“There are three departments of architecture: the art of building, the making of time-pieces, and the construction of machinery. Building is, in its turn, divided into two parts, of which the first is the construction of fortified towns and of works for general use in public places, and the second is the putting up of structures for private individuals. There are three classes of public buildings: the first for defensive, the second for religious, and the third for utilitarian purposes. Under defence comes the planning of walls, towers, and gates, permanent devices for resistance against hostile attacks; under religion, the erection of fanes and temples to the immortal gods; under utility, the provision of meeting places for public use, such as harbours, markets, colonnades, baths, theatres, promenades, and all other similar arrangements in public places”.
Vitruvius: The Ten Books on Architecture. Morris Hicky Morgan. Oxford University Press. 1914.
So according to Vitruvius the construction of sundials and water clocks is a fundamental part of Architecture. Please check out our version of a time piece: Happy Hour
Happy Hour is available as a screensaver. Please download the file (exe) here: http://www.nlarchitects.nl/misc/happy-hour (click the clock in the middle to install it on your computer)
Why do clocks in advertisements always indicate 10 past 10?
Did they all stop ticking at their finest hour?
The logic behind this phenomenon seems to be a matter of seduction; 10 past 10 is considered an optimistic figure!
Taking this superior configuration of the pointers as a starting point a new paradigm could be set: not the pointers should move but the face of the clock!
The dial is split in two rings: the inner circle indicates the hours, the outer shows the minutes.
The hands remain steady in the most positive position: “Happy Hour”!
More here: https://nlarchitects.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/fabulous-fibonacci-happy-hour/
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