Drawing Architecture Studio has transformed the concept of historical timekeeping into an architectural marvel with its latest public art installation, "The Clock House No.2." Situated at the 7th Shenzhen Bay Public Art Season in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, this piece challenges conventional notions of craftsmanship and material value by constructing a monumental clock from everyday industrial components. The artwork, which integrates sound and light to mark the passage of time, serves as a poignant commentary on cultural exchange and the evolution of design, inviting viewers to reconsider the historical significance of imperial automaton clocks within a modern urban context.
The Clock House No.2: A Modern Homage to Imperial Timekeeping
In Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, Drawing Architecture Studio, a Beijing-based firm, has presented "The Clock House No.2" as part of the 7th Shenzhen Bay Public Art Season. This innovative installation, on display until April 19, 2026, reinterprets the traditional automaton clock as an architectural structure. Unlike the elaborate and costly imperial clocks of the past, this contemporary rendition is assembled from readily available, low-cost industrial materials such as corrugated PVC panels, ventilation fans, lightning rods, wind-driven bird deterrents, plastic insulation anchors, and LED light strips, all acquired through online marketplaces.
The architects meticulously cut and rearranged these corrugated sheets to emphasize their inherent textures, colors, and visual rhythms. Ventilation fans indicate the clock's face, while lightning rods and bird deterrents serve as decorative extensions. LED strips emit a soft glow from within, visible through openings in the facade, animating the structure every fifteen minutes with an automated musical chime and shifting light. This deliberate use of economical construction materials starkly contrasts with the precious metals and intricate mechanisms of the original imperial timepieces, yet it successfully evokes their ceremonial essence through contemporary sensory experiences.
Historically, Guangdong Province, known as Canton, played a pivotal role as a maritime gateway for Western missionaries who introduced automaton clocks to China during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. These "Zì Míng Zhōng" (clocks that ring automatically) were initially diplomatic gifts before becoming integrated into daily life. Drawing Architecture Studio's project deliberately positions itself at this historical juncture, linking mechanical timekeeping, architectural form, and trade routes. Inspired by Aldo Rossi's ideas on "forms of memory" in ordinary objects, "The Clock House No.2" blurs the lines between household items and architectural statements, transforming a clock into a building and vice versa. It retains the familiar silhouette of a mantel clock while expanding it to an inhabitable scale, merging the layered organization and tiled facades typical of local dwellings with the ornamental and structural logic of its historical inspirations.
Reflections on Time, Craft, and Industrial Artistry
"The Clock House No.2" by Drawing Architecture Studio offers a profound commentary on the evolving relationship between craftsmanship, industrial production, and our perception of time. By intentionally embracing low-cost, mass-produced components, the installation challenges the historical grandeur associated with imperial automaton clocks, which were once symbols of technical prowess and opulent artistry. This contemporary reinterpretation invites a critical examination of how different historical periods shape architectural aesthetics, material culture, and the construction of memory. The project masterfully demonstrates that artistic value and conceptual depth can be achieved not through lavishness, but through thoughtful design and a clever re-contextualization of the ordinary. It sparks a compelling dialogue about accessibility in art and architecture, suggesting new ways to imbue everyday materials with meaning and celebrate the overlooked beauty of industrial standardization.