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An Age-old ProblemTimothy Moore

After a century of celebrating the young, fresh and new, the twenty-first century will be evermore mature.Over the last fifty years, the global life expect ancy at birth has increased by over twenty years. This dra matic increase in longevity, paired with a declining fertility rate, will continue in the next thirty years to see the world’s elderly population (people over 60) doubling to two billion (an increase from one-in-nine to one-in-five people). The median will reach a middle-age of 37.8 years.With the form of the population pyr a mid morphing from a stepped terrace to a sky-scraper-like shape between 2010 and 2050, it emphasizes that not only are we living longer, but our society is getting older. A decline in youth presents a series of societal changes: an extension in labor parti cipation over time, a mutation in multi-generational family forms, and the increasing compet-itiveness of global migra tion (due to tight do mes tic labor markets).While many countries are currently prepar-ing for the challenge of aging, Europe has already aged: the number of dependents over 65 was larger than the number of de-pendents under 5 in the mid-70s. Fol low ing in their footsteps, the booming economies of Brazil, China, India and the Gulf states will undergo a demographic transition to match the European trend of mortality and fertility rates in the near future. While they should have the economies to provide for it, in other less developed countries where many of the two billion geron tocrats will live, poverty and the lack of basic health-care provisions is a key challenge to a happy, long life.The aging of society provides a new capacity to cap ture wisdom and ex pe rience despite the drain it may in flict on resources. The irony to the policy-makers facing these chal-lenges is that they will be around in thirty years time to face the long-term de ci sions that they have created. With the flattening of the popu lation pyr a mid in the im pending future, the diagram is clear: the time is now to wrinkle out the issue.

WorldMore developedLess developedNorth AfricaSubSaharan AfricaMiddle EastAsiaOceaniaNorth AmericaSouth America and the CarribeanWestern EuropeEastern Europe

Average life expectancy

Median age

western baby boomersmigration to western europe

aids in�uenced age structure

temporary migrant-in�uenced structure

lower fertility

lower fertility

increased longevity

lower life expectancy

youth bulge

migration to western europe

aids in�uenced age structure

temporary migrant-in�uenced structure

lower life expectancy

youth bulge

youth bulgeyouth bulge

youth bulge

youth bulge

median world age

life expectancy

2010

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WorldMore developedLess developedNorth AfricaSubSaharan AfricaMiddle EastAsiaOceaniaNorth America

South America and the CarribeanWestern EuropeEastern Europe

Average life expectancy

Median age

shrinking nations

increased life expectancy

increased longevity

youth bulge

shrinking nations

increased life expectancy

youth bulge

median world age

life expectancy

2050

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North AmericaMiddle East

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Sub-Saharan AfricaWestern Europe

Sub-Saharan AfricaWestern Europe

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1 Confront yourself with your age early.

Whenyoureach50percentofyourlife

expectancy,declareyourselfold.

2 Build on your history.

Imagineyourfuture.Rejoiceinyourpast.

3 Extend your family.

Makenewfriendsandrelationships.

(Youmightneedthem.)

4 Stay fit and eat well.

Theyaretheonlytwoprovenhealth

andlifeextenders.

5 Do it now, not later.

Avoidsurprise;adjustyourlifebefore

youareforcedtodoso.

6 Plan for upcoming changes.

Addservices,conveniencesand

technologiestoyourlife.

7 Never enter a nursing home …

exceptwhenvisitingfriendswhodidnot

knowhowtoNewAge.

A Manifesto forNew AgingMatthias Hollwich

ArjenOosterman The idea of a nursing home is a comfort to many but can we really call it a ‘home’?

Matthias Hollwich Nursinghomesactasextensionsofthehome,butintheendtheyaredepressingbecausetheyunsuccessfullysimulateahome.Thegoalofthenursinghomeistoextendalifecomfortablyforaslongaspossible.Howevermostofthethingsthatanursinghomecandoyoucanalsodoathome.Thereinventionofthistypologyshouldbeaboutaninterimstagebetweenlifeanddeath,whereyouputyourhistoryinorderandcelebratetheendofalife.Consequentlyforthearchitect,therearetwooptions.First,wecanmakethenursinghomemoreradical,wherewemoveawayfromtheideaofhomeandcelebratethelifeweoncehad.Wecanrethinkhowwesocializewiththepeopleinthenursinghome,ourfamilymembersandfriends.Ontheotherhand,wecandothereversebytransferringsomeofitselementsintotheenvironmentthatyouchoosetolivein,sothatyoucanadjustyourlifeatamuchearlierstage.

