Vitra Turbine Wall Clock
Manufacturer: Vitra | Designer: George Nelson, 1949–1960
Wall Sculpture as Timepiece
The Turbine Wall Clock is part of the Nelson clock family, conceived across a prolific period of design between 1949 and 1960. George Nelson's starting point was the observation that people read the time by the position of the hands, not by numerals — which made numbers on a clock face redundant. The result was a series of designs that treated the clock as a sculptural object first and a timepiece second.
The Turbine is one of the most kinetic-looking forms in the collection: eight curved lacquered wood blades sweep from a central hub, the silhouette suggesting motion even at rest. The angled blades catch light differently depending on the viewing angle, giving the clock a shifting, almost three-dimensional quality on the wall. Vitra has reissued the Nelson Clocks since 1999 as part of the Vitra Design Museum Collection, produced true to the original.
Specifications
- Dimensions — Ø76.5cm
- Materials — Various types of wood and metal
- Wood origin — All wood types from Poland
- Movement — High-quality quartz; 1.5V battery included
- Collection — Vitra Design Museum Collection
Part of the Vitra Accessories collection.
Manufacturer: Vitra | Designer: George Nelson, 1949–1960
Wall Sculpture as Timepiece
The Turbine Wall Clock is part of the Nelson clock family, conceived across a prolific period of design between 1949 and 1960. George Nelson's starting point was the observation that people read the time by the position of the hands, not by numerals — which made numbers on a clock face redundant. The result was a series of designs that treated the clock as a sculptural object first and a timepiece second.
The Turbine is one of the most kinetic-looking forms in the collection: eight curved lacquered wood blades sweep from a central hub, the silhouette suggesting motion even at rest. The angled blades catch light differently depending on the viewing angle, giving the clock a shifting, almost three-dimensional quality on the wall. Vitra has reissued the Nelson Clocks since 1999 as part of the Vitra Design Museum Collection, produced true to the original.
Specifications
- Dimensions — Ø76.5cm
- Materials — Various types of wood and metal
- Wood origin — All wood types from Poland
- Movement — High-quality quartz; 1.5V battery included
- Collection — Vitra Design Museum Collection
Part of the Vitra Accessories collection.
Original: $729.28
-65%$729.28
$255.25Description
Manufacturer: Vitra | Designer: George Nelson, 1949–1960
Wall Sculpture as Timepiece
The Turbine Wall Clock is part of the Nelson clock family, conceived across a prolific period of design between 1949 and 1960. George Nelson's starting point was the observation that people read the time by the position of the hands, not by numerals — which made numbers on a clock face redundant. The result was a series of designs that treated the clock as a sculptural object first and a timepiece second.
The Turbine is one of the most kinetic-looking forms in the collection: eight curved lacquered wood blades sweep from a central hub, the silhouette suggesting motion even at rest. The angled blades catch light differently depending on the viewing angle, giving the clock a shifting, almost three-dimensional quality on the wall. Vitra has reissued the Nelson Clocks since 1999 as part of the Vitra Design Museum Collection, produced true to the original.
Specifications
- Dimensions — Ø76.5cm
- Materials — Various types of wood and metal
- Wood origin — All wood types from Poland
- Movement — High-quality quartz; 1.5V battery included
- Collection — Vitra Design Museum Collection
Part of the Vitra Accessories collection.
