity on the nature, create a city connected to the environment. He recommends the development in 3 dimensions, rather than the existing city model, which encroaches on the nature and obliges movements by car while isolating people some of the others.
It implies a mix of the constructions: environment, work and places of life is in superimposed spaces, facilitates the human contact and returns the useless car!
All the building materials arise from the region, the natural ventilation and the electricity results from the solar energy. Today 5 % of the city imagined by Paolo Soleri is built, forward it should be able to welcome 5000 persons. The inhabitants participate all in its development and are helped by the voluntary workers who remain some weeks to discover and to participate in this life-size project.
The place also welcomes the tourists.
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