Field Trips
made by students, for students
The spaces of Cosanti were built as a hands-on community which encourages learners of any age or experience level to roll up their sleeves and get a feel for real-world materials and problem solving. Sharing the stories and successes of these students with younger generations is a principle we strive to uphold, so that our structures are not just a part of the past, but a vital workshop for our future.
The lessons of Cosanti can be interpreted for students of any age, from kindergarten to high school, of any background, and with any ability level. Younger students will enjoy the exciting otherworldly buildings and the drama of casting bronze bells, intermediate students will appreciate the story of a project made possible by daring ingenuity and collaboration, and older students will be inspired by the important social and environmental concerns of building within the desert.
We encourage classes of all ages and education levels to consider a field trip to Cosanti. The variety of topics discussed will include hand-crafted sculpture, ceramic casting and firing, bronze and aluminum casting, and architectural design and theory. All of these topics will be reflected in the environment we walk through and in the ongoing work of our team of artisans - students will be able to see first-hand how these ideas and concepts become reality, and how the techniques we use can be applied across mediums.
Depending on the needs and desires of the class the guided portion of a field trip can be as short as a half hour, or up to 75 minutes for a full experience of the site. Typically weekday mornings are recommended to allow the best chance of watching one of our foundry's bronze pouring demonstrations. Ideal starting times are 9:15am in summer and 10:15am in winter (our current foundry schedule is available here).
Our experimental spaces can be fairly compact and sometimes challenging to traverse, with narrow walkways, inclines, steps, and stairs. Because of this we can accommodate a maximum class size of 20, with one teacher or parent chaperone required per 5 students. We will also provide a consent and release waiver to be signed by each participating student's parent/s or guardian/s. If your class has special mobility or sensory needs, please contact us to determine the best options available. Due to our outdoor environment, sun protection, water, and comfortable shoes are recommended for all guests.
Field trips are offered at our student rate of $10 per participant, which includes a guided learning experience led by our knowledgeable staff.
These questions may guide your students as they learn about the creative history of Cosanti:
ARCHITECTURE
⦁ What makes desert buildings unique?
⦁ How can the earth be a part of the design of a building?
⦁ Why choose to build with concrete, wood, canvas, and glass?
⦁ How can architecture be used to make structures which create their own shade, catch the breeze, and collect rainwater?
⦁ How do the experimental buildings at Cosanti succeed, and where could they be improved?
CERAMICS
⦁ Ceramics are made from clay, water, minerals, and heat - how do each of these work together?
⦁ How is slipcasting a clay form different from throwing it on a wheel?
⦁ Why might you choose between using an earthen mold or a plaster mold?
⦁ What is glaze, and why do glazed ceramics need to be fired twice?
⦁ Why do ceramic bells ring?
BRONZE
⦁ Bronze is a mixture of metals - what is Cosanti’s bronze made of, and why is it uncommon?
⦁ Why do we make molds from a special sand-like material instead of silt, or beach sand?
⦁ How do we form both the inside and outside surfaces of a bell in one mold?
⦁ How are the decorative designs applied to the surface of each bell?
⦁ How do the bells get their sound, and can we change it?
⦁ How might our bronze casting be compared and contrasted to the casting of ceramics, or of buildings?
CONSENT AND RELEASE WAIVER
SITE MAP
PAOLO SOLERI'S EARTH CASTING
archival publication
Meet your instructor
Dakota Petersen first joined the Cosanti team in 2015, and has spent several years as a member of the foundry. He now serves as Cosanti's Outreach and Development Ambassador to encourage new and exciting educational programs based on our traditions of architecture and handmade artisan crafts. He studied photography at Northern Arizona University, and continues to find inspiration for his work in the desert around Cosanti.
What to know before you go
CONSENT AND RELEASE WAIVER
Participants are required to complete a Consent and Release Waiver prior to their activity. Our easy-to-use online form makes completing a waiver for a single guest, a large group, or for parents/guardians of minors quick and efficient. Once you've reserved your tour, a link to the online form is sent in your confirmation email.
ACCESSIBILITY
Participants who use a walker, wheelchair, or other mobility aids may find themselves limited by narrow pathways, uneven pavement, steps, or other challenges. Please contact us at tours@cosanti.com to discuss possible accommodations. ADA-accessible restroom facilities are not available.
OUTDOOR CONDITIONS
While there will be strategic stopping and resting points during the indoor/outdoor one-hour tour of Cosanti, guests should be aware that the experience involves a good deal of walking and standing, sometimes in the sun. Please be sure to plan accordingly with sun protection, water, and comfortable shoes.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY
Guests are welcome to take photos and videos of Cosanti and its grounds for personal purposes, though we ask that you are respectful of this active worksite, its employees, and other guests.
Professional photography or videography and/or any footage intended for commercial use must have prior approval. Please reach out to info@cosanti.com prior to conducting professional or commercial shoots at Cosanti.
Our ongoing mission of education
Cosanti, a cultural site on the Arizona Registry of Historic Places, is proud to take part in the legacy of education and outreach integral to The Cosanti Foundation from its beginning.
Activity fees are collected to benefit The Cosanti Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to influencing the balance between the built environment and the natural world, the well-being of the planet and of humankind.
Since 1965, The Cosanti Foundation has been an important voice in the global conversation about adapting the way humankind consumes resources on a planet already stressed by explosive population growth, a dramatically changing climate, and limited natural resources.
Your visit will contribute both to furthering the mission of The Cosanti Foundation, and to spreading awareness of the philosophy and possibility of living in a way both radically different, and urgently necessary.
