The mind-boggling MB&amp;F Horological Machine N&ordm;11 Architect combines inspirations from organic and man-made structures.

The organic-inspired Horological Machine N&ordm;11 Architect, conceived by Max B&uuml;sser, reflects playful, bulging forms in its design, prompting the question, "What if a house was a watch?" Eric Giroud, an architect pivotal to MB&amp;F's design approach, drafted the initial plans in 2018, envisioning a central atrium leading to four surrounding rooms, marked by transparency, light, and curvilinear shapes that blend primitive and futuristic elements. The HM11's launch editions feature titanium and sapphire crystal, materials recently made viable for complex watch designs due to advancements in machining. The intricate Grade-5 titanium case of HM11, with its unique interior and exterior profiles, and the separately machined upper caps for each room.

Continuing the brand's trend of advancing the sophistication of shaped sapphire crystal in watchmaking, featuring six external sapphire crystal components in its case. Its standout feature is a large, dual-dome sapphire crystal forming the transparent atrium roof, reminiscent of 1970s dome skylights influenced by the era's interest in injection-moulded acrylics and bold architecture. A novel addition to watchmaking is the HM11's large, transparent sapphire crystal crown, which offers an unobstructed view into the movement.
The "bubble houses" from of the mid-20th century, with their seemingly implausible materials and methods, were made possible by advancements in building technology, much like the HM11. This demonstrates that innovation often necessitates new approaches. True change not only begins with thinking differently but is sustained when these new ideas are brought into existence and integrated into our lives.

Sophisticated Surprise

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