Conversations with Paolo Soleri

“Within the architectural profession, I distinguish between the form givers, with the ‘orchids’ they often produce, and the forest architects. Given the number of people in need of shelter, we require the equivalent of the forest, that is, cities coherently designed. In the urban forest, orchids are welcomed as orchids might be welcomed in the organic forest.”
—Paolo Soleri, “Orchid and Forest”

For half a century, architect Paolo Soleri's large-scale urban designs and ideas have addressed the most urgent logistical, environmental, and social problems of the urbanizing world through a coherent architectural-philosophical rethinking of cities. Conversations with Paolo Soleri features an interview with Soleri that covers the breadth of his architectural and educational career, accompanied by excerpts from Soleri’s personal notebooks that articulate how a coherent approach to the logistical design of cities can reverse urban sprawl, spare natural resources, support passive energy generation and agricultural production, and improve the cultural quality of urban experience. Includes an introduction to Soleri's key ideas by his long-time editor Lissa MCullough as well as essays by collaborating architects Marco Felici and Youngsoo Kim.

Edited by Lissa McCullough

Designed by Bree Anne Apperley

Published by Princeton Architectural Press

Softcover, 96 pages, 30 1-color illustrations, 5.5 × 8 inches

ISBN: 978-1-61689-055-1