Solstice 2.0 by London based designer Matt Gilbert — a sculptural timepiece that changes shape throughout the day. Expanding and contracting like a flower, it offers a new, more meditative way to experience time through shape and pattern.

Design Team

Matt Gilbert - Designer Mike Gilbert - Electronic designer Dunja Opalko - Photographer

London-based designer Matt Gilbert, founder of the studio Animaro, has long been drawn to the quiet elegance of motion. With a background in engineering and a fascination with natural mechanisms, his work operates at the intersection of design, precision, and poetic expression. The Solstice Clock, his latest creation, is a sculptural timepiece that encapsulates this philosophy.

First introduced through Kickstarter in 2018, the original Solstice clock was well received by design enthusiasts and collectors. It offered a calming, contemplative way to experience time and laid the groundwork for Solstice 2.0 — a refined, limited-edition evolution of the original kinetic wall clock.

The concept behind Solstice challenges our modern relationship with time, which is often measured in rigid minutes and seconds. Historically, time was understood by observing the sun's position and the movement of shadows — a slower, more intuitive process. Solstice seeks to restore this sense of natural rhythm. Rather than using numbers or ticking mechanisms, it changes shape throughout the day, expanding and contracting in a cyclical motion. At midday and midnight, the clock reaches its widest form; at 6am and 6pm, it draws inward to its most compact state. Over time, its shifting structure offers a more instinctive way of reading the hour, akin to watching a flower bloom or tracking the sun.

The clock features a single hand that rotates once every twelve hours, with minimalist dots indicating the hours and half-hours. It operates in two modes: a standard timekeeping mode in which movement is subtle and nearly imperceptible, and a demonstration mode in which the structure completes a full rotation every 60 seconds, transforming into a kinetic sculpture. Users can seamlessly switch between modes using a discreet touch-sensitive metal bar; the mechanism then returns to the correct time automatically.

Solstice 2.0 has been crafted with meticulous attention to materiality and detail. Its body is machined from a single block of aluminum and supported by stainless steel rails and custom-engineered, low-friction mechanics. The timber panels — available in walnut, sapele, and oak — are hand-finished with natural oils to enhance the wood's texture and tone. This edition also includes several functional upgrades, including a more accurate time-setting mechanism, improved joint design for easier maintenance, and a reinforced hour hand supported by a concealed internal armature to ensure long-term durability.

Only 80 clocks will be produced in this edition, each one individually numbered and carefully assembled. Solstice 2.0 is not just a device for measuring time, but an invitation to observe it differently — to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with a more natural and graceful rhythm. It represents an ongoing exploration of what design can become when motion is treated not only as function, but as form.

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