Gallery: A Café Designed for Silicon Valley's Elite Futurists
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The Long Now Foundation's latest project is called [the Interval](https://longnow.org/interval/), and it's equal parts salon, bar, restaurant, and museum where one can ponder the fragility of human civilization over a cappuccino.
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This prototype is essentially a mechanical computer designed by musician [Brian Eno](http://longnow.org/store/january-07003-bell-studies-cd/) and a team of engineers and machinists from the foundation, with funding provided by Jeff Bezos.
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Addressable LEDs will filter through drinking glasses suspended in the ceiling, helping patrons find their reserved drinking glass while pulling double duty as a dynamic light fixture.
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A 10,000 year time horizon creates unique design challenges, like should the space reflect the trends of the moment or try to predict what the future might hold?
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The space occupied by the Interval served as a machine shop during World War II and Because We Can used the motif, and items from the period, as furnishings.
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The water and whisky bottles were custom designed for patrons who support foundation.
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The Interval is far more accessible than the Long Now Foundation's other key site—a cave in west Texas.
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Material selections were made with an eye towards longevity: Walnut, aluminum, and marble will all likely exist in 10,000 years, but high-density polyethylene resins might not.
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Even in the span of a few years, the wood will darken with exposure to the sun and the metal and stone will take on a beautiful patina.
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If you'd like to hang out where you can get a side of melancholy with your mixed berry parfait, the Long Now Foundation is raising funds through a "Brickstarter." Support ranges in price from $10 to $25,000.
