Cosanti Foundation Review

Very interesting and different than the ordinary art. Loved the bells!

Must experience this, hopefully you can see the pouring of the liquid metal to make the bells

Very unusual wind chimes. Perfect for a gift or yourself.

I had so much fun at this place went this morning the most awesome stuff to look at all the Bells Jewelry pottery and today was a big sale they have until Sunday and I suggest anybody and everybody to go to the cell if they like any type of wind chimes Bells ceramic it's awesome it's a great place to go and I suggest anybody who wants anything for Christmas and holidays are love Windchimes I suggest you to go it's very nicely kept clean great and family oriented a great people customer service always ready to serve you so I give it five stars and thumbs up all the way

Fascinating complex of buildings. Beautiful bells. Good insight into the workshops the artisans there use.

Soleri has left us for another realm, but his legacy lives on. If you like being immersed in someone's world of creativity that can touch your heart and mind, come visit this enchanting place.

What a great place and fun place to visit. Cosanti bells are just awesome.

Fabulous art in bells.
Not one was made the same.
We will go back....free admission..

Want a hidden gem. Tucked away in a neighborhood, this is definitely worth the visit...

Wonderful experience visiting the foundry. The bells are beautiful. I wanted all of them. Each bell has a different tone. Amazing!

They have beautiful things here. Well worth the visit.

Barbara

Went here on a Sunday so it was pretty sleepy......but definitely interesting shapes and forms. A preview to Arcosanti

Very interesting process and architectural setting.

Not worth the time. It is essentially a small shop with very expensive metal wind chimes (some are several thousand dollars). The architecture is only half constructed. There is little else to see there.

Artisans working on the various bells, tiles, etc. Interesting structure housing the work shops and display areas.

Fascinating art of making bells.... Tour explains the processes of design and fabrication. Located in the heart of Paradise Valley, AZ. You won't be able to leave without dropping cash on souvenirs and gifts.

Solari windbells are almost spiritual. Service here is spectacular. Go when you can watch the bells be made! And, most important, select your bell by sound. They are each unique so pick the sound and tone you resinate with.

This place is incredible! Unfortunately we got there an hour after they did their daily pouring. I was told they do not have a set schedule for the pouring, but I would recommend calling when they open and I imagine they can give you an idea at that time for the day so you can watch the artisans work.

While it was incredibly hot the day we went, it really wasn't so bad as the structures they have built into the landscape seem to do a good job with the temperatures.

There isn't much to see if the pourings are not happening, so you do not need much time here; I would guess that we spent no more than 30 minutes here, but I do recommend checking it out. We bought a large chime and were pleased that not only did they ship it home for us, but the shipping was much cheaper than we anticipated. And the woman helping us was very nice and helpful.

Not a good time to visit currently as they are remodeling. Walkways closed off....

Very creative art space.
Affordable pieces for sale; objects in bronze, brass, ceramics and glass, lots of bells and wind chimes.

This place was used as one of the sets in the film STAR WARS, episode 4, The Phantom Menace, perhaps the Cantina scene.

I love thid place! I buy a lot of smaller bells for my clients for a housewarming gifts.

Cool off the art place in the middle of a neighborhood. Don't even realize it's there. Very cool bronze & ceramic art pieces.

Very interesting place! We enjoyed checking everything out. It was windy the day we were there and the chimes made beautiful sounds! We would like to go back on a day when the guys are working on projects.

Fascinating place. Really enjoyed the tour and all the stores about how the facility was established and grew. We were lucky enough to get a tour from one of the directors, who had been part of the organization for decades.

This is a go to spot for us to being visitors, but also a place I like to enjoy on my own. Paolo loved here before he passed away and his presence is still very much felt. Come during weekday mornings to see the artisans pour the bells - something so special and uniquely Arizona. Or just browse the bells for sale, including some made by the master himself. His story is so rich and his work so beautiful - I hope this place helps his legacy to live on for generations to come.

Beutiful...work in progress since 1955....exactly how I remember as a teenager...be sure to go on a weekday for a tour...so much more than meets the eye with a tour guide..only $10 per person

This is an incredible experience! It's so serene and peaceful! I remember when I would go visit as a little girl and feeling like I was in an enchanted place.

Great things, fascinating architecture, cool history. Doesn't require a huge investment of time. No air conditioning so be prepared in Arizona summer!

Great place to visit and be inspired. The bells are lovely and make many sounds. We brought one home and love it! Beautiful place!

What you need to know:
--Tours are 11AM (M-F) and cost $15, they last an hour and change. You REALLY want to do this, try to make it work. You get to see them actually working and get to see the rest of the buildings.
--If you cannot make a tour, this is basically a nice shop where you can buy the stuff they make on-site or their sister location (Arcosanti, between here and Sedona), and you can see some of the buildings. They only sell their stuff, it is not a tourist trap gift shop.
--DON'T SPEED - this is in a residential neighborhood and it seems the cops like to go fishing here.
--If you don't have the context (I didn't until I visited), this is 75% an active workshop where they actually make the products (bronze, ceramics, etc.), 25% architectural attraction (they work among the structures). This is a real business that happens to be in a very cool setting.

