Soleri Bridge and Plaza: December 11, 2010

On Saturday, December 11, 2010, downtown Scottsdale will witness history in the making at noon -- the dedication of Paolo Soleri's first completed bridge, which is located at the Scottsdale Waterfront. This historic moment is the culmination of years of creative design, planning and construction by the renowned Italian artist, architect, and philosopher who is celebrated worldwide for his forward-thinking concept of arcology. Join us as we celebrate Paolo Soleri, his vision and his creativity with a weekend of exclusive guided tours, museum exhibitions, and the dedication of his signature bridge and the city's newest public place, the Soleri Bridge and Plaza.

ABOUT SOLERI BRIDGE & PLAZA
Scottsdale's breathtaking Soleri Bridge and Plaza is at once a pedestrian passage, solar calendar and gathering place along the Scottsdale Waterfront. The dynamic architecture of the bridge is an elegant span that narrows from 24 feet to 18 feet as it crosses the Arizona Canal from south to north and is suspended by cables attached from the top of 64-foot-high pylons that are tilted at 80 degrees from the ground to match the angle of the sun at solar noon on the summer solstice. The structure suggests Soleri's idea that "a bridge is more than a passage along which something moves," but also is a crossing to connect us aesthetically and experientially.

The bridge's positioning on the north-south axis allows the sun to cast through a 6 inch gap between the towering pylons, creating a shaft of light across the bridge deck daily at solar noon, the moment at which the sun is at its highest elevation in the sky. By celebrating solar events, the signature bridge and plaza unify the past and the present. The site of this waterway, rich with historic undertones, mingles with the legacy of present day cultures striving for coherence between man and nature.

On the south side of the Arizona Canal, the Soleri Bridge links to a public plaza that includes a series of totemic Soleri-designed earth cast panels along the southern perimeter. The strong architectural carving on the panels creates a perfect counterpoint for the Goldwater Bell assembly, also located on the south plaza, which Soleri himself cast in 1969. With the regional Sun Circle Trail, the Soleri Bridge and Plaza will provide access for pedestrians, equestrians and bicycles.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Scottsdale
• Public
• Art
• Soleri
• Bridge
• Plaza
• Camelback
• architect
• Paolo
• Waterfront
• Arizona
• Canal