The Olympic Cauldron

[NY20??]

Oh gee...you're reading so much into this.

No, most of that is from Vanoc. The branding and visual identity are taking quite seriously by all parties involved - the IOC, the organizing committee, and the host city. It's the physical "face" of the event and they want every piece of prominent design to say something about the specific edition of the Games, however irrelevant and excessive it may all seem.

[stir.ts]

To me, it looks as though the metal 'cigar' part is encased in glass or ice

Right....at first I though it was maybe just a plastic wrap to protect the metal finish, which is common on polished hardware, but seems like they would have removed so as not to melt with heat generated by the flame. Sooooooo, maybe it is some sort of texture???? But on the lower flame "ports" it looks unevenly placed....and it really looks like that plastic wrap stuff, it even has a blueish-aqua tint simmilar to the material I'm referring to.

Great picture, where's it from?

Edited February 11, 2010 by stirthesoul

[go time baby]

yea the blue plastic film that they tell you to remove off of appliances!

if it is aborignal-inspired, it may be apart of the art work. i've seen similar silver native jewelery w/ that same blue-ish tint...

Right....at first I though it was maybe just a plastic wrap to protect the metal finish, which is common on polished hardware, but seems like they would have removed so as not to melt with heat generated by the flame. Sooooooo, maybe it is some sort of texture???? But on the lower flame "ports" it looks unevenly placed....and it really looks like that plastic wrap stuff, it even has a blueish-aqua tint simmilar to the material I'm referring to.

Great picture, where's it from?

[mr.x]

That's the big question. I'm convinced that the outdoor cauldron will be lit shortly after the indoor cauldron and that they'll have some link to "connect" the two cauldrons. I very much fear they'll do it by fireworks and thus light at least the outdoor cauldron once more with an automatic lighter and not with the original Olympic Flame (just as in Torino). They won't have a wire connecting the two cauldrons, that's for sure -- due to the distance and BC Place's roof not allowing to send a flame through it. Or they'll do it in a very purist way, showing the cauldron lighting inside BC Place and then simply switching the cameras to Jack Pool Plaza where a second final torchbearer (or a second team of torchbearers) is waiting with Olympic torches and he or they simply light the cauldron by dipping the torch into the burners of the cauldron.

But the latter scenario also might not happen because it looks as if there are no ladders or scaffolds directly around the tubes of the cauldron on which a torchbearer could stand and light the burners. So there'll probably be no human beings lighting the outdoor cauldron -- or they'll be able to light the bases of the tubes, with the fire crawling up to the burners (à la Moscow 1980 or Los Angeles 1984).

(Source: http://vigil100107.wordpress.com/)

I personally couldn't care if the outdoor cauldrons are lit automatically, what counts and is most important is that the cauldron inside BC Place - the main cauldron - is actually lit by the torchbearer. Don't pull another Torino...and speaking of Torino, the should have thought of another cauldron design. The cauldron lighting in 2006 was absolutely anti-climax.

[Torchbearer AA]

I tink they'll light it the same time: one torchbearer in the stadium and one outside. And the latter one the people in de stadium can see on a screen.

Idea?

[4seasonscentre]

^

I don't like that. It diminishes the significance of the final torch lighting if there are two cauldrons.

I wish the cauldrons would be lit as part of the torch relay. If they want effect, they can light a pilot light in the cauldrons, and then fire them full blast after the one in BC Place is lit a la Lord of the Rings.

[mr.x]

There's a closeup of the convention centre cauldron here: http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Olympic+secrets+partially+unveiled+after+opening+ceremonies+dress+rehearsal/2548104/story.html

It's not blue industrial wrap, rather it's blue tinted glass a few inches from the metal.

[stir.ts]

Wow, it looks big in that shot!

There's a closeup of the convention centre cauldron here: http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Olympic+secrets+partially+unveiled+after+opening+ceremonies+dress+rehearsal/2548104/story.html

It's not blue industrial wrap, rather it's blue tinted glass a few inches from the metal.

