The Coniferous Clock is an ingenious design project, conceived and put together by the Bril Design Collective, that is inspired by the Japanese sugidama or 'cedar ball'. The sugidama is an ornament that consists of a collection of tightly-knit leaves compressed and trimmed into a perfect sphere.
The ornament harks back to a time when sake brewers would hang up fresh branches right after they pressed the wine from their new rice harvest; customers would know the beverage was ready to consume once the sugidama turned completely brown.
The Coniferous Clock has a circular frame and a swing beam crafted out of Japanese cedar. Much like actual sugidamas, the color of the clock's surface gradually turns from green to brown over the course of a year.
Photo Credits: designboom, bril.jp
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Sugidama-inspired Clocks
- Opportunity to disrupt the clock industry with designs inspired by traditional Japanese ornaments.
- Japanese Cedar Craftsmanship
- Opportunity to disrupt the furniture industry by incorporating Japanese cedar in innovative and sustainable ways.
- Ephemeral Aesthetic
- Opportunity to disrupt the home decor industry by creating products that change over time, offering a unique and evolving visual experience.
Where This Applies
- Clock Industry
- Opportunity to leverage cultural inspiration and unique designs to create a new segment in the clock industry.
- Furniture Industry
- Opportunity to utilize traditional craftsmanship and sustainable materials to create distinctive Japanese-inspired furniture.
- Home Decor Industry
- Opportunity to offer consumers products that provide a dynamic and ever-changing aesthetic, enhancing their home decor experience.
