Astoria Scum River Bridge

The other example is not as recent but probably resurfaced due to the disaster in Japan and the implications for nuclear power. In this case artists were enlisted to design markings for a nuclear waste facility that would alert future human beings to the waste’s ongoing danger, long after current civilisation may have been destroyed, forgotten, or even “erased”—for example due to climate change disaster.

This 2001 report from Archaeology magazine gives a short summary, whereas an original report from the U.S. DOE (Dept. of Energy) is available here.

Inspired by significant archaelogical works from the past, designers came up with menacing earthworks, including a large spike field inspired by past archaelogical finds. Although the results of this project were less specific than “scum river,” the project results have resurfaced and further amplified the mounting concerns about nuclear power.

Time and Scale

On the one hand we have a “hyperlocal,” and perhaps also a “hypernow,” project. On the other hand we have a global, 10,000 year project.

The projects raise a host of interesting questions–but they both flag how an actual or proposed spatial intervention can aim to improve things in unique ways, in ways that a petition, a protest march, or a manifesto can’t.

However, the Change.org ideas competition does not have to be the end of this idea…

Best wishes for the new year!

link to it over on the right side there, under the “pages” heading…