Beijing Olympic Cauldron

[mr.x]

Now here is a fantastic looking cauldron.....

Wonder where Beijing got the idea for "the birds nest?

The organizers didn't, a Swiss architect firm entered the international competition for the stadium design and won. And they hired a Chinese artist, who came up with the concept of a bird's nest stadium. They made something like 30 revisions to the design.

[stir.ts]

The organizers didn't, a Swiss architect firm entered the international competition for the stadium design and won. And they hired a Chinese artist, who came up with the concept of a bird's nest stadium. They made something like 30 revisions to the design.

Yes I realize Herzog & de Meuron collaborated with Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, I was kind of just kidding, BUT.......lets just agree the Nagano cauldron is fantastic and thoroughly original.

[wingspread]

I... didn't like it. I agree with some people here that it was anticlimactic. The fact that the final torchbearer was announced earlier didn't help. The whole thing was too long. Then again, I don't think it could have been executed any better given the good scroll narrative continuity and around-the-world slogan-driven (One World, One Dream) concept.

After much thought, I decided to rank it below Athens. *shields self from virtual onslaught of tomatoes from GamesBidders*

1. Barcelona

2. Sydney

3. Moscow

4. Athens

5. Beijing

[NY20??]

Nice angle:

I've said it before and I'll say it again - after all that speculation, I would have really liked to see it "slide and tilt" as most of us predicted beforehand. Shame that it happened in the dark and when everyone was focused on the athletes coming in. Must have been quiet impressive considering its size. But at the same time, it must have been more surprising for the casual viewer (who had no clue about the set-up like we did) to see it at the end, especially knowing that it wasn't there at the beginning of the Ceremony.

[baron-pierreIV]

Now that it's all seen and done...

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT: I liked that the Cauldron and the manner of lighting ALL tied in with the Scroll Theme of the Torch which is the first time, I believe, that that's been done.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE LIGHTING SCHEME: It just seemed too over-the-top; overly ambitious -- in that "...we have to achieve something original, at all costs -- even it's TOO contrived...:

Which brings me to reveal to this forum for the FIRST TIME (I finally found my old file), my entry to the Beijing Torch Design competition from February 2006:

As you can see, my CONCEPT was almost on the mark. However, I really had no legal recourse to challenge BOCOG:

1. They reserved all rights to all submissions;

2. The Lenovo design was sleeker and simpler; and

3. Technically, I might've been a day late in submitting my entry.

But I am not bitter. All in all, I am quietly assured (in my own zone) that I pretty much come close to what the Organizing Committees eventually choose.

Comments and reactions are welcome.

P.S. Hmmmm. SOrry the colors didn't come out. But you'll know where it's red;and of course gold for the flame areas.

Edited August 12, 2008 by baron-pierreIV

[Maryjane]

Now that it's all seen and done...

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT: I liked that the Cauldron and the manner of lighting ALL tied in with the Scroll Theme of the Torch which is the first time, I believe, that that's been done.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE LIGHTING SCHEME: It just seemed too over-the-top; overly ambitious -- in that "...we have to achieve something original, at all costs -- even it's TOO contrived...:

Which brings me to reveal to this forum for the FIRST TIME (I finally found my old file), my entry to the Beijing Torch Design competition from February 2006:

As you can see, my CONCEPT was almost on the mark. However, I really had no legal recourse to challenge BOCOG:

1. They reserved all rights to all submissions;

2. The Lenovo design was sleeker and simpler; and

3. Technically, I might've been a day late in submitting my entry.

But I am not bitter. All in all, I am quietly assured (in my own zone) that I pretty much come close to what the Organizing Committees eventually choose.

Comments and reactions are welcome.

P.S. Hmmmm. SOrry the colors didn't come out. But you'll know where it's red;and of course gold for the flame areas.

Baron~I got to say you really do have a good vision~ really good~

[Filipe_Golias]

Nice work, baron!

You only had to submit a drawing with the torch's look and casing, right? Not the gas reservoir and igniting system within?

[baron-pierreIV]

Nice work, baron!

You only had to submit a drawing with the torch's look and casing, right? Not the gas reservoir and igniting system within?