[Rei]

This thing is getting more and more "interesting", it looks like the back end of an old rocket.

I quite like it. They recapt the jet turbine idea of Torino although back then there was a connection between the structure and the city.

It's a bit odd for such Nature-oriented Vancouver and Canada.

[OneTimeOnly]

I quite like it. They recapt the jet turbine idea of Torino although back then there was a connection between the structure and the city.

It's a bit odd for such Nature-oriented Vancouver and Canada.

I think it's ugly. When we saw the overhead photos and it wasn't lit, I thought it might be interesting, but lit, I don't like it. We'll see when it's fully unveiled. As for the whole "jet engine" comment, it's kind of funny, I mean, wasn't it designed by Bombardier?

[Olympian2004]

I knew that I've seen that somewhere already...

It really reminds me of a candelabrum -- but due to the big flames, it hasn't got the elegance and tranquility of a candelabrum but the abrasiveness of yet another cold industrial oil rig cauldron. I agree with those who say that this design is quite a strange choice, considering the strong natural image Canada has. The idea with the glass looking like ice and the combination with fire is very nice, but that arrangement of tubes and burners with out-shooting, very separated flames simply puts me off. It doesn't look like harmonic to me, but rather cold and unfriendly.

So while I expect a wonderful and heart-warming ceremony, the view of this cauldron will be for me quite a downer -- unless it's at least lit in a stunning or emotional fashion.

[Alan in Montréal]

I think it's ugly. When we saw the overhead photos and it wasn't lit, I thought it might be interesting, but lit, I don't like it. We'll see when it's fully unveiled. As for the whole "jet engine" comment, it's kind of funny, I mean, wasn't it designed by Bombardier?

But wait! Maybe those "sub flames" will be detached and brought to the various "mini-cauldron" locations. So they will be lit as part of the ceremony, giving them their proper respect, but then detached and transported to the other sites. And, when the Games finish, they would be brought back and extinguished as part of the closing, all in the same place???

Just my guess.

[OneTimeOnly]

I knew that I've seen that somewhere already...

It really reminds me of a candelabrum -- but due to the big flames, it hasn't got the elegance and tranquility of a candelabrum but the abrasiveness of yet another cold industrial oil rig cauldron. I agree with those who say that this design is quite a strange choice, considering the strong natural image Canada has. The idea with the glass looking like ice and the combination with fire is very nice, but that arrangement of tubes and burners with out-shooting, very separated flames simply puts me off. It doesn't look like harmonic to me, but rather cold and unfriendly.

So while I expect a wonderful and heart-warming ceremony, the view of this cauldron will be for me quite a downer -- unless it's at least lit in a stunning or emotional fashion.

The cauldron would have looked better if they made it look like or resemble a camp fire.

[Olympian2004]

But wait! Maybe those "sub flames" will be detached and brought to the various "mini-cauldron" locations. So they will be lit as part of the ceremony, giving them their proper respect, but then detached and transported to the other sites. And, when the Games finish, they would be brought back and extinguished as part of the closing, all in the same place???

Just my guess.

Which "mini-cauldron" locations? As far as it's confirmed by VANOC, there'll be only three cauldrons: one inside BC Place, then the one besides the Convention Centre in Vancouver and then another one in Whistler. And why should one detach the smaller flames from the Convention Centre cauldron, leaving "naked" tubes without a purpose and thus making the cauldron even uglier? Not to mention that it's technically impossible to detach the burners, transport them to other places and still keep the flame burning without it ever gets out.

Gosh, I'm really glad when that time of sometimes strange pieces of speculation is finally over tomorrow.

[jaegen]

Anyone think it's possible they could light cauldrons in major cities all across Canada tomorrow night? I just had this though (and it would be amazing!), but wondered whether that would be too much of a violation of protocol. It would be an incredible way to unite the whole country - they could have easily "stored" flames in each city during the relay. Thoughts?

