Work of our members

Horizontal schoolyard sundial

Asten

In the school year 1994/1995, the Varendonck College in Asten-Someren ran a ‘time’ project.
A special theme week, covering many aspects of time, was organized in September 1994 for the senior classes.
Sundials received ample attention, and members of the Zonnewijzerkring got involved in the project.

In 1995, on occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of UNESCO, this project had an international continuation. Using fax, email and internet, contacts were established with schools all over the world on the topic.

All this led to the building of a large horizontal sundial in the schoolyard in 1996.
A local newspaper covered work on the sundial; see the photograph.
On 20 November 1996 the sundial was unveiled.

The sundial was to be a meeting point with seats for the students.
Architect E. van den Acker designed the base.
The actual horizontal dial is shaped like a spiral, going from narrow to wide.
An extra block offers additional seats.
A slope at the outside offers seats of different height.
Pupils can sit together on the inside, or withdraw to the outside of the construction.

The Zonnewijzerkring visited the sundial on the 2010 summer tour.
Unfortunately the weather was somewhat dull, but that did not keep one of our members from trying to set his wrist watch to the sundial.