Animaro Design - Matt Gilbert
Solstice Clock
Matt Gilbert is a London-based designer and architect whose work explores the intersection of time, movement, and form. Trained as an architect at Cardiff University and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, he developed a strong foundation in spatial thinking, material experimentation, and conceptual design. Alongside his studio practice, he continues to work as a practising architect and is currently based in Barcelona, contributing to the ongoing work on Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família.
Matt’s creative interests extend beyond conventional architecture into kinetic art and computational design. He is particularly drawn to systems that evolve over time and designs that reveal processes rather than static outcomes. This fascination underpins much of his work, including Solstice, a sculptural timepiece that reimagines how time can be experienced. Rather than measuring time through numbers or hands, Solstice expresses it through slow, continuous transformation, drawing inspiration from natural phenomena such as flowers responding to light and the cyclical logic of sundials.
His approach combines digital design methods with traditional craftsmanship, balancing precision engineering with warmth and tactility. Matt’s work reflects a desire to create objects that feel calm, contemplative, and connected to natural rhythms, offering an alternative to the stress often associated with exact timekeeping.
Looking ahead, he is developing a wall-mounted orrery that will display the live date through the real-time positions of the planets, continuing his exploration of time, motion, and the poetic translation of complex systems into elegant, physical form.
London