Dreaming Of A Better Place

Asteromo - Space Arcology

I doubt I'll get the chance in my lifetime, but I would love to live in a Space Arcology

"Asteromo is an asteroid for a population of about 70,000 people.
It is basically a double-skinned cylinder kept inflated by pressurization
and rotation of the main axis . . . the weight of a person will vary from
zero at the axis to a fraction of his earthly weight on the ground.
He will be able to fly without the need of any power devices.
There will be Dantesque promenades at different levels of physical prowess --
from weak (center) to strong (periphery). . . .

Man, standing head toward the axis of rotation, will be enveloped in a solid ecology."

Photos of Arcosanti

I've added a Photo Album of Arcosanti pictures I've seen on the web, along with descriptions and thoughts relating to them.

There's also a side panel of Paolo Soleri book links on the main website (if you're reading this via RSS).

Arcosanti

There is an arcology being built by Paolo Soleri in Arizona, in the United States.

Arcosanti - An Urban Laboratory

They have a great website.

You can see their Project History, Daily Progress, Upcoming Events, Arcosanti in the news
and their School of Thought [including Arcology Theory].

Astonishingly, a large part of the money they raise to build Arcosanti (a non-profit project)
comes from the sales of their Windchimes, which are produced in Arcosanti, in bronze and ceramic.

You can see photos of them in their Online Store.

If you have the ability to donate anything, they have a list of things they're looking for.

Geeks, that includes you too!

I'm quite surprised they haven't received more support from their Industry (Architecture),
sadly, I'm even more surprised there hasn't been a reality tv show about it.

Arcologies

While playing SimCity 2000, I finally discovered the final secret for SimEarth, and it really does have to do with those Launch arcologies.
You have to build a certain number of them, and then something happens.
The result however was disappointing, but, I found something much better, while searching for the secret on the web.

Arcologies.

Now if you're anything like me, you would have thought these impressive buildings were simply fiction, a way to increase the size of your SimCity.

The Plymouth Arco, the Forest Arco, the Darco and the Launch Arcology, they hardly seemed of this world, let alone this time.
But they are real... well, kinda.

Do you know who invented Arcologies?

Arcologies were invented by Paolo Soleri in his book, Arcology: The City in the Image of Man

Unfortunately I haven't been able to get my hands on the book at this time, but I am searching.

Until I find it, I shall be doing my research on the web, and dreaming of a better place.

The word Arcology is a combination of the words architecture and ecology.
Architecture that is ecologically friendly. This idea far predates the hippy 60s,
which impresses me. Few people have this kind of vision, the world could do with
a few more people like Paolo Soleri.

This post is brought to you by the letter G

Thanks Google!
you've brought me a new interest, purely by not being perfect at understanding
the persnickety points of human semantics.

But don't feel bad, humans don't have a clue either.