This is a must see stop for anyone. Local or visiting

Too expensive but interesting. The guide we had was great, but the group was far too large. About 35 people. We couldn't all fit in the rooms. Should be about 12 people per guide. The bronze pouring was fascinating. Price was $15 per person. Half that would have been about right. Hard to believe people lived in these concrete holes in the ground. Reminds me of military bunkers.

Loved the artistic items here but especially the bells! Way cool!

Love this place. Unique setting and the bells are amazing.

You can view the grounds and studio and purchase Solari bells made from brass or pottery.

Great artistic bells in a unique environment. Worth checking out.

I take everyone I know here that hasn t been. It s free and sometimes you can catch them making Bells. I highly recommend.

Neat architecture first of all! The bells they make and sell are neat, you're allowed to ring the bells as you please, and they do sell their art. Small place and mostly outside but definitely a cool place to check out. :)

This am amazing studio / art studio. They sell amazing bronze bells and hand made tiles. Daily tours at 11am.

I love the feel of this place, it s like you ve entered an alternative reality! And.... you can take home a beautiful souvenir as a perpetual reminder!

I love this place, is full of charm and great energy. Everyone is super friendly and helpful.

A friend brought me here after visiting Taliesi West. What a wonderful place to see! I bought a small wind chime for $32. The grounds and architectural features were so great to see after having a tour at Taliesi and leaning about Frank Lloyd Wright and his interns including Pablo Soleri who (I think) is one of the few still living interns. So many things to look at that I forgot to take photos of all the beautiful bells. Some were so gigantic and made wonderful sounds. I felt like a little kid ringing various bells just to hear the difference.

Very friendly staff that shared some beloved moments about Solari

Watched a friend poor bronze bells today. Very interesting process. Had a great time! Thanks Buzz

Paolo Soleri was way ahead of his time. A visit here is enchanting.

Interesting man. Great tour at 11:00 - Worthwhile visit.

Very interesting, but much smaller than anticipated. They have a 'pour showing' that's interesting to see, buts a silent show and only about 10 mins long. The bells are beautiful but very pricey. Great to see at least once though.

The bells are works of art .Five in my collection. I always spread the word about this special place. A heirloom to pass on to family. .

Amazing experience. Go on a morning tour. It's fascinating.

I could spend a million dollars in this place. Nice people and beautiful bells.

Really cool and educational business and lifestyle! Call before going if you want to do the tour. Times are limited.

This was Paolo Soleri house and studio. I know he has another compound thats still in use as a venue for different things. But this place, is beautiful. Im from Phoenix and I read about him but at the age of 47 finally made it out there. Its just amazing all the time effort and creativity this man had and used to build this place. You got people in from out of town, bring them here.maybe not in the summer but who visits Arizona in the summer. We, a friend of mine who is a transplant from San Diego went on a lazy Sunday and the place is amazing! Part of our Arizona history and definitely a must for us all. I will return again and again. A lil gem in the place we call home.

Need to go back. Need to do some basic research on Soleri, as there is so much to see, and I knew NOTHING about this person. Quite by accident, a fulltime craftsman gave us an excellent talk and demonstration of the casting process. He was enthusiastic, well spoken, and very pleasant.

Background:
Cosanti is a designated Arizona historic site, designed by world-renowned architectural innovator Paolo Soleri, featuring terraced landscaping with experimental earth-formed concrete structures. Hear the tones of bronze and ceramic wind-bells strikingly suspended amidst courtyards and visitor paths.
There were workshops in progress as we strolled among the "forest" of peaceful bells. The smooth architecture all around us felt very soothing and calming. Inside the store, there are more bronze and ceramic bells also available for purchase. I thought prices were very fair, starting at $30 for a small bronze hanging bell. I don't need to add a bell or a chime to my current collection but l will certainly consider buying from Cosanti in the future and l highly recommend this visit to learn more about the Soleri architectural concept and numerous creations including massive bridges that he built around the world.

Pretty interesting place. Clay Bells is what they do here.

Very interesting to learn about Cosanti's architecture and his resourcefulness. The tour included watching how the sand forms are made, and melted metals being poured to create Cosanti's famous Bell's. You can purchase those, as well as olive oil made from the olives grown on the property. Pretty cool!

Tradition!! Bought 3 bells... one for us and one for each daughter to start new traditions.

What an experience! We took the tour which was great! So educational! We bought bells and love them!

Counter person was rude and condesending
Not the 1st time

Near plane. Got there in time for the 11:00 tour. It was great! Got to see a bronze pour in action. Larry was a great tour guide.

Incredible architecture, specific to the desert in which it was built. A wonderful chance to get to understand what Paolo Soleri was working on and towards. I would have liked to see more of the buildings and learn how each one was designed to work as part of the whole and to the fullest extent of its function, but we were limited to only the gift shop and the display apse. This is a worthy visit within the Phoenix limits, but it is limited.