Cosanti, Art gallery and campus in Paradise Valley, United States.
Cosanti is the gallery and studio of architect Paolo Soleri in Paradise Valley, Arizona, built on a five-acre site from 1956. Its terraced landscaping, partly underground earth-formed concrete structures and south-facing apses were designed for passive heating and cooling. The grounds hold the original Earth House, a student dormitory, outdoor studios, a performance space, a swimming pool, a gift shop and Soleri's residence among courtyards and garden paths.
Paolo Soleri founded this site in 1956 as his residence and workshop, developing experimental architectural structures with volunteer apprentices over the following years. The property expanded gradually and became recognized for its historical importance to Arizona's architectural legacy.
In Italian, the name Cosanti combines the words for 'object' and 'before,' meaning 'There are things more important than objects.' The bronze and ceramic wind-bells are cast at Cosanti and Arcosanti on weekday mornings using a modified earthcasting technique, and the Cosanti Foundation, created in 1956, runs educational programs about Soleri's architecture and urban planning.
The campus can be explored through guided tours that show the architectural spaces and working studios where objects are made. Visitors can purchase handcrafted windbells and other artwork directly at the site.
The windbells made here produce sounds through air currents and motion, turning each piece into a musical instrument shaped by the elements. This merges art, handcraft, and natural forces in a way visitors can experience firsthand on the grounds.
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