The Seed Clock is our response to the location of Charleston, it’s people and the farming community.
We wanted the clock to tell a story that will resonate with local people but also entertain and engage the larger community along with the thousands of passing travellers. On the hour the clock chimes by telling it’s story. At the centre of the idea is the tale of the seed, it’s a magical capsule containing the complete blueprint of a future. The story is of how a farming family bring the seed to life in an epic and entertaining spectacle.
The clock is constructed from a welded galvanised steel frame. The cladding is of galvanised panels alongside beaten copper sections. The two materials will look visually good together especially as they age with time. In the design we want to use elements of the local farming vernacular style of grain and water towers. The seed would be copper clad.
All the working parts are robust, standard “off the peg” industrial equipment often used in farming. The main power source is Hydraulic with the addition of small geared DC motors for the smaller movements. These components are designed to normally operate many thousands of times a day. The clock will perform approximately 12 times a day and should give many years of service before the parts need replacing. The clock is protected by an anemometer wind speed switch, which will turn off the clock’s performance during high winds.
The Clock Sequence
- A farming family appear on the plinth and start to water the ground.
- The plants start to grow and cover the farmers.
- A small door opens in the clock face and a pest grub appears. The farmer pops out of a nearby door and swats the grub.
- Another door opens in the clock face to reveal another pesky grub. The other farmer pops out to dispatch it!
- Finally three doors open to reveal the grubs and the farmer has to resort to a stronger approach to get rid of the pests.
- The farmers appear either side of the clock face and start to walk up to the top carrying their watering cans.
- They water the seed at the top of the clock and then disappear inside the seed.
- The clock rumbles and shakes. The farming children appear in the telehandlers. The clock hands spin down and point to the floor. The seed is coming to life.
- A crack appears down the front of the seed, smoke and lightning flashes appear from inside.
- The seed splits into two. A giant shoot grows up and carries the happy farmers into the air. They are holding on and spinning around. Water spurts and spins from the top of the plant gently watering the crowd below.
- The End.
We would like the clock construction to be made as locally as possible to Charleston, using a nearby engineering company. This will insure the quality of the construction and an intimate knowledge of the maintenance schedule. This will be designed to be as simple as possible.