Time for a Word? Unique Outdoor Clock Spells the Time

Public outdoor clocks are often great, looming affairs perched on the tops of tall, ornate towers. They may be beautiful to look at, but they do tend to detract from the architecture around them. Nicolas Le Moigne designed this unique public clock for the city of Geneva; its low profile and neutral colors help it to almost blend into the building to which it is attached.

Rather than using a traditional clock face or even digital numerals to spell out the time, the clock uses words. This unique approach is novel for a public clock, and the end result seems more sophisticated than most.

The display changes when needed using a rotary flap system. The low-impact letters make it beautiful to look at, but the understated design of the public clock will mean that it won’t compete with the historic and lovely architecture of Geneva.

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See more in Clocks & Watches or under Gadgets. January, 2010.