Arcology

[Arcology: Architecture and Ecology]

[Arcology is architecture and ecology combined as one integral process. It was created by Paolo Soleri and is thought to be capable of demonstrating positive response to the many problems of urban civilization, population, pollution, energy depletion, natural resource depletion, food scarcity and quality of life. Arcology tries to reorganize the sprawling urban landscape and create dense, integrated, three-dimensional cities in order to support the everyday activities that sustain human life. Arcology is relevant today because it attempts to solve the human caused issues of urban sprawl, resource depletion, and dependance on other nations. It can be seen as something that is bio-mimetic because it attempts to solve a human problem by resorting to/learning from nature. Some current examples of Arcology are Crystal Island and Masdar City. There was also an ideas Arcology skyscraper competition that was just completed testing the limits of skyscrapers and everyday lifestyles. ]

— [Joshua Rubbelke]

RESEARCH RESOURCES

[Soleri, Paolo. Arcology, the city in the image of man. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 1969.]

[Soleri proposes a dense, integrated three-dimensional urban form that gets rid of urban sprawl because of its wasteful consumption of land, energy resources, and time. Also because of its tendency to isolate people from each other and the community. “Miniaturization creates the Urban Effect, the complex interaction between diverse entities and individuals, which mark healthy systems both in the natural world and in every successful and culturally significant city in history” (Soleri). Soleri relates mankind to nature stating that nature and human evolution have parallel progressions. It is one of the most important books to understand Arcology.]

[Yergaliyev, Karim. “World’s Biggest Building Coming to Moscow: Crystal Island | Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building .” Inhabitat. inhabitat.com/tallest-skyscraper-in-the-world-coming-to-moscow/ (accessed September 15, 2013).]

[Article giving a detailed introduction to Norman Foster’s Crystal Island. It explains how the building “breaths” to allow ventilation and cut energy costs. This is a modern day example of an arcology building. The building is currently on hold due to lack of funds.]

[Lima, Antonietta Iolanda. Soleri: architecture as human ecology. New York, N.Y.: Monacelli Press, 2003.]

[This book follows the entire career of Paolo Soleri and documents his thoughts on his coined term: arcology. It gives an overview of Arcosanti, Soleri’s arcological city for 5,000 people.]