A hand-drawn chip layout nearly five metres long tells part of Nijmegen's technological story. 2dA is conserving and digitising this exceptional object.
The design drawing from the Stichting LINK collection is being safeguarded before being made digitally visible again.
A computer chip nearly five metres long, drawn in 1982.
Sometimes you come across an object that instantly makes you feel this is more than special. This is history.
At 2dA, we are currently working on the restoration of the Octoplus Chip Layout from the Stichting LINK collection. This impressive design drawing, measuring 4.76 by 1.68 metres, is an exceptional remnant from the history of Philips Nijmegen.
The layout reflects a time when chip development still literally took shape by hand. It was a period in which technology, precision and innovation were being developed at a high level in Nijmegen. That development ultimately contributed to the high-tech and semiconductor cluster that characterises the region today.
That is exactly why this project is so special. We are not only restoring a vulnerable highlight, but also helping to safeguard a tangible piece of technological history for the future. After restoration, digitisation will follow, so that this remarkable object is not only preserved, but also made visible again.
And this is only the beginning. Together with Stichting LINK, we will also digitise more archival pieces in the coming period. Step by step, we want to show the extraordinary things that once took place here: how the foundations were laid in Nijmegen for a technological development that grew into something of great significance for the region and far beyond.
We are proud to contribute to this special project.