Making

Shapes

Speak

What makes something aggressive?

What textures, shapes, and colors help convey an adjective without actually saying it? 

This was the problem I aimed to solve for the “clock project”, where every designer was given an adjective to convey into form through a timepiece, starting with research into forms, colors, and textures which convey an aggressive emotion.

Exploration in All Dimensions

The iterative process started with sketch exploration, eventually leading into physical prototypes.

Modeling in full-scale foam allowed for more accurate explorations in gesture, and sparked the idea of a flat, floating form.

Face Off

The face is the visual centerpiece of most clocks. Therefore, I spent a good amount of time iterating upon the different typefaces and colors, and I ended up with a sharp, high contrast face.

Make it Metal!

In order to emphasize the brutal, sharp nature of the clock, I decided to use flat sheet aluminum for the final prototype. 

These sheets were cut, bent, and bolted together with a laser cut acrylic top and face.

Design Decisions

The sharp lines on the clock are angled forwards, ending at a point towards the front. 

The base has an upwards ‘flying’ gesture, while the body has a downwards ‘pouncing’ gesture, and these two actions combine at a point to create something that looks like it can attack at any time.

The body and the base are connected only in the back, which creates an active ‘floating’ effect. 

The pieces are visibly bolted together, which only adds to the brutal nature.