What is time?

In the early 90s, when graphic designer Hans Rüdiger Lutz was commissioned to give the iconic railway station clock a new look without having to stick to specifications and conventions, he asked himself:

„Do we need an exact, metric representation of a moment - or isn't it rather a individually experienced period in everyday life that feels different for each person?”

What does a moment feel like? Does a second have a specific shape? What does an academic quarter look like? What color is "an hour"?

The Zeitbild concept

Based on this thought, Lutz created a design philosophy, where he breaks down the 360 degrees of the clock into different units that match our perception of time, often represented in common linguistic use of time units.

He then assigns shapes and colors to these units to form a graphic structure, which results in a representation of time that goes beyond the rationality of a classical clock. The concept of Zeitbild was born.

However, time was not ready yet...

Bringing it to life

Over 30 years later, his son Lukas, and his friend Leif, decided to finally realize the Zeitbild project.

In a two year journey, the complex designs were reconstructed and together with local partners from Stuttgart, finished into a modern art work.

Each piece hand-made.