Who Is The Timeman?

Who exactly is "The Timeman"? Legend has it that he is a man trapped in the endless cycle of time, unable to age. Nobody knows how this came to be, or what he did to deserve such a fate; but the truth of the matter is, this myth has been passed on for generations and yet this lone figure forever still remains. Cursed to watch on while the Earth continues its axis of revolution around the Sun. In fact, that is why he is referred to as "The Timeman". Everyday, like clockwork, he can be seen from a distance, keeping constant track of time, following the cyclical ritual of the rising and setting of the Sun. This compulsion has now grown to be similarly cyclical in nature, just as is the object of his obsession. They say that -in his mind- the only way to escape the burden of immortality must be to fixate on what it is to be mortal; and that is time.

Some would say he is enlightened, some crazy. But they all agree on one thing, that he is not to be approached. That is just how The Timeman prefers it. He is a recluse, with a profoundly intraverted nature in which he has had eons to nurture. And for those foolish enough to approach him, will be met only with silence and an impenetrable stare that feels as if he can see right through a person's soul. His past is a complete mystery, as his appearance is almost indescribable. With no easily identifiable nationality, no provided accent to suggest otherwise, and no interest in current affairs -other than the current time- The Timeman appears to be divine. A deity sent to keep track of time. Consequently, it is assumed that he is not reliant on any prerequisites of daily human life such as sustenance or sleep. Unbeknownst to the masses however, the interior of his current dwelling would say otherwise. He has surrounded himself in familiarity, and as such, his home is furnished accordingly -but to the bare minimum. This would suggest that while his needs transcend that of a human's, the bare necessities such as food, sleep and air, perhaps serve as more of a comfort to soothe the endless ache.

Architecturally, The Timeman's obsession makes several demands. For one,  no matter where he is in the dwelling, he must be able to tell the time, through one way or another. For him, this is achieved through the manner in which light filtrates space -internally and externally- and casts shadows. Such that the architecture acts a sundial through the condensation and purification of light to it's most concise being. The Timeman also requires  for space to exist in a state of equilibrium, that performs as a buffer from the chaos of external forces and life. With an emphasis on contemplative minimalism that fulfils the subtle balance between necessity and comfort.

The Timeman

The first image brought to mind when doing word association with the word "time" is... clock. Symbolically, the clock face is something recognised ubiquitously in society. Why, one of the first things we are taught at school is how to tell the time. We need to delve into the function and meaning behind the clock -and perhaps more specifically time- especially if I am to begin constructing a design solution for someone known only as "The Timeman". Who is this character? Is their life purposed only with managing the forward motion of time? Is it just to maintain all of the smaller, inner mechanical workings of a clock that create something larger than the sum of it's parts? This is what I need to contemplate. 

Obviously, we all use a clock to- you guessed it- tell the time! Because despite the best efforts of Hollywood to tell us otherwise, time has an endless forward-moving momentum. What is done cannot be undone. And so, because the amount of time in the day is never long enough, we use the clock as tool to track and organise our lives around the revolution of Earth around The Sun. In our daily lives, we experience this in the timeless ritual of the rising and setting of The Sun. Just as it is cyclical in nature, so to is the clock face.

Thus, I bet it is safe to assume that my client -"The Timeman"- will require a design language that wholly encompasses this cyclical ritual. Perhaps this occurs in the form of a perfect circle? Maybe elements of the design will act as a sundial of sorts, where the inhabitant will always be able to track the movement of The Sun no matter where they are. Hence, the permeability of the building's skin, or it's ability to let light through will be a crucial aspect (more so than usual) to consider within the design phase. 

Hmmm, I think this leaves more questions than answers...