Waterfront

Welcome
	About Us
	History
	FAQs
	Contact Us
Capital Improvement Projects (CIP)
Public Art Collection
Art in Private Development (AIPD)
News & Features
	Events
	Call to Artist
	Resource Guide
	Artists Working in Bronze
	Tour
	Maps
	Community Initiated Art Guidelines
	Care & Maintenance
Scottsdale Public Art Board (SPA Board)
Join Our Mailing List
SCC Opportunities
	Employment
	Volunteer
	Internships

Print This Page

Email This Page

Paolo Soleri Pedestrian Bridge and Plaza

Completion Winter 2009/10

The pedestrian bridge connecting the Scottsdale Waterfront on the north side of the canal with the various retail and dining establishments on the south side of the canal will be a dramatic sight on the horizon. Designed by Paolo Soleri, one of the Valley’s most revered cultural icons, the engineered suspension bridge will rise on 64 foot pylons to cross the Arizona Canal. The plaza on the south side is intended to have shading and seating and to serve as a link in the Sun Circle Trail. In addition, the plaza will have a bell tower holding the largest bell assemblage, a signature of Soleri’s architectural style. The bridge together with the plaza is expected to be a key cultural destination and gathering place, enriching Scottsdale’s art scene, as well as providing convenient pedestrian access.

To donate to the

Soleri Pedestrian Bridge and Plaza,

send a check to:

Scottsdale Cultural Council

7380 E. Second St.

Scottsdale, AZ, 85251

Note on the check:

"For Soleri Bridge"

This is the first bridge by Paolo Soleri to be constructed. The design for the bridge draws upon solar events, which have been consistent and important elements in much of Soleri’s work. The bridge design, the bell assemblage, and the silt-cast walls will all be reminiscent of the architectural design elements found at both Arcosanti and Cosanti.

The project is currently in pre-construction and the design team is finalizing the design elements of both the bridge and south plaza.

The highly anticipated ground breaking for the Soleri Bridge will occur in the winter 2009. This event will be free and open to the public. Construction is expected to take place in the summer of 2009.

On November 13, 2008, Soleri was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 Governor's Celebration of Innovation. The author, architect, artist and pioneer of new human spaces, has had fellowships from the Graham Foundation and Guggenheim Foundation, as well as three honorary doctorates and several international medals. His most coveted accolade, the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for lifetime achievement, was awarded to him in 2006 and is one of the most distinguished awards an architect can receive.

For more information on the Scottsdale Public Art Program or the Soleri Bridge and Plaza project, please visit www.scottsdalepublicart.org or call (480) 874-4645.

About Scottsdale Public Art The mission of the Scottsdale Public Art Program is to make Scottsdale one of the most desirable communities in the country in which to live, work and visit by incorporating art and design projects throughout. In 1985, the City of Scottsdale established the Scottsdale Public Art Program with the goal to enhance the quality of life for its residents and visitors. Since then more than 60 permanent and temporary public artworks have been commissioned throughout the community. Scottsdale's program and projects have won local, regional and national awards. Public art has taken many forms ranging from the walls of the Pima Freeway to James Turrell's "skyspace" at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. The Scottsdale Public Art Program is managed by the Scottsdale Cultural Council, a private, non-profit 501 (c) (3) management organization that administers the arts and cultural affairs of the City of Scottsdale and also manages the Scottsdale Center for the Arts and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

About Soleri and Arcosanti
One of the most imaginative thinkers of our time, Paolo Soleri has dedicated his life to addressing the ecological and social concerns raised by modern urban existence. Soleri's career contains significant accomplishments in the fields of architecture and urban planning, and his groundbreaking philosophical writings on arcology, the co-presence of architecture with ecology, continue to garner interest globally. Arcosanti, a prototype Arcology and urban laboratory under construction in central Arizona for the past 38 years, represents Soleri's comprehensive and holistic approach to "green" and the challenge of sustainability. Arcosanti is located about one hour north of Phoenix. Tours, meals, and overnight accommodations are offered daily. Visitors are also welcome at Cosanti, Soleri's original studio in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Visit www.arcosanti.org for details.