Farzan Shamasblou · CLIENT: Pratic Studio
Synchron is a universal analog clock that displays the official time of different countries simultaneously. Unlike digital clocks, this desk clock displays a similar situation in all locations, ie, it contrasts the mechanical understanding of time with its arbitrary understanding. The concept is about problematic confrontation with time, and it's taken from a critical perspective that recognizes the clock as a symbol of labor in the digital age. A type of aesthetic in performance, that in the present age is considered as a useless decorative abject, that is expected to work continuously.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Synchron is a universal analog clock that displays the official time of 27 different countries simultaneously. Unlike digital clocks, this desk clock displays a similar situation in all time zones, ie, it contrasts the mechanical understanding of time with its arbitrary understanding. Time zones can also be customized based on the user's desired locations.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Product: 90 mm x 130 mm x 80 mm
Packaging: 115 mm x 155 mm x 85 mm - Tags
- world clock, analog clock, concrete clock, dst switch, desk clock
- Production Technology
- The frame of the clock is made of polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete fabricated by manual molding method and the discs have various models with different materials, includes aluminum and coated PVC sheet cut and engraved by CNC. This clock also uses a simple movement mechanism.
- Design Challenge
- The most important challenge was changing the DST status. So, there are two daylight saving and standard time sides for the hour disk. On the daylight saving time side, the time differences between the places (daylight saving time in the Northern Hemisphere) and other places have been applied.
- Project Duration
- The design project started in November 2018 and finished in December 2019 in Tehran, IRAN.
- Operation Flow
- In this clock, two discs are used instead of the usual hour hands such that each of the half-lines represents the hour hand of the place whose name is engraved on the top of that line, and the small line on the small disk is the minute-hand. Some hour hands lines lead to a circle sign which indicates that, in contrast to other locations, the minute-hand of the location is a small circle on a small disk.
- Research
- The concept of Synchron is taken from a theoretical perspective that recognizes the analog clock as a symbol of labor in the digital age. As digital displays embedded in everyday objects constantly remind us about the importance of time, analog clocks are more or less useless, and also they are decorative objects that can only be expected to work continuously. Synchron tries to answer the question of how a design focused on mechanical performance can institutionalize an anti-design approach.
- Inspiration
- Unconventional statement of time besides normal functionality; that is to say, Problematic confrontation with time is the main idea of this decorative clock. A type of aesthetic in performance, that in the present age is considered as an object possessing a formal and decorative perspective.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer Hamed Fakharan, 2022.
Image #2: Photographer Hamed Fakharan, 2022.
Image #3: Photographer Hamed Fakharan, 2022.
Image #4: Photographer Pegah Safa, 2022.
Image #5: Photographer Hamed Fakharan, 2022.
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