Hey, I'm Rob Lafratta, the designer of the Linear Clock. It's a side project of mine that I originally sketched in 2015. I've always admired Dieter Rams' work for Braun and the understated simplicity of Muji. Inspired by that, along with vintage analog radios and hotel elevator indicators, I wanted to experiment with the idea of displaying time in a line, rather than the conventional circle.

Original sketch from 2015

Keeping the clock face minimal and simple, the idea is to bring calmness to a stressful day. Time doesn't need to be so precise — when someone asks you for the time, do you say "it's 4:27", or do you say "about half 4!"

The Linear Clock is a bespoke and minimal design piece that presents a unique aesthetic for a common household product.

By Rob LafrattaA product designer with an unfortunate habit of building things nobody asked for.