The Varve Museum - Unveiling 70,000 years of Terrestrial History

UNVEILING 70,000 YEARS OF TERRESTRIAL HISTORY

THE VARVE MUSEUM

Interview by Suzi Yamaguchi, Peggy Lui Photos courtesy of Nomura Kogei

Fukui Prefectural Varve Museum, situated near Lake Suigetsu, opened in September 2018 as the world's first museum dedicated to varves. Varves are thin bands of sediment deposited annually in glacial lakes, each consisting of a light and dark layer, representing one of the most important and illuminating clues to understanding past climate change, as well as the ancient natural environment.

These varves from Lake Suigetsu – which date back 70,000 years – are the world’s longest. After much scientific investigation, they have become pivotal to age determination studies and as an independent test of radiocarbon dating. In July 2012, at the International Radiocarbon Conference held at UNESCO Headquarters, research results obtained using varves from Lake Suigetsu were verified against radiocarbon dating. This elevated varve chronology to the geographical equivalent of Greenwich Mean Time, and it is now used as a global standard measure in archaeology and geology.

the landscape that traces time

The Fukui Prefectural Varve Museum in Japan was opened in September 2018 as the world's first museum dedicated to exhibiting varves. Varves, also known as ‘annually laminated sediments’, are thin bands of sediment found in glacial lakes, each consisting of a light and a dark layer deposited at different times of the year. Varves represent one of the most important and illuminating clues to understanding past climate change, as well as what the ancient natural environment was like, and are now accepted as an accurate measure for age determination.

Nomura and Naito Architect & Associates's aim when designing the Varve Museum was to go beyond the traditional museum setting, which usually confines exhibits inside a building. Instead, we chose to integrate the museum with the surrounding landscape, creating a spacious and open structure that affords stunning views of the lakeside scenery. We positioned the whole building as a showcase, with wide overhanging eaves and UV-prevention film that coats the window glass and sashes.

The main exhibition gallery is built in a beautiful cloister style and, as a world-first, features a 45-metre-long varve panel on one wall that archives 70,000 years of the earth’s history. High-tech German polishing and cutting technology enabled the fashioning of thin plates, less than 0.1 millimetres thick, which were then coated in epoxy resin, mounted between two glass panes and backlit to maximum effect. The elaborate technique has resulted in a unique and breathtaking display of shining stripes, like illuminated stained glass. The 100 bars of varve are set against a backdrop of spectacular scenery, ancient lakes and the sun. The exhibit changes colour throughout the day with the shifting reflections of light and the hue of nature.

Other exhibits, which are constantly updated as new scientific evidence emerges, trace the history of human development over the same 70,000-year period; showcase varves and fossils from various regions overseas; explain the mechanisms that created the varves and the role played by Lake Suigetsu’s varves in advancing agedetermination standards; and provide opportunities to learn more about anthropology, geology and paleoclimatology, particularly through the examination of high-definition pollen samples. The museum also exhibits measures for age determination other than varves, including ice, tree rings and radio carbon dating techniques. We also have a special display of the bones of Naumann’s elephant (Palaeoloxodon naumanni), which lived in Southern Japan about 500,000 to 15,000 years ago. In addition, the museum houses a children’s learning section, a café and a museum shop.

The main exhibition gallery features an open-plan setting with full-length windows and wide overhanging eaves. To protect the exhibits, the glass and sashes of the windows are coated with UV-prevention film.

The Ritsumeikan University Satellite Lab, which operates in the museum annex and where visitors can observe ongoing varve research, ensures the museum is at the forefront of scientific research and information. Researchers regularly hold talks and seminars in the café and during evening museum programs, attracting not just those from the national and international scientific and academic communities, but also lay visitors from all over the world who are keen to learn more about the history, wonder and beauty of our planet.

The Varve Museum thus serves both local and global communities, not only as a place to gather but also as an educational institution. It has also boosted the district’s social and economic health – within the first six months of the museum’s opening, 30,000 visitors were recorded, giving new life and a new future to this remote location.

The varves of Lake Suigetsu are a remarkable resource and gift to the world, while local residents are proud of their ancient lake and its world-recognized academic asset, considering them to be priceless treasures.

The varves from nearby Lake Suigetsu are now known to date back 70,000 years. They are the longest in the world and have been formed without missing a single year. Thanks to a unique coalescence of geological, geographical and topographical features, Lake Suigetsu – known as the ‘miracle lake’ – has proven to be the ideal location from which to obtain scientifically viable samples of annually formed varves.

Lake Suigetsu’s varves were first investigated in 1991, when cores revealed a tight correlation between varve count date (the number of varves) and radiocarbon derived dates of organics in the layers. In 2006, a major scientific drilling operation was undertaken, during which time core samples were taken from four different spots. For over 30 years, Japanese and international researchers have measured the correlations between radiocarbon C14 dating and varve chronology.

In July 2012, at the International Radiocarbon Conference held at UNESCO Headquarters, research results obtained using varves from Lake Suigetsu were verified against radiocarbon dating. This elevated varve chronology to the geographical equivalent of Greenwich Mean Time, and it is now used as a global standard measure in archaeology and geology.

Enclosed by the interview with the designers, Sho Inanobe from Nomura and the architect Kohei Shono from Naito Architect & Associates, they worked together for three years to complete their vision of The Varve Museum.

Were there any challenges during the design process of the Varve museum?

Sho Inanobe, Nomura The biggest challenge was how to create a museum that would attract and entertain visitors at Suigetsu Lake, which is part of a designated national scenic area in a beautiful, out-of-the-way location. It was almost a forgotten spot in Japan. We had to provide a memorable experiential exhibition for viewing what looks like simple plates of soil samples, so visitors felt it was worth visiting this remote area. This was the biggest challenge we had but it turns out that this museum has attracted more than 30,000 visitors in six months since its opening. Many people from outside the prefecture and overseas (including many researchers from around the world) were visiting the museum until the COVID-19 pandemic immobilized the world.

Kohei Shono, Naito Architect & Associates As for architecture, we had two challenges; the first one was how to address and incorporate the local climate and conditions of the Wakasa-cho area, and the other was to produce the most suitable spatial design to exhibit the varves. As for the climate, Wakasa-cho is surrounded by a rich natural landscape in Satoyama where sometimes disasters occur such as flooding and heavy snowfall. Snowfall can sometimes be up to two meters (equivalent to the weight of a big truck), so we had to make sure the building structure was sturdy enough to withstand the natural conditions. We opted for a hybrid structure using a combination of wood, steel, and concrete. As a countermeasure to protect the treasured varve exhibition from flooding, we decided to consolidate the exhibits on the second floor. So we utilized pilotis to elevate the building and created an open space on the first floor to not only incorporate flooding countermeasures but also allow visitors to feel a sense of organic unity with the beautiful landscape. This is the architectural approach we took to harmonize with nature and the naturally occurring conditions. history which cannot be divided, so we designed a 45 meter RC wall to display the varve panels. We also had to consider how to display the chronological description of the varves. So we had to think about two spatial designs to differentiate the two spaces. One was for the varves themselves so we wanted to create a symbolic or sacred space where visitors could focus on the exhibit of the varves. We placed the RC wall eccentric from the center so one-third of the space exhibited the varves panels and then the backside of the wall (two-thirds of the space) is where all of the additional descriptions are displayed. By making this distinctive differentiation between the varves display and the additional descriptions, visitors can comfortably browse around the wider area enjoying the showcase of historical information, including measures for age determination other than varves, including ice, tree rings, and radiocarbon dating techniques. Varves and fossils from various regions overseas are also on display. Although it is a large space under one roof, I believe that we have created a space with two characteristics, such as a "front and back" and "sacred and profane". This is a unique part of our architectural design and we are very proud of the finished product.

The Varve Museum is the world's first museum dedicated to varves. How did you implement your design to share and create interest among the general public to understand varves.

Sho Inanobe, Nomura Varves are one of the more recent research agendas, so not many people are aware of them but in this generation, an explanation of varves is included in school textbooks so the younger generation is more likely to know about them. In this era of the internet, information is readily available through a quick internet search. So the important mindset we have to have when we design and build exhibition spaces, is how do we motivate the public to visit, and how can we offer value that cannot be experienced without actually visiting the museum site. For this project, we believed that the point of interest to attract people is that a piece of soil can give us clues to the ancient history and stories of the natural environment and climate change. Because the varves were extracted from the adjoining Suigetsu Lake, the scenery is part of the exhibition, and this is the only place you can visit to experience varves. I believe that this is the only museum in Japan where the landscape is integrated into the exhibition through the interior, architectural and operational design. That was the intent we had in mind when building this facility and hope it will be cherished by people for at least the next 100 years.

an architectural scale made of steel and wood, and a human scale such as exhibition furniture and furniture in the space. Each has different characteristics and spaciousness, so it is designed with attention paid to every detail such as the joints, while trying to harmonize the whole.

