Challenge

This was a reappropriation of commonplace industrial design. Something mundane and invisible to us since it has become completely prosaic. We've applied basic shapes and graphics including speedometers, liveries and signs, from Hong Kong taxis to the design of these watches and we've applied our signature taxi upholstery to the watch strap.

• To design a watch and with a watch strap that seamlessly integrates of our signature taxi seat material

Solution

We created the Taxi Watch, a utilitarian object taking inspiration from and celebrating the understated beauty in the ordinary. Its minimalist design derives from the simultaneously ubiquitous and invisible industrial aesthetic of iconic Hong Kong Taxis.The spare design of the watch face recalls a car’s speedometer display, while the red, green and blue colour schemes draw upon the liveries of the taxis themselves. Our signature use of discarded vinyl taxi seats has been applied to the watch’s strap design. This is a study in appropriating and reframing commonplace industrial design.

• Minimalist design
• Recalls a common experience shared by many
• A small but fond reference to a tiny part of Hong Kong's culture