Longines Countdown Clock
Longines Countdown Clock — Forged from iron, a powerful collaboration celebrating the road to Glasgow 2026.
- Project Type: Icon
- Client: Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games
- Location: Glasgow, Scotland
- Year: 2025
Commission
We were appointed by Glasgow 2026 as lead design, fabrication and installation partner for the official Countdown Clock, with a remit not only to deliver the structure, but to commission an artist to shape its creative vision.
The brief called for more than a functional timepiece. The clock needed to become a symbol of the Games: reflective of Glasgow’s character, the strength of its creative community, and the sense of global connection at the heart of the Commonwealth.
Response
We commissioned Glasgow-based blacksmith Agnes Jones, drawn to her expressive, figurative approach and the way her handcrafted process brings narrative and movement into steel.
Developing the flowing steel linework in her Glasgow forge, NEWSUBSTANCE then worked closely with Agnes to engineer and fabricate the wider structural framework, fixtures and integrated coloured backdrop. At the centre of the piece sits the Longines clock, provided by the Games’ Official Partner, bringing precision and heritage timekeeping into dialogue with contemporary Scottish craft.
Positioned at the heart of one of the city’s busiest public spaces, Glasgow Central Station, the final design connects sport, people and city. Dynamic figures weave with a strong graphic presence to create a landmark that feels both celebratory and distinctly Glaswegian.
