London 2012 Appoints Torch Designers
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has announced that London-based design studio, Torch, will design the London 2012 Olympic Torch.
Designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby have won a competitive tender to create the torch, along with celebration cauldrons to be used at the lunchtime stops and evening celebrations during the Olympic Torch relay, which is presented by Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.
The torch will hold the ‘Olympic flame’ which will be carried by 8,000 torchbearers around the UK during a 70-day relay next year during the build up to the Games.
The flame will arrive into the UK from Greece on 18th May 2012 and the tour will conclude on the evening of 27th July, when the flame will light the Olympic cauldron to signal the start of London 2012.
Sebastian Coe, chair of LOCOG said: ‘The Olympic Flame will literally shine a light on inspiring people, places and 2012 Games projects and programmes right across the UK as communities begin their Olympic celebrations with the Torch Relay’.
David Kester, chief executive of the Design Council added: ‘Arguably this is one of the most visible design briefs in the world – literally billion’s of eyes will be on the Olympic Flame in 2012’.
The winning designers are also working on design aspects for the Paralympic Torch Relay, which will take place between the close of the Olympic Games and the start of the Paralympic Games in August 2012.
