In short
Paolo Soleri is an Italian-American architect, best known for the 'Arcology' concept, an architecture form that deeply includes ecology in its principles. He taught architecture at the Ecosa Institute.
Education
Paolo Soleri was born in Turin, Italy on June 21, 1919, and was awarded his Ph.D. with highest honors in architecture from the Torino Polytechnico in 1946. He came to the United States in 1947 and spent a year-and-a-half in fellowship with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West in Arizona, and at Taliesin East in Wisconsin.
During this time, Soleri gained international recognition for a bridge design displayed at the Museum of Modern Art and published in The Architecture of Bridges by Elizabeth Mock. He returned to Italy in 1950 where he was commissioned to build a large ceramics, "Ceramica Artistica Solimene." The processes he became familiar with in the ceramics industry led to his award-winning designs of ceramic and bronze windbells and siltcast architectural structures.
For over 30 years, the proceeds from the windbells have provided funds for construction to test his theoretical work. In 1956 he settled in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his late wife, Colly, and their two daughters. Dr. and Mrs. Soleri made a life-long commitment to research and experimentation in urban planning, establishing the Cosanti Foundation, a not-for-profit educational foundation.
Arcology
The Foundation's major project is Arcosanti, a prototype town for 7,000 people designed by Soleri, under construction since 1970. Located at Cordes Junction, in central Arizona, the project is based on Soleri's concept of "Arcology," architecture coherent with ecology.
Arcology advocates cities designed to maximize the interaction and accessibility associated with an urban environment; minimize the use of energy, raw materials and land, reducing waste and environmental pollution; and allow interaction with the surrounding natural environment. He has written six books and numerous essays and monographs.