The Dialogue Clock: A New Perspective on Time

Evgenia Dymkina's Award-Winning Design Simplifies Time-Telling

Evgenia Dymkina's Dialogue Clock is inspired by the dynamics of human conversation. Just as two people exchange ideas in a dialogue, the clock's two discs interact to display the time. The first disc indicates the hour, while the second shows the minutes. This unique approach to time-telling is a reflection of our changing world, where traditional methods are being replaced by more intuitive and simplified systems.

The Dialogue Clock stands out for its simplicity and the changing graphic combinations it presents as time passes. Dymkina's design was tested by children of various ages at an international school, who found it intuitive and easy to read. This ease of use, combined with its minimalist aesthetic, makes the Dialogue Clock a versatile addition to both public and private spaces.

The clock was designed with careful consideration of material and weight. To ensure the discs do not sag, Dymkina chose plastic for its lightness and durability. This choice also helps to keep production costs low. The clock measures 360 mm in length, with a width that varies from 130 mm to 170 mm.

The Dialogue Clock was conceived in Brussels, Belgium, in 2017. Dymkina faced challenges in implementing her idea, particularly in determining the optimal size and weight for the discs. However, she successfully overcame these hurdles and is confident in the clock's long-term performance.

Evgenia Dymkina's Dialogue Clock is more than just a timepiece. It is a statement about the changing nature of our world and a call for more human-centric design. As Dymkina puts it, "One of our objectives as designers is to create something humane, which invites people to talk to each other, to be in a dialogue." Her design certainly achieves this, offering a fresh view of a simple everyday object and inviting us all to rethink our relationship with time.