This commemorative artwork to mark the occasion of Arcosanti's 50th Anniversary is inspired by Paolo Soleri’s Omega Seed, which describes the concept of creative and self-generative resurrection. As an alumni of Arcosanti I was honored to assist them with this historic awareness and fundraising campaign.
The community's request was to include a little bit of everything, drawing from Soleri's architecture and symbolism, the surrounding landscape and the bronze bells for which he is famous. Fans of Arcosanti may recognize the cypress and olive trees at the site's oasis, motifs drawn from the bronze and concrete work, Soleri's concentric community circles and the Omega Seed itself as a celestial body. Arcosanti's existing logotype was altered to accommodate the rigors of being cast in bronze, and the Futura font was altered to be more compatible with the logotype's geometry.
The emblem was designed to include enough artistic merit at large scale for it to stand alone as a work of art yet adaptable enough to be applied adaptable to a number of media from large posters to t-shirts, to smaller-scale packaging and stickers — and even a bronze medallion or ornament that will be incorporated into bell assemblages.
Two variants of the bronze medallion were proposed with two levels of detail, which can be adapted by Cosanti’s artisans in low relief.
Halftone textures breathe a little life into the crisp vector art.