How do you incorporate "harmonizing" in your design philosophy, and how did you achieve it in this project?

Sho Inanobe, Nomura As for the display design, the star of the project is the contents, the varves. But in this case, because the building is situated in a scenic area by the lake, providing a natural exhibition, they were equally valued in this project. If we made the museum an enclosed building it would not harmonize with the natural surroundings so we believe the open design consolidated the architecture, exhibition, and landscape to achieve this. So together our Nomura/Naito architect teams discussed in detail how the museum’s open-plan can harmonize with the natural landscape, not interfering with the natural light and preventing damage to the assets. We paid careful attention to the multiple functions for research and conservation of the collection when opening the museum to the public.

Kohei Shono, Naito Architect & Associates In terms of architectural design, we place importance on promoting the essence of the exhibition building and the time that people shared in the location which encapsulates the history and culture of the building. So we research and consider these elements in our designs. In addition, we try to understand and interact with the local people, culture, and elements related to the time and place so we can naturally design in harmony.

Which was the most exciting part of the design in the Varve museum project?

Sho Inanobe, Nomura As for the exhibition interior design, the single most important point was to make the exhibits look as beautiful as possible. It’s just mere soil samples but we wanted to make the stripes stand out so thinly sliced samples were mounted between two glass panes, then illuminated by an exhibition technique that transmits light. It looks like stained glass. This method preserves valuable real specimens in resin and makes the delicate stripes visible. The stripes include leaf fossils, volcanic ash, and earthquake and flood traces. By analyzing the data, the annual stripes are useful for understanding the changes in plant ecosystems and climate in the past, and the history of the world. We all became invested in presenting this magnificent research in the most beautiful way. We even extracted some pollen particles using optical technology and a 3D printer to create a life-size version of a pollen ball to inspire and intrigue the visitors.

Kohei Shono, Naito Architect & Associates

As for architectural design, the most exciting part was the interior of the exhibition. This building needed to harmonize with the natural landscape, and also be sturdy enough to withstand any potential natural disasters. We used a civil engineering technology rarely used in architecture (usually for bridges) to strengthen the entire body of the concrete structure to withstand heavy snowfall or floods. The most challenging part was finding a balance between the enormous civil engineering scale of the RC section, the architectural scale made of steel and wood, then the human scale including fixtures and furniture in the interior spaces ranging from small sizes to fragile exhibits that need to be protected. Each has different characteristics, and although technologically we could have entwined the structures together, as a design element we deliberately separated the civil engineering work necessary for a strong structure from the delicate design focussed structures to make a more elegant and sophisticated design. It is designed with attention paid to minute details maintaining harmony within the whole structure.

Do you have any recent or cultural projects coming in 2021 and 2022?

Sho Inanobe, Nomura Utilizing my experience from the Varve Museum, I would like to be involved with establishing ‘local identity or civic pride’: engaging in work that gives the local people more pride and a feeling of belonging in their areas. I would like to express it in design work that brings prosperity to the region. We are working on projects such as aquariums, science museums, and libraries that have similar natural environments. I would also like to apply museum design thinking to different projects. One of the projects I was in charge of is the Oarai Aquarium in Ibaraki Prefecture where we created a bar where customers are surrounded by fish art and art specimens of fish, whales, and dolphins. It is a space to enjoy drinking and eating while discussing environmental issues and so on. Kohei Shono, Naito Architect & Associates One of the current projects I am involved in is the Rikuzentakata City Museum currently under construction in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture. This year marks 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and this project aims to reconstruct two museums devastated by the tsunami, into one museum in the central area of a hill. In addition, collections and exhibits (Important Cultural Properties) that were immersed in seawater by the tsunami will be desalinated and displayed in this facility. The goal is to create a place that can generate a sense of mobility in cooperation with the city. There is no place where you can see the ocean from the center of town due to the breakwater. It is a solid building that protects important cultural properties, but it aims to be a place that is open to the city. Therefore, we designed the rooftop area of this facility to provide a place where people can freely walk around the city and enjoy the view of the ocean and nature in a roundabout way.