As a design-led perfumery, we’re always searching for inspiration. This summer, our annual Summer Fridays series returns with destinations across the U.S. that spark creativity and invite discovery.
Our final stop takes us to an experimental community rising from the Arizona desert.
Founded in 1970 by Italian-American architect Paolo Soleri, Arcosanti was conceived as a prototype for arcology—a philosophy combining architecture and ecology.
Rather than expanding outward through suburban sprawl, Soleri envisioned cities that grew upward, preserving more of the surrounding landscape. More than 50 years later, Arcosanti remains an active experiment where architecture, sustainability and community continue to intersect.
Home to roughly 100 full-time residents, Arcosanti includes apartments, communal gathering spaces, workshops and public venues designed to encourage interaction while minimizing the city's footprint.
A Living Architectural Experiment
The site is best experienced on a guided tour, where residents share the story behind its architecture, innovative construction methods and enduring vision.
Along the way, you'll see the iconic silt-cast and form-cast concrete structures that define Arcosanti’s architecture, visit the bronze foundry where Soleri’s celebrated windbells are still crafted, and explore the ceramics studio that continues the community's tradition of making.
Together, these spaces reveal that Arcosanti was designed not only as a place to live, but as a place to create.
While You’re There…
Continue the experience with a visit to Agua Fria National Monument, just minutes away.
Its expansive mesas, winding canyons and ancient petroglyphs built by Native Americans between 1250 and 1450 C.E. offer a reminder that thoughtful design isn't limited to buildings.
Spend an afternoon hiking through the monument’s quiet desert landscape, where sweeping views and remarkable archaeological sites invite the same sense of curiosity and reflection that defines Arcosanti.
What to Spray
Juice+ Bold
A jammier rendition of Juice that transforms Strawberry, Raspberry and Rhubarb into something deeper and more unexpected. Steeped in Vetiver, Patchouli and Amberwood, it's the perfect companion for a destination built on bold ideas.
Travel back to: Week 1: Storm King Art Center | Week 2: A-Z West | Week 3: Donald Judd Home & Studios