016 The Cradle

We live in a society that revolves around the extraction and refinement of data, increasingly obscured by extractive processes that uti­lize data generated by society to benefit only large institutions without transparency. In the vastness of the Alaskan wilderness, a sanc­tuary emerges—an emblem of resilience and a testament to the pursuit of sovereignty. The Cradle, a data center and bunker, stands as the guardian of the nation’s data, a fortress securing the very foundations of our infrastructure and autonomy.

At its core, the Cradle houses a sacred temple of information, where data is meticulously stored in quartz glass—a new and permanent form of storing data, preserving crucial knowledge and beckoning pilgrims who seek a tangible connection to the monoliths formed by this process, stones symbolizing the lifeblood of the nation. This act of preservation responds to the violence and uncertainty that per­meate our world. Our society, entwined with the interactions of markets and governments, protects itself from the vulnerability to exter­nal forces extracting data from individuals, leaving us exposed and marginalized.

Encircling the Cradle, rooted in Alaskan soil, massive infrastructural objects harness geothermal, solar, and fossil fuel energy, ensuring the fortress’s unwavering reliability. The Central Tower, rising beside the Cradle, acts as a point of connection—linking stored and re­fined information seamlessly to the entire nation. It stands tall against the turbulent winds of change, symbolizing an unwavering com­mitment to controlling our destiny in the face of external manipulation.

Within the sentinel structures, a community collectively resides; engineers not only maintain physical structures but also intricate ma­chinery. This small society lives there to transform the wilderness into a technological enclave of knowledge and protection of this new most critical resource.

The Cradle, in its very existence, is an act of radical sovereignty, a symbol of defiance. It asserts that the power derived from this valu­able resource belongs to the community, a reclamation of control for the benefit of all.

As pilgrims gather in the plaza where the Central Tower meets the ground, they bear witness to twelve crystallized data repositories. Within the hallowed halls of the temple, a palpable sense of purpose resonates. The act of witnessing these objects serves as a mo­ment of connection between man and machine, a moment of feedback, and an assurance that the data we create and use to construct a better humanity are still there. They then confirm their continued existence in the face of the perpetually growing ghost within the machine, seeing its heart, and go back to the sentinels.

“In pilgrimage, one connects with the nation’s essence and contributes to its perpetual growth, weaving individual stories into the ma­chinery safeguarding collective sovereignty and self-determination.” The Cradle stands as more than a technological safeguard; it is a manifesto of resilience, a powerful response to the challenges of our time—a sanctuary of autonomy and a beacon of hope in the face of a turbulent world.