London’s 2012 Summer Olympic Games: A Design Perspective

This blog post was updated on October 16, 2018.

On July 27th, 2012, all eyes will be on London as the 2012 Summer Olympic Games kick off with what is sure to be an impressive opening ceremony. In fact, there are many impressive things about the Olympics: the athletic ability and determination of the competitors; the sheer amount of money and organization required to host the Olympic Games; the extent of the global television coverage. This summer, add design prowess to that list. That’s right, the London Olympic Games are set to be some of the most attractive yet.

Great Britain’s Olympic Kit
Designed by Stella McCartney and Adidas

One thing is for sure: Great Britain’s athletes competing in the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be aesthetic champions. The competitors’ uniforms feature an abstracted British flag in blue tones. Splashes of red on the collar and lapels, and in the form of knee highs or shoes, accent the blue and white design. A clean and classic look, with a twist— exactly what one would expect from Stella McCartney.

London’s Olympic Torch
Designed by UK design studio, Barber Osgerby (Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby)

The striking 2012 Summer Olympic torch recently won an award from London’s Design Museum. The torch has 8,000 laser-cut holes that serve both a symbolic and a scientific purpose. According to the designers, the holes represent the number of people who will participate in the torch relay. From a more pragmatic standpoint, the holes prevent heat from being conducted down the handle, making the torch safer to carry.

The Velodrome
Designed by Hopkins Architects

London’s approach to building structures for the 2012 Summer Olympics has been to focus on sustainable, long-term improvements to the city. In doing so, they called upon some of the UK’s best architects and designers to come up with memorable structures that would also improve London’s design landscape. One of these is the Velodrome, which will host the track cycling events. The stunning metal roof is also incredibly functional— it collects rainwater that is then reused, increasing the structure’s water efficiency.

 

Photo: Ben Sutherland

 

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