Domino Clock

We live in a hectic world. Alerts, alarms, and reminders prod us through our days with unforgiving precision. Challenging this pressure-filled environment, the Domino Clock™ takes a simple, iconic object and transforms it into a new way to tell time.

Designer: Carbon Design

The concept is simple. Three larger-than-life dominoes are equipped with articulating ‚dots‛ that flip back-and-forth between black and white to keep time. They hang on the wall or stand free, communicating wirelessly as they quietly mark the passing hours and minutes. By subtly abstracting the idea of time, Carbon’s Domino Clock creates a more relaxing experience.

While the idea itself is pretty straight forward, it challenges the assumptions we make about familiar objects. "People have a lot of immediate associations with everyday things, especially iconic ones," says Joe Sullivan, industrial designer at Carbon Design Group, a Seattle-based product development consultancy.

"It’s interesting to play with these expectations. In this case, we’re taking a wellknown object out of its normal context and giving it new capabilities, allowing it to function as something completely different."

The plan is for the Carbon team to bring the concept to life, with the first Domino Clock gracing the walls of their new studio in early 2011.