Jaegen

[Alan in Montréal]

And why should one detach the smaller flames from the Convention Centre cauldron, leaving "naked" tubes without a purpose and thus making the cauldron even uglier? Not to mention that it's technically impossible to detach the burners, transport them to other places and still keep the flame burning without it ever gets out.

Who says the arms would have to stay on the cauldron if the bowls were removed? LOL.

Anyway, someone else suggested that we've only seen the larger "bowls" lit and in reality the arms will also have flames coming out and will be hidden by the flames, giving it the appearance of a bonfire.

It's interesting. The pics show the arms of some of the smaller bowls going directly into the "walls" behind them, while the main one comes up from below. I wonder if that has any significance?

[Scotguy]

Looks as though it could be a snowflake

[Rei]

It seems Vanoc wanted at all costs to complicate its life by creating something complex and intricate.

[stir.ts]

Anyway, someone else suggested that we've only seen the larger "bowls" lit and in reality the arms will also have flames coming out and will be hidden by the flames, giving it the appearance of a bonfire.

Now that would be awesome! It would go from "menacing-start-fighter-crashed-nose-first-into-Poole-Plaza" to uber-bond-fire!

[Dinhu4ever]

Now that would be awesome! It would go from "menacing-start-fighter-crashed-nose-first-into-Poole-Plaza" to uber-bond-fire!

This is probably the best definition I've seen so far. I salute you, Stirtheshoul! XD

[Olympian2004]

Who says the arms would have to stay on the cauldron if the bowls were removed? LOL.

Anyway, someone else suggested that we've only seen the larger "bowls" lit and in reality the arms will also have flames coming out and will be hidden by the flames, giving it the appearance of a bonfire.

It's interesting. The pics show the arms of some of the smaller bowls going directly into the "walls" behind them, while the main one comes up from below. I wonder if that has any significance?

Which walls? You're talking about the diagonal tubes, right? They come out of the ground as well! See here:

And I can't recognise any holes in those tubes through which additional flames could come out. No, I'm 100 % certain that the lit cauldron will look as on the leaked pictures: One flame each per tube, and the flame only coming out of the burner on its top.

[zainhasan15]

I think there will be an actual flame outside of stadium and an indoor lamp illuminated by outdoor flame using optic fiber technique inside the arena.

[go time baby]

i sure hope you're right. the idea of an indoor cauldron at BCP is killin' me! they've added pyro equipment for the fireworks around the "ring" of BCP, maybe they added a gas line there as well for the flame? hmmm

I think there will be an actual flame outside of stadium and an indoor lamp illuminated by outdoor flame using optic fiber technique inside the arena.

[Olympian2004]

I think there will be an actual flame outside of stadium and an indoor lamp illuminated by outdoor flame using optic fiber technique inside the arena.

So you think that the outdoor flame will be lit first? I don't expect that to happen -- BC Place is the centre of action tomorrow night and thus the cauldron at BC Place will most probably be lit first and then the Olympic Flame will be somehow transmitted to the outdoor cauldron (either by fireworks, optic fiber technique or another mechanism), or the outdoor cauldron will even be lit automatically, without any "flame transfer".

[Olympian2004]

Anyone think it's possible they could light cauldrons in major cities all across Canada tomorrow night? I just had this though (and it would be amazing!), but wondered whether that would be too much of a violation of protocol. It would be an incredible way to unite the whole country - they could have easily "stored" flames in each city during the relay. Thoughts?

Jaegen

Welcome to the forum.

Cauldrons all around Canada are not going to happen. First of all, it would most certainly have been leaked if cauldrons had been built also in other Canadian cities. That simply can't be kept secret -- especially not in times when even lots of details of an Olympic opening ceremony are leaked via Twitter and other blogs (just as now, in Vancouver's case).

Furthermore, Olympic Winter Games are mostly events for the respective host city and host region, and only in the second instance national events -- since they are staged only in one part of the country, unlike (let's say) the FIFA World Cup. So it would come across a little bit as too nationalistic if an Olympic host installed cauldrons also in other cities which are actually unrelated to the Olympic host region.