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The Look of the games


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Bland? No texture? Are you having a laugh?

I'm sorry, but it really does seem like London's Look is the only one you've ever laid eyes on bothered to look into. By comparison to past others, yes, London's is rather lacking in texture and diversity.

What would've really popped more than any other past Look though, are all those fantastic graphics that were used at the time of logo's launch in 2007. But it all seems watered down now.

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Is it finished? Its looks very bland, compared to say Athens' water polo venue...

http://paulandjenn.net/waterpolo.jpg

Those walls look underdressed, the intersecting lines bring no texture, and sticking to two colors dosen't make a lot of impact. I'm worried.

That is not the Athens water polo venue. It's the Aquatics centre for Diving and swimming. Only used for water polo during the finals.

So maybe you can better compare this picture with the London Aquatics centre.

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Water polo isn't the best use of the brand I've seen so far but I was looking at Sydney's pool graphics on the stands on a tv show in the week. From a distance that looked just like dark blue only up close did you see the detail. These graphics will make a fabulous backdrop to the London games.

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I just looked at that Athens venue wich is also the diving venue and is full of people. Before I opened it I was expecting something drop dead amazing and er.......it isn't that different from londons. Take away the diving section and the people and what's the big wow. People are not judging London fairly at all in my opinion, not at all.

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I love it. It looks really fresh to me and I'm certain it'll come across well on TV. Good work indeed. It mightn't have the pure artistry of Vancouver's but it's clear thought's gone into making it stand out. It's a refeshing departure from the increasingly busy looks we've seen over the past few years (that's not a criticism of those looks which vary in their quality for me, just a fact). And that departure takes creativity and confidence in itself.

The comparison with Athens is fine by me. Athens for me was a high point in Olympic design. But as TorchBearerAA said above, the water polo events took place here at Athens 2004 for the most part:

http://www.flickr.co...in/photostream/

Well, what do you know? Each banner predominantly one colour, with white text and heavy use of tints, very similar to what we in London actually. And I think both are great.

I'm amazed by the stat in that article btw. Beijing had 800 people working on its Look, whilst London has 40. Can that really be true? 800 people?! I wonder how many Athens had four years earlier because in my opinion they did a better job than this army of Chinese designers!!

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Fill the stands with people put some action on the field of play and the only difference is London has sharp graphic lines rather than more organic shapes.

Has anyone see then McDonald's ad with wembley in the background. It looks epic

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Seeing pictures from Athens the blue sky and the sun are so important for the atmosphere.

London has a disadvantage if it's going to rain a lot or cloudy weather.

For outside sports the look of the games is influenced by the weather i.m.o.

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I think the edgy line texture is the best part of the olympic look.

The logo and the pictograms I do not like.

I see some colour-combinations that they seem familiar and look nice.

The typography is fine.

In general although I don't like the logo and pictograms I think that it is better the Beijing.

But for some reason, i have the feeling that someone compromised a lot in the evolution of the Olympic Look.

The promised revolutionary Look didn't came and it looks like they try to have a classic look although they don't want to.

It looks unfinished, not very "round"

It will do its job, much better the Beijing, but it is no homage to british design, it does no justice to what I expected.

On the other hand I am extremely excited about the fact that in a few days i will be sitting on my couch with ...

fish and chips and will be watching the opening ceremony!

p.s. those banners in the water polo venue,... must be a joke...

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That is not the Athens water polo venue. It's the Aquatics centre for Diving and swimming. Only used for water polo during the finals.

So maybe you can better compare this picture with the London Aquatics centre.

Actually, no, Swimming took place at the larger, outdoor venue. Diving and all of Water Polo except for the finals took place in the smaller indoor venue I posted.

I may not be best to discuss London's Look off one venue, but I'll stand by what I say because it will apply to all venues: sticking to one predominant color per venue, and only using one simple, but uninspired graphic is going to make for an overall stale dressing.

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I just looked at that Athens venue wich is also the diving venue and is full of people. Before I opened it I was expecting something drop dead amazing and er.......it isn't that different from londons. Take away the diving section and the people and what's the big wow. People are not judging London fairly at all in my opinion, not at all.

Water polo is probably the single weakest Athens venue you could look at. I wish I could post my personal pictures, but the boards only seem to allow images hosted elsewhere online.

Saying the London Look is going to be improved by the presence of spectators doesn't compute at all. Spectators are not a graphic design element and every Olympics has them. They make no difference to the quality of the design.

Joanne is right about the street banners. Most are small and very diminutive (not to mention wrinkled). The outlined logo doesn't read well at all on them.

NY20??'s comments about uninspired design and a monochromatic palette are well-founded too. Just very basic and plain. It won't compete with the action, but it doesn't add anything either. It's just there.

Elsavas' comment that this Look is not representative of the quality of British design rings the most true of all. The UK had the firepower to do something innovative and memorable. Instead they went with something pedestrian.

It will get the job done, but that's about it.

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Actually, no, Swimming took place at the larger, outdoor venue. Diving and all of Water Polo except for the finals took place in the smaller indoor venue I posted.

I may not be best to discuss London's Look off one venue, but I'll stand by what I say because it will apply to all venues: sticking to one predominant color per venue, and only using one simple, but uninspired graphic is going to make for an overall stale dressing.

True. I counfounded with Beijing and Sydney.

Compared to Beijing I think I prefer the London look of the water polo venue.

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I really like how the burst graphic essentially emanates from the Olympic rings, giving it that kind of kudos status that the look is essentially 'growing' from them. I've seen this before on the material where the rings appear in the brightest tint so they punch out and aren't disrupted by the look behind. I look at a lot of Athens and Beijings and it just seems like it is a large scale graphic, the lucky cloud or the Athens Panorama and it's just cropped to make a banner or dressing and then rings are just slapped on top (albeit located in a spefici area). London's at least tried to get a sort of bespoke 'message' that the rings are what is building this hot energy that is then exploding into shards, and then you've got this quieter grid like graphic going on in other parts of the venue drawing yoru eye to the athletes on the court, etc.

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The shards can be spotted even on small details in and around the Stadium. The double-sided wayfinder signs that point out sections/bridges/toilets are basically illuminated pink rectangles but instead of having a solid edge to 'hide' the light, they have the shards holding them together and the pink light shining through. It takes something very functional and adds a little something to it.

Even the illuminated ladies/gents 'cubes' above the toilet doors have metal shards on their outer edges to hold the sides together.

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It looks like window dressing to my eyes. There are still lots of barriers up, cherry pickers and gardening type pickups but no massive trucks etc. Unless of course they still plan on building a cauldron somewhere?!? ;-p

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Slightly behind schedule with last minute touches as I understand it Michelle. No worries over venues or training facilities or the village - teams are arriving as we speak, the Ozzies are already here (see the Olympic Village thread for picture of their "block"). The venues were ready months ago, as I know since I was one of 100,000+ who attended test events in the Park in the last weekend of May.

it seems there are some areas of the park that will open a few days late (i.e. a week before the OC rather than two weeks before). The only reasoning I can think of for that is the hanging of banners, Olympic rings, perhaps last minute finishing touches to signage etc. Certainly nothing major.

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