TimothyMoore How does the issue of aging play out in the second scenario, particularly in relation to your project Boom in Palm Springs, which specifically targets an aging gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community?

MH WehavebeenworkingonBoomwithvariousarchitects:DillerScofidio+Renfro,LOT-EK,JuergenMayerH.,andsoon.Wearenowtakingabreakaftertheinitialsketchdesignphase.Onereasonisthatwereallywanttoengagewiththepeoplewhoaregoingtobuyintothedevelopmentinamoresustainableway;thatis,wewanttobuildacommunitybeforeweactuallycommenceconstruction.Youcannotjustjumpstartacommunitysaying:here’syourarchitecture,here’syourproduct,herearethekeys–nowmoveinandliveinacollectivefashion.Therearealotoftoolsbeinggen-eratedtofacilitatethisthroughsocialmediaoutreachwhereuserscanbecomeco-designers,reacttothedesign,havecritiques,aspirationsandideas,influenceactivities,andfeedbackintothedesignprocess.Learn-ingfromsocialnetworkwebsitesissointerestingbecausetheyareuser-generatednewschannelswherepeoplecontributeandsharenewswiththeirpeers.WhenIthinkofpeoplewhoareolder,theyhavegeneratedanextraordinaryamountofknowledgeandcapacity.Weneedtofindwaystosharethatagain.

AO In the context of the US, I always think of a community as a segregated, ghetto-like enclave.

MH InPalmSprings,thedominatingtypologyisthegatedcommunity,eveniftheplacedoesnothaveagate.Youpullofftheroadandenteradifferentenvironment.ThewaythestreetsaresetupandthewayonehastochannelthetrafficintotheprivatepropertymakesBoomalsodependentuponthismodel.Tocircumventthisissue,weareinjectingprogramstointroduceurbanlifeintoeachneighborhood,andscalingaccordinglysothatitinvitesthebroadercommunitytoparticipate,sothatit’snotexclusive.Wearelookingintooutreachprograms,suchastoschools,sothatpeoplewithinthecommunitycancontribute.Ontopofthis,therewillbeasharingsystemsothatwhenpeoplearenotintheirhouses,theycanrentthemoutsoyoudon’tfeelenclosedby900corepeople.AforerunneristhePinesonFireIsland,whichisagaycommunityclosetoNewYork.Fiftypercentofthehousesarerentedtopeopleperweekormonth.

Architecturalattentiontotheretire-menthomeisoftenreducedtoissuesofefficiencyandmedicalcare.ArchitectMatthiasHollwich,however,proposesadifferenttypeofapproachtooldagethroughenvisioningtheretiringplaceandpersonasasiteofurbangeneration.Hollwichorgan-izedtheNewAgingconferenceinPhiladelphiaduringOctober,2010,inordertocallonarchitectstorenderoldageasaperiodfullofpotentialbyimaginingagingasanormalextensionoflife.HedemonstratesthisportrayaltoVolumebypresentingtheretire-mentprojectBoominPalmSpringsandthepressingneedtoreinventthenursinghome.

An Architect inthe Gray ZoneMatthias Hollwich interviewed by Arjen Oosterman and Timothy Moore

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BME: Bio-mechanical/bio-electronic prosthesesBME-1 contact lensesBME-2 electronic hearing aidBME-3 dental implant denturesBME-4 electronic heart pacemakerBME-5 arti�cial heartBME-6 orthotic back braceBME-7 wrist braceBME-8 compression stockingsBME-9 arti�cial hip, elbow, knee and ankle joints

BCP: Bio-chemical prostheses BCP-1 arthritis medicationBCP-2 acid re­ex medicationBCP-3 hypertension medicationBCP-4 insulin medicationBCP-5 in­uenza virus vaccineBCP-6 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease medication

BCE: Bio-chemical enhancers BCE-1 sleeping pillsBCE-2 botoxBCE-3 anti-depressantBCE-4 anti-in­ammatoryBCE-5 canned oxygenBCE-6 libido enhancer

