100,000 YRS
In the roughly 70 years since humans first split the atom, we have collected around 300,000 tonnes of nuclear waste that will remain radioactive for at least another 100,000 years. To design a secure and robust repository to withstand the elements and the tooth of time is only half the battle. The other half is to design a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign that will remain understandable for a period several times longer than the lifespan of any recorded civilization. This is the design brief of the ages.
The work 100,000 YRS explores the complexity of communicating to humans or other life forms 100,000 years ahead of our lifetime. This enormous time frame is what we need to consider when trying to protect future civilizations from the potential planetary danger of nuclear waste repositories. Based on international research on these issues, parts of the proposed messages and expressions have been interpreted and situated in a contemporary context where they asks questions about possible futures and energy consumption to humans of today. The typography is the key visual element to communicate the message and the typeface Deep Times was therefore custom designed for the project.
The brief from the research was clear: Monumental, but not too monumental. Rough and unpolished without being horrifying. Neutral, clear and distinct, not dramatical or attractive. A self-conscious primitivizing, featuring irregular geometries rough-hewn edges, an eschewing of craftmanship, and a denial of technological sophistication.