The work of long-time Core77-fave NOOKA—founded by Matthew Waldman—is the subject of a newly-released book, Designing Time, a lavish and time-travel-y chronicle of the brand's evolution and its efforts to make us rethink how we perceive the formal intersection of time and design.

"The Future Should Not Look Like the Past" offers a deep dive into NOOKA's journey, from its inception to its impact on the design landscape. Established in the late 1990s, NOOKA was a pioneer in creating timepieces that employed a unique visual language, "making the concept of time more intuitive and accessible." The brand's partnership with Seiko marked the beginning of a new era in watch design, introducing passive intelligent interfaces that enriched the user experience.

With ambitions ahead of their time, Waldman's vision was "to promote a universal language through design that transcends cultural and geopolitical boundaries." He created a shorthand for the concept—Mindstyle—which "merges interface design with lifestyle aspirations, aiming to foster a better future."

Inside the Book

Spanning 200+ pages, Designing Time is an absolute treasure trove for design enthusiasts, and an incredible pleasure to meander through. It features an array of content—including sketches, renders, and photographs—accompanied by inside stories and process images of unrealized projects. (Always some of the most ambitious!) The book not only highlights NOOKA's groundbreaking products (such as the iconic STRIP belt and futuristic sunglasses), but also delves into the brand's cultural impact during the 2000s. Anyone in the design world at that time will be taking a very enjoyable trip down memory lane with this thing.

Launched on Kickstarter Japan in 2022, the book quickly reached its funding goal, reflecting the enduring interest in NOOKA's innovative approach. The first print run sold out, and a second edition [Hard cover only] is set to ship in November 2024, so more of us will be able to get ouir hands on one.

Find more info here: https://www.nooka.com/nooka-book/