OGT: Organ transplantsOGT-1 liver transplantOGT-2 kidney transplant

BCI: Bio-cosmetic implants BCI-1 saline breast implantsBCI-2 silicon buttock implants

BME-1 BCP-1 CST: Cellular/molecular senescence treatmentsCST-1 cell loss, tissue atrophy treatment (stem cell treatment)CST-2 nuclear mutations treatmentCST-3 mutant mitochondria treatmentCST-4 death-resistant cells treatmentCST-5 tissue sti�ening treatmentCST-6 extracellular aggregates treatmentCST-7 intracellular aggregates treatment

MLE: Miscellaneous life-extension treatmentsMLE-1 hormonal anti-aging treatmentMLE-2 free radical treatment/ anti-oxidant MLE-3 nanoroboticsMLE-4 gene modi�cation therapyMLE-5 cryogenic storage for future revivalMLE-6 nootropic cognitive enhancers

CST-1

CST-2

CST-3

CST-4

CST-5

CST-6

CST-7

MLE-1

MLE-2

MLE-3

MLE-4

MLE-5

MLE-6

BCP-2

BCP-4

BCP-5

BCP-6

BCE-3

BCE-1

BCE-2

BCE-4

BCE-5

BCE-6

BCP-3

BME-2

BME-3

BME-4

BME-5

BME-6

BME-7

BME-8

BME-9

OGT-1

BCI-1

BCI-2

OGT-2

BME: Bio-mechanical/bio-electronic prosthesesBME-1 contact lensesBME-2 electronic hearing aidBME-3 dental implant denturesBME-4 electronic heart pacemakerBME-5 arti�cial heartBME-6 orthotic back braceBME-7 wrist braceBME-8 compression stockingsBME-9 arti�cial hip, elbow, knee and ankle joints

BCP: Bio-chemical prostheses BCP-1 arthritis medicationBCP-2 acid re­ex medicationBCP-3 hypertension medicationBCP-4 insulin medicationBCP-5 in­uenza virus vaccineBCP-6 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease medication

BCE: Bio-chemical enhancers BCE-1 sleeping pillsBCE-2 botoxBCE-3 anti-depressantBCE-4 anti-in­ammatoryBCE-5 canned oxygenBCE-6 libido enhancer

OGT: Organ transplantsOGT-1 liver transplantOGT-2 kidney transplant

BCI: Bio-cosmetic implants BCI-1 saline breast implantsBCI-2 silicon buttock implants

BME-1 BCP-1 CST: Cellular/molecular senescence treatmentsCST-1 cell loss, tissue atrophy treatment (stem cell treatment)CST-2 nuclear mutations treatmentCST-3 mutant mitochondria treatmentCST-4 death-resistant cells treatmentCST-5 tissue sti�ening treatmentCST-6 extracellular aggregates treatmentCST-7 intracellular aggregates treatment

MLE: Miscellaneous life-extension treatmentsMLE-1 hormonal anti-aging treatmentMLE-2 free radical treatment/ anti-oxidant MLE-3 nanoroboticsMLE-4 gene modi�cation therapyMLE-5 cryogenic storage for future revivalMLE-6 nootropic cognitive enhancers

CST-1

CST-2

CST-3

CST-4

CST-5

CST-6

CST-7

MLE-1

MLE-2

MLE-3

MLE-4

MLE-5

MLE-6

BCP-2

BCP-4

BCP-5

BCP-6

BCE-3

BCE-1

BCE-2

BCE-4

BCE-5

BCE-6

BCP-3

BME-2

BME-3

BME-4

BME-5

BME-6

BME-7

BME-8

BME-9

OGT-1

BCI-1

BCI-2

OGT-2

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Bio-technicalArrangements of the Aged BodyDeane Simpson

