On the Clock

Abstract

On the Clock is a thesis about time, materiality, and energy. These elements are explored through the perception and understanding of time in relation to the way energy is expended. Time is an unrelenting element that is experienced and used every day; it ages the world around us, including the built environment.

Architects and designers are cognizant of time, but the implications of time are sometimes forgotten. The impact time has on the movement of energy, design, and society affects the way we learn, adapt, and demand from the built environment. Understanding the flow of energy in relation to buildings is vital.

On the Clock starts with an exploration into what time is and how it is perceived. The understanding of time and the way the world moves puts many environments into perspective. The relation of time with architecture shows how quickly the built environment changes. The mass of energy held in a building that exists today can be gone tomorrow because it does not meet the needs of contemporary society, despite the adaptability and ability to reuse the building.

How is time perceived through the built environment? How do we asses the essential parts of energy? What does globalization mean for the built environment and expenditure of energy? What does it mean to create a cycle for energy? Can architects and designers improve and create a new cycle that not only spends but preserves, reuses, and adapts the expenditure of energy?