Arcosanti

[colin]

http://www.arcosanti.org/

Since I don't think it's ever been mentioned, I thought I'd bring up the Arcosanti concept, especially since it so much relates to urban design and architecture.

Arcosanti is located near Cordes Junction (I-17 and AZ 69) about an hour north of Phoenix. If you're bored on a weekend, it might be a good day trip. You can even stay the night in one of the houses (for a price, of course).

Any thoughts on the whole concept?

[convulso]

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...6249&st=140

there's my point-oh-two.

[colin]

Whoops!

I felt like it had been brought up before, but, oh well, a new thread will at least increase the Google rating.

I'm going to Flag for New Year but will probably have to skip seeing it again because I'm traveling with people. On the way back, I'm going to try to pull them onto the back roads (to avoid Phoenix), but people are rarely open to that idea (am I the only one that likes taking different roads?).

[convulso]

(am I the only one that likes taking different roads?).

[MJLO]

i've read about it, I know it's a city from the future, and it's a very cool concept. Is it an actual city with functioning commerce? and do you think it will grow and ever catch on, or will it remain a novelty and testament to the super eco folks?

[convulso]

do you think it will grow and ever catch on, or will it remain a novelty and testament to the super eco folks?

[MJLO]

Meaning, that you can only have the opinion of the folks who built it? Or you'd only want to live there if you shared the same opinions?

People do live there now dont then? If yes does anyone know how many?

[convulso]

Meaning, that you can only have the opinion of the folks who built it? Or you'd only want to live there if you shared the same opinions?

People do live there now dont then? If yes does anyone know how many?

[monsoon]

Meanwhile a SuperWalmart is going up somewhere and will soon be surrounded by mini-vans, SUVs and pimped out cars holding people to go inside to consume all the stuff they have to offer in hopes that it will somehow make them happy. Its because of that insanity that places like Arcosanti will continue to thrive and florious. I hope to get to see it one day.

[colin]

Exactly. It's not feasible for the average person to live in a place like that. Hopefully, some day, that can happen.

The "40 Days" episode on the New Yorkers living in the self-sustaining commune was interesting, especially since they weren't totally self-sustaining. The solar panels they used to generate electricity cost something like $30,000 a piece and they constantly had to go into town to dumpster dive and try to build income.

Do you think some of the drive may be outright smugness? I've gotten that sense from some of these people, but others, no.

[monsoon]

There is a more successful example of Arcosanti in India, but I don't remember the name of it. Many westerners go to it.

[convulso]

Exactly. It's not feasible for the average person to live in a place like that. Hopefully, some day, that can happen.

The "40 Days" episode on the New Yorkers living in the self-sustaining commune was interesting, especially since they weren't totally self-sustaining. The solar panels they used to generate electricity cost something like $30,000 a piece and they constantly had to go into town to dumpster dive and try to build income.

[colin]

"Dark Days" was awesome! And DJ Shadow's soundtrack made the movie all the better.

It reminded me of the guy who wanted to live in the cave near Flagstaff and the forest service ended up kicking him out: he wasn't bothering anyone, but he was technically violating a law and the owners felt it necessary to set a precedence. Society sometimes just won't let you escape. Kind of like how suicide is illegal.

I think that's a good point though because that was a fairly self-sufficient society, but they were still very much living off the fringes of mainstream society, even when you took away the drugs.

I've thought about this quite a bit actually and am always kind of upset about how you get trapped with car payments, rent, utility bills, credit card debt for things that you just don't need, and even drinking and other entertainment expenses. It all keeps you down enough so that you can't pull out of society, even if you wanted to, and have to continue on with "the life". Maybe that's just my cynnical view towards it though.

[convulso]

I've thought about this quite a bit actually and am always kind of upset about how you get trapped with car payments, rent, utility bills, credit card debt for things that you just don't need, and even drinking and other entertainment expenses. It all keeps you down enough so that you can't pull out of society, even if you wanted to, and have to continue on with "the life". Maybe that's just my cynnical view towards it though.

[convulso]

LoL - the board edits your use of the s-word to "crap?" ah, society and its demands...

[colin]

You and I are on the same page about this. And that's strange to me because most people I know don't understand that life can still move forward while appearing to move in reverse. I mean, at least it's moving.

But I shouldn't digress off the subject too much. One day you and I will have that philosophical discussion.

This forum software is sort of a phpBB hybrid. Not only that, it makes the evil B word into "beotch". Some people are actually offended by stuff like that, so I can't blame them.

India I can see. A lot of well-off kids seem to flock there in search of some sort of spiritual enlightenment. I've always actually been attracted to the Kibbutz concept (outside of the Judaist context, of course). My anti-social nature keeps me away though (the thought of living so closely with people turns me off). Do you think there are similarities between the Arcosanti style utopianism and the more Zionist utopianism you see in Kibbutzes and the many failed experiments of the 19th century and even 1970's? Aren't they, in essence, the same thing?