The contemporary ‘aged’ body marks a largely uncelebrated transformation of the limits of the human organism – employing an expanded set of techniques at the intersection of the biological and the technological. While the emblem of the technologically augmented body in the mid- to late-twentieth century resided largely within the realm of science fiction and, to a lesser extent, the military-industrial complex, the early twenty-first century by contrast sees its emblematic bio-technical arrangement firmly grounded in social reality.In the historical model of the former, the body was augmented through protective layers and systems located predominantly out side the surface of the body – enabling the colonization of the outer limits of terrestrial space – whereas the contemporary model of the latter is constructed by interventions positioned largely within and upon the body’s exterior surface – extending the outer tem poral limits of human longevity. While the former

was young and male, the latter may be characterized as old, and, in statistical terms, female.The components presented here constitute a selection of the most familiar formats of this subject’s integration with bio-technical systems. They span from the bio-mechanical and bio-electronic, to the bio-chemical; from those extending longevity (or life quantity) to those that improve life quality in the later years; and from re-storative adjustments and repairs, to technologies in various stages of development directed toward the elimination of the efects of aging altogether. Evident is the extent to which such a body is formed as an assem-blage of products available to those individuals (or national health-care systems) with the necessary resources to access them. It is perhaps no coincidence then that Frederic Jameson’s description of the ‘longevity’ sub-genre of science fiction in Archaeologies of the Future hinges around the theme of ‘longevity as class struggle’.

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HibernationSander van Wettum

ForsuchayoungSpanishtown,theseasidehighrisesofBenidormarebuzzingwiththeaged.Infact,thiscoastaltownhasboomedinthelastfiftyyears:itspopulationhasrisententimesover,anditissaidtohaveaccumulatedthemostskyscraperspercapitaintheworld–sothateveryonecanshareinthesunsetandseaviews.NorthernEuropeansflocktoBenidorminWinterduetothemountainmirco-climatethatprovidesmildtempera-turesall-yearround.Withacastofvariousnationalities,temporarytour-istsandelderlywinter-nestersthatthisbrings,Benidormisatownwithacaseofslightamnesia:part-disco,part-sunbath,partlyinSpain.Noonereallyknowswhatitwasoncelike.Andnooneknowswhoisoldornewtotheplace.Justsmileandfacethesun.

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Santa RitaGeriatric Center, Ciutadella, Menorca,SpainArchitecture Manuel Ocaña

Though the Santa Rita Geriatric Center (2009) appears like an industrial building stripped threadbare (perhaps as a result of the architect producing double the amount of space than the competition brief asked for), the design places the creation of public space at the core of its concept. Devoid of corridors – a typical nursing home motif – it consists of internal and outdoor ‘squares’. All rooms are arranged around (and have direct access to) these patios. Around its perimeter is a series of fluidly inter con-nected spaces for diferent uses. The result provides opportunity for endless wandering, that comes with the mental condition of the inhabitants, but also for casual meeting, retreat and privacy.

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extraordinaryarchitecturalconsiderations.OnAugust19,2004,theDOEreleasedapaper

calledthe‘PermanentMarkersImplementationPlan’.Thisplancalledforthedevelopmentofdurablesignsthatwouldallowfuturegenerations–10,000yearsfromnoworlonger–toknowwherenuclearwastehasbeenstored.Thesignswouldthusprotectfuturehumangenerationsfromharm.

AccordingtoJohnD’Agata,inhis2010bookAbout A Mountain – anextendedlookatnow-cancelledplanstoentombnuclearwasteinsideYuccaMountain,intheUSstateofNevada–theDOEdelivereditsreportto‘seventy-sevenlinguists,sixty-eightgeologists,fiftyanthropologists,forty-oneastronomers,thirty-ninehistorians,twenty-ninebiologists,twenty-eightpsychol-ogists,twenty-sevenethicists,fourteengraphicartists,thirteensciencewriters,tenarchivalspecialists,sevenprintlibrarians,foursculptors,twopainters,amayor,andMENSA’.

Theideawasthatamultidisciplinarygroup,suchasthis,coulddeviseawaytocommunicatetofuturehumanbeingsthatalife-threateningdepositofradio-activewastehasbeenburiedorotherwisestoredinacertainlocation.Afterall,currentregulationsfromtheUSEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)requirethatradioactivewaste-disposalsitesmustbedesignatedbywhattheDOEcalls‘awarenesstriggers’.

These‘awarenesstriggers’wouldconstituteaseriesofpermanentsign-systems,where‘permanent’refersto‘extremetimerequirements’–inthiscase,aminimumof10,000years.(Itisworthrememberingherethatthehalf-lifeofUranium-238is4.4billionyears.)

TheDOE’sspecificdesignrequirementsareuniquelyinterestingfromtheperspectiveofdesignersandarchi-tects;assuch,theserequirementsshouldbetreatedasadesignbriefandareworthquotingwordforword.TheDOE’s‘permanentmarkers’willberequiredtoperformthefollowingdutiesfortensofthousandsofyears:

1 Toalerttheintrudertotheexistenceofthesite,permanentmarkersmustbe:

a readilydetectedfromalldirectionsandmeansofintrusion,

b detectabledirectlybyhumansensesandbyindirectremotesensingmethods,and

c obviouslyanomalouswithrespecttothenaturalfeaturesofthesite.

2 Toconveyawarningofthedangertoanintruder,permanentmarkersmustbe:

a identifiableasconveyingawarning,and b abletoconveydangerindependentofthe

languageoftheintruder.

1: Fossil CitiesInhis2008bookThe World After Us,geologistJanZalasiewiczfromtheUniversityofLeicesterspeculatesastohowarchitecture–andcitiesthemselves,morebroadly,fromNewYorkCitytoMoscow–mightageoverextra-ordinarilylongperiodsoftime.Inthiscase,Zalasiewiczlooksaheadtoanera100millionyearsinthefuture.

Zalasiewiczwritesthat100millionyearsis,infact,a‘modestgoal’foranyonewhohopestoseehowarchitec-tureandcitieswillage.Afterall,100millionyearsis‘alongtime’,hewrites–itis‘roughlythetimespanthatsepa-ratesusfromtheheydayofthedinosaur’s’.Ontheotherhand,itisamere‘twopercentoftheEarth’scurrentage’.

Afterreviewingthevariousgeologicalprocessesthatoperateontheplanet,fromearthquakestotectonicsubduction,Zalasiewiczcomestoanastonishingconclu-sion:100millionyearsfromnow,physicaltracesofhumancivilizationwillbeallbutundetectable.Indeed,asifchannelingthepoetPercyByssheShelley,Zalasiewiczwritesthat‘skyscrapersandsemi-detachedhousesalike,roadsandrailwaylines,willbereducedtosandandpebbles,andstrewnasglisteningandbarelyrecognizablerelicsalongtheshorelineofthefuture’.

However,itisinsidetheEarth–laiddownasmas-siveindustrialfossils,similartothebonesofdinosaurs–thatcleartracesofhumanarchitecturemightstillbeuncovered.

AsZalasiewiczelaborates,itisspecificallycitiesbuiltonornearriverdeltas–suchasLondon,NewOrleans,Hanoi,andShanghai–thataremostlikelytofossilize:‘Ourdrownedcitiesandfarms,highwaysandtowns,wouldbegintobecoveredwithsand,silt,andmud,andtakethefirststepstowardsbecominggeol-ogy’,hewrites.‘Theprocessoffossilizationwillbegin.’

Ofcourse,differentmaterialswillreacttotheseenormousspansoftimeindifferentways.Ina1998articleforNew Scientist,co-writtenwithKimFreedman,Zalasiewiczsuggeststhatplastics,forinstance,‘mightbehavelikesomeofthelong-chainorganicmoleculesinfossilplanttwigsandbranches,orthecollageninthefossilizedskeletonsofsomemarineinvertebrates’.LiketheJurassicfossilsofancientfernleaves,inotherwords,theplasticcups,mobilephones,carbodies,eye-glassframes,furniture,toys,andsomuchmorethatwetakeforgrantedmightalsobecomepiecesofgeology:strangelybeautifulafter-effectsofhumanindustry,perhapssuitableformountingonthewallsoffuturemuseums,101millionyearsinthefuture.

Indeed,ZalasiewiczandFreedmanwrite,thesefossilcitieswillbe‘alotmorerobustthan[fossils]ofthedinosaurs’andtheywillalso‘behardtoobliterate’:‘Theywillbealtered,tobesure,anditisfascinatingtospeculateaboutwhatwillhappentoourveryownad-ditiontonature’sstoreofrocksandminerals,givenahundredmillionyears,alittleheat,somepressure(theweightofakilometerortwoofoverlyingsediment)andthecatalytic,corrosiveeffectoftheundergroundfluidsinwhichallofthesestructureswillbebathed.’

Butwillanyofthisactuallyhappen?Isitnotalljustpoeticspeculation?

IspokewithZalasiewiczabouthiswork.Curiousastohowhehadcometotheseconclusions,Iaskedhowthiswasnotmereguesswork–Romanticextrapolationsandsheerwonder,akindofarchaeologicaldaydream,likesomethingoutofthenovelsofJ.G.Ballard,inwhichwefantasizethateverythingnowhumanwillslowlytransformintosolidrock.

Inthedesignofanarchitecturethatoutliveshumans,thenuclearindustryisthinkingfarahead.

AndZalasiewicz,forthemostpart,agreed.Thereis,infact,heexplained,norealwaytoknowwhatwillhappentoplastic,glass,andcloth;eventhelong-termeffectsofterrestrialexposureonindustrialmaterialssuchascopper,iron,steel,andpreciousmetals–lithium,platinum,gold–canonlybeestimated.

Weliterallydonot–andcannot–knowwhatwillhappentothematerialswenowuseinthingssuchasarchitectureandindustrialdesign,aged100millionyears,likeararecheese,untilsomeonediscovershowtobuildafunctioningartificialfossilizationlab.Wewouldneedpreciselycontrolledconditionscapableofcompressing100millionyearsintoanexperimentallyusefultime.

Here,Zalasiewiczsuggestedthattheonegrouptodaywhois,infact,investigatingtheseveryquestionsisnotarchitects,ofcourse,andnotevenartistsorde-signers,butscientistsemployedbythenuclearindustry.Thenuclearindustry–engagedinthedesignandman-agementofnuclearpowerandatomicbombs–isquiteconsciouslyfocusedonthedesignandimplementationofmaterialsthataresorobusttheyare,ineffect,ageless.

2: Half-LifeThetimeframewithinwhichnuclearwastewillremainathreattolivingorganismsismind-boggling.Plutonium-239hasahalf-lifeof25,000years,forinstance,andthehalf-lifeofUranium-238isastaggering4.4billionyears.Ifthisdoesnotsoundlikealongtime,considerthefactthattheEarthitselfisestimatedtobeamere4.5billionyearsold.

Plansforthelong-termstorageofnuclearwastearethusextraordinarilyambitious,butalsonearlyim-possibletoverify.Thecurrentlyacceptedminimumtimerequiredfortheeffectivecontainmentofnuclearwaste,duringwhichdangerousmaterialswillneedtobeentirelyisolatedfromthebiosphere,is10,000years–but1millionyearsiswidelyseenasasaferoption.

Thisseeminglyagelessconditionofnuclearwastehassomefascinatingandveryspecificdesignimplica-tions.Thefacilitiesinwhichthiswastewillbestoredhavetooutlasteverythingwenowknowashumancivilization–indeed,theywillhavetooutlasttheverycontinentstheyarebuiltupon.Tounderstatethecase,thisrequirescarefulconsideration.

Foratleastthepastdecade,theUSDepartmentofEnergy(DOE)hasbeeninvestigatingwhatwouldberequiredforthesafe–and,effectively,eternal–disposalofradioactivewaste.Thishasincludedawide-rangingsearchfortheappropriatematerials;todate,theseincludelead-aggregateconcretes;aspecialborosilicateglass;andsomethingknownasSynroc,ahighlyartificialmixtureofthemineralshollandite,zirconolite,andperovskite.Synroc,accordingtotheWorldNuclearAssociation,is‘anadvancedceramiccomprisinggeochemicallystablenaturaltitanatemineralswhichhaveimmobiliseduraniumandthoriumforbillionsofyears’.

Thesesortsofmaterials–Synroc,inparticular–arewhatgeologistJanZalasiewiczwouldsingleoutasparticularlylikelynotonlytofossilize,buttoremainintactfortensofmillionsofyearsintothefuture.Putanotherway,ifonlywecouldbuildourcitieswithSynroc,thentheruinsofhumancivilizationwouldremaindetectableperhaps‘forbillionsofyears’.ThisoutdoesAlbertSpeer’snotionof‘ruinvalue’byseveralordersofmagnitude.

Ofcourse,workingwithintheseconstraints–thatis,designingatombfornuclearwaste–entails

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Theresultwouldbeamythologicallyinflected‘relay-system’,asSebeokdescribesit,communicatingtofuturegenerationsthatcertainpartsoftheEarth’ssurfacearetobeavoidedatallcosts.Thiswouldbeaccomplishedthroughaneasilyrememberednarrativeofthreatanddissuasion–‘amethodofwarningfuturegenerationsnottomineordrillatthatsiteunlesstheyareawareoftheconsequencesoftheiractions’.

