Arcology = architecture + ecology. This concept
was introduced by Italian architect Paolo Soleri in late 1960's. Soleri
took an internship in Tallisen West (the Art school founded by Frank L.
Wright) under the mentorship of Frank L. Wright who advocates "organic
architecture," a design philosophy that emphasizes the organic fusion be
between humans and the environment. In a similar vein, Soleri attempted
to explore a new form of urban development in the age of environmental
crisis. To countermeasure urban sprawling, Soleri suggests designing a
city instead of individual buildings, so that nature, houses and
supporting facilities could be integrated in a self-sufficient
community. An experimental project named "Arcosanti" had been carried
out to materialize the idea of Arcology in Arizona (near Prescott) since
the 1960s. Originally, the goal was as bold as building a city that
could sustain 5,000 residents, but in 2010 there are just about 100
people in Arcosanti.
