22 Design Studio, 4th Dimension Watch Launch

Fifth Floor Gallery is pleased to present the work of 22 Design Studio on Saturday, October 10th. Designer's, Sean Yu and Yiting Cheng, are the creative force behind this Taipei, Taiwan based studio. We'll be showing an overview of all the studio's current designs and will unveil their newest project, the 4th Dimension Watch. This new design is currently in the works and you'll have an opportunity to see the prototype and support the project on Kickstarter by being the first to order one of these unique, architectural timepieces.

The built city, and how it moves and protects us largely by employing concrete and steel, is what inspires the studio's designs. They re-envision the uses of these materials and repurpose their image of strength and boldness to create functional objects including writing tools, jewelry, and now the 4th Dimension Watch. Every stage of the design and production of their products is done by hand in the studio to ensure innovative creations that are as resolute and uncompromising as the materials from which they are made.

The 4th Dimension Watch has 12 steps turned at a 30° angle, each representing an hour. Curved metal hands glide above the Escher-like concrete spiral dial, indicating time in a poetic way. The designers' fascination with contemporary architecture and design, as well as their desire to engage more complex design challenges with their favored medium, lead them towards the goal of crafting the perfect timepiece out of this unlikely material. Time converges with space in our physical world through, what in Physics is known as, the 4th Dimension. This idea is what sparked the moniker and concept for this beautiful and solid timepiece.

Sean Yu studied Industrial Design at the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan and Yiting Cheng studied Product Design at the Royal College of Art in the U.K. They were both 22 years old when they graduated in 2005 and decided to merge their creative talents to form their own brand. During a trip to Japan in 2006, the two designers experienced the thrill of many classic contemporary buildings and found their inspiration amidst the busy hustle of the city. Since that point, concrete became the medium of choice for their creativity, eventually growing to become an essential characteristic of 22 Design Studio products.