runningrings Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Going to go out on a limb here, but I think the London 2012 cauldron is one of the best ever, if not THE best. The lighting was superb and emotional. I loved it, and it refined the concept we saw in Vancouver, which was quite frankly clumsy and awkward. The way it comes together elegantly for the Games, only to come apart afterwards and be taken all over the world, is an amazing interpretation of the meaning of the Olympic flame and the Olympics themselves as something quite fluid, and forever absent after the event itself. While I understand people are disappointed it cannot be seen from outside the stadium - this is not a policy, but rather a precedent set by the majority of hosts. It's the first in-stadium cauldron since Seoul 1988, and understandably people are adjusting to the concept. But hat off not London 2012 for its earnest nod to 1948 and for using restraint. Sometimes less is more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Tickle Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 The designer created his vision. He wanted this concept rather than a flame up high in the sky. