Talk about feeling extraordinary, even as you do something ordinary. Japanese Designer Kota Nezu has designed a parasol, with a built in sundial to be read from underneath. The inside graphics have to be correctly oriented by rotating the umbrella and positioning the handle-mounted compass to find the magnetic north. Based on the sun’s light from the back of the umbrella and the curvature of the earth, the approximate time can be marked.
On a more technical level, the vertical lines and numbers indicate hours on the parasol’s surface, while horizontal lines are the summer solstice, the spring / autumnal equinox and winter solstice from top to bottom. The designer revealed that the concept arose from the idea that people think less about the sun and its position throughout the day, and what better than a sundial for a tete-a-tete with the sun? The parasols are made from a water-repellent and UV-processed material. Measuring 55 cm in length, the outer rib is made of glass fiber; and the fabric panel is composed of 65% polyester and 35% cotton.