No. They asked for the mechanism inside; and the design for the carrying lamps, and those mini-cauldrons used in some welcoming and overnight ceremonies. It was quite an elaborate package that they asked for it. And maybe because I didn't submit all the other peripherals -- plus I sent it overnight like 36 hours or so only, so my entry may have arrived a little past the cutoff date.

But the fact that they chose Lenovo -- who already was a TOP sponsor, I am not surprised. Lenovo probably had a whole team working on their design.

[mattygs]

Will now be interesting to see if there will be a special method of extinguishing the flame. This has been a trend in recent time. We have had the f1-11 in Sydney, then the blowing out method done in Albertville and then copied by Athens.

I imagine we will see something special.

[micheal_warren]

there will definitely be something special from the Chinese

[wingspread]

The scroll and flame rolling back? And this time with memorable scenes from the Games projected on the rim.

Here we go again with the guessing game!

[mattygs]

Well Chen Weiya said in a recent interview that the method of the extinguishing of the cauldron was their big secret for the closing ceremony. So we will see.

[Kenadian]

Does anybody know what happened in 2000, when the cauldron stood some time still?

The story I heard was that in the design, set-up, and practice sessions, they hadn't accounted for the weight of the water cascading over the cauldron. The device was too heavy for the lift. Then, when enough gas burned off, reducing the weight, the mechanism kicked in to place and off it went.

[Olympian2004]

The story I heard was that in the design, set-up, and practice sessions, they hadn't accounted for the weight of the water cascading over the cauldron. The device was too heavy for the lift. Then, when enough gas burned off, reducing the weight, the mechanism kicked in to place and off it went.

Well, Ric Birch (and he probably knows best) said that it was a faulty switch, as I wrote here:

http://www.gamesbids.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=178181

[NY20??]

Uh-oh, more Opening Ceremony drama:

http://gizmodo.com/5035456/blue-screen-of-...-torch-lighting

Actually, it's nothing controversial - just some sort of technical issue, if I understood correctly.

[Rob.]

Shall we already start the speculation for the London 2012 cauldron lighting?

I think there's still at least one possibility for London to have a first in Olympic cauldron lighting ceremonies: They could have five igniters from all five continents, maybe lighting the cauldron from different spots in the stadium.

And since I was right about the soaring final torch bearer in Beijing, I'll be proved correct again.

Have a look at this thread for more stuff on the London cauldron

B)

[Kenadian]

Well, Ric Birch (and he probably knows best) said that it was a faulty switch, as I wrote here:

http://www.gamesbids.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=178181

Actually, I recall my source was a radio interview with Ric Birch.

[zainhasan15]

I was right...............my prediction was correct...............................................

[zainhasan15]

[Olympian2004]

Actually, I recall my source was a radio interview with Ric Birch.

The information I posted also were from a radio interview with Ric Birch which he made on October 2, 2000 -- the day after the closing ceremony.

[baron-pierreIV]

I was right...............my prediction was correct...............................................

You were close, zain.

But it didn't make sense when it would overhang as some sort of bulging beehive AWAY from the rim.

But the way it eventually came about -- as the end of the scroll (and just half-sitting on the rim of the roof) -- makes complete sense.

Did you see my design of the Torch (see page 15 of this thread)?

[zainhasan15]

You were close, zain.

But it didn't make sense when it would overhang as some sort of bulging beehive AWAY from the rim.

But the way it eventually came about -- as the end of the scroll (and just half-sitting on the rim of the roof) -- makes complete sense.

Did you see my design of the Torch (see page 15 of this thread)?

Yes I saw your design, it was also a scroll, but it was similar to Seoul 88 and LA 84 torch look. My design was also about paper roll but made up of glass and rubber handle. Everyone was think about paper but unfortunately Zhang didn't showcased this great invention creatively.

[NY20??]

Some day shots from the first day of Athletics:

Depending on the angle, I think the effect of the scroll rolling out of of the roof and becoming the cauldron is done pretty well.

And by the wat, here's how they lighted the cauldron in Qingdao (Olympic co-host city for Sailing):

[BanzaiB]

Does anyone know how the flame will be lit for the Paralympics? The torch is at a pretty awkward position for a paraplegic.

[mr.x]

Does anyone know how the flame will be lit for the Paralympics? The torch is at a pretty awkward position for a paraplegic.

They'll probably have a smaller cauldron on the stadium floor.