4: One Billion AD ThefossilcitiesofJanZalasiewiczandtheatomictombsofthenuclearindustry–thelatterofwhichwillfaroutlasttheformer–radicallychallengeexistingstandardsforarchitecturalweatheringandlong-termsiteplanning.

Indeed,thiscollisionoftimeframesissodrasticand,intheend,itsmaterialrealizationsodifficulttograsp–relyingonconstructionmaterials,suchasSynroc,thatcouldpotentiallyoutlasttheEarthitself–thatitunexpectedlyreinvigoratesmanyideasoftheclassicarchitecturalavant-garde.Imagine,forinstance,rediscoveringtheideasofÉtienne-LouisBoulléebywayofYuccaMountain.

Butwhetherornotthisdrasticelongationofthearchitecturallifespanresultsinanythingformallyinterestingremainstobeseen.

3 Toinformanintruderaboutthedegreeandnatureofthedanger,permanentmarkersmustbe:

a abletobeinscribedwithsymbolsandletters, b containsufficientinformationaboutthesite

anditsdangerstodissuadeintrusionandshouldbeidentifiablewithinthefirstfourlevelsofunderstanding,

c statetheinformationinenoughdifferentlanguagesthatatleastoneofthemwilllikelybefamiliartotheintruder,and

d displaytheinformationsothatitisreadilydiscoveredwithouttheneedformorethansurficial[sic]intrusionintothesite.

4 Toendureinformandfunctionforthelongesttimepossible,permanentmarkersmustbe:

a asresistantaspossibletochemicalandphysicalweathering,dissolution,anderosion,

b abletowithstandallforeseeableextremenaturalconditionsincludingearthquake,wind,flood,andfire,abletoremainstableinform,locationandposition,

c abletoresistvandalism, d abletominimizeriskofcasualremoval, e lackingineconomicvaluetobeofnointerest

forscavengingandsalvage,and f sufficientlyredundanttomeetperformance

criteriadespitesomelossinnumbersorform.

Intriguingly,theDOE’sownproposeddisposalsite,depictedinplan,resemblesaGreektemple.

3: Anti-Archaeology and the Atomic PriesthoodTheDepartmentofEnergyhasalsoinvestedagreatdealofconceptualenergyintohowthesite’sarchitectscouldmosteffectivelydeterfuturevandals,excavators,saboteurs,mineralprofiteers,terrorists,andinadvertentdiscoverers.Thesemethodswouldincludethedeliberateburialofmisleading‘radarreflectors’intheearth;these‘trihedral’objectswouldproduce‘distinctiveanomalousmagneticandradar-reflectivesignatures’–thatis,falseclues–leadingpotentialexcavatorstobelievethattheyaredigginginthewrongplace.Scatteredrandomlyacrossthesite,theseradarreflectorswouldalsoneverformaconsistentpattern,thusmakingitallbutimpos-sibletofindandlocatethesitetheyaremeanttocam-ouflage.Thinkofitasstealthanti-archaeology.

Protectiveeffortssuchasthese,however,neednotalwaysbearchitectural.Ina1984reportcalled‘Commu-nicationMeasuresToBridgeTenMillennia’,semioticianThomasSebeoksuggestedthatan‘AtomicPriesthood’beformed.LikesomethingoutofTheDa Vinci Code,Sebeok’s‘AtomicPriesthood’wouldbechargedwithcommunicatingtofuturegenerationswherenuclearwastehasbeenentombedandhowtoavoidit.Thiswouldnotberequiredforamerefewcenturies–orevenforthecourseofmillennia–itwouldhavetospanallofhumanfuturehistory,untilthenuclearwasteissafe.

InapaperspecificallywrittenfortheDOE,Sebeokdescribedthis‘AtomicPriesthood’asa‘long-termcom-missionthatwouldremaininserviceforthenexttenmillennia’,atminimum.Itwouldbe‘relativelyindependentoffuturepoliticalcurrents,[and]self-selectiveinmem-bership,usingwhateverdevicesforenforcementareatitsdisposal,includingthoseofafolkloristiccharacter’.

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