Jura Clock

Presented to the City of Québec by the Republic and Canton of Jura to mark the city’s 400th anniversary, the monumental clock designed by Richard Mille reflects the expertise of Swiss haute horlogerie and the friendship between the two communities. Installing the nearly two-tonne piece within the City Hall gardens required the creation of an enclosure capable of protecting the work without compromising its visibility. Extra-clear glass walls provide maximum transparency to the mechanism, while the roof, cornice, sunshades, and integrated lighting create a restrained architectural presence that blends into the surrounding landscape and pedestrian routes.

Behind this apparent simplicity lies a fully concealed technical infrastructure. A reinforced concrete base, structurally isolated from the parking structure below, protects the mechanism from vibration, while a mechanical room beneath the clock maintains tightly controlled temperature and humidity levels. A small access vestibule reached through a floor hatch allows discreet maintenance access. Ventilation, lighting, and climate-control systems are therefore integrated into the architecture without competing with the object on display. Developed through close coordination with the clockmakers and international partners, the installation combines technical precision, transparency, and restraint to establish the Jura Clock as a true work of art within the city.