By Tom Weis, Juan Noguera, January 28, 2025
In April 2024, we were honored when Rachel Bronson invited us to contribute to the evolution of the iconic Doomsday Clock. Reimagining such a powerful symbol, one that has resonated for decades as a measure of existential risk, was both a privilege and a challenge. My company, the Altimeter Design Group, has previously collaborated with esteemed organizations such as the United Nations, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Naval Postgraduate School to explore innovative solutions to complex global challenges. However, this particular project required a unique convergence of design, engineering, and fabrication that made it especially compelling.
To bring this vision to fruition, Altimeter had the distinct privilege of working alongside Juan Noguera, Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Our approach to the redesign embraced both traditional methodologies and cutting-edge technologies, seamlessly integrating traditional woodworking with modern innovations such as generative AI and additive manufacturing. In an era where the design community often views AI-driven tools with a mix of doom, awe, and apprehension, our work demonstrates that these technologies can serve as empowering creative partners rather than threats to our professions. They enable designers to transcend boundaries, explore novel possibilities, and expand their creative potential.
The resulting Doomsday Clock stands as a testament to the harmonious coexistence of tradition and innovation, bridging hand-drawn sketches and algorithmic generation, as well as the warmth of wood and the precision of 3D-printed components. As designers and educators, we find ourselves at a pivotal juncture, contemplating which time-honored skills should be preserved and which emerging technologies should be embraced. This project reflects that ongoing dialogue—a tangible manifestation of our unwavering belief that the future of design lies in the seamless integration of heritage and innovation.
Ultimately, this redesign goes beyond mere aesthetic enhancements; it reaffirms our responsibility as designers to engage with both the past and the future, to wield technology judiciously, and to create things that not only serve as objects of design but also convey narratives of adaptability, resilience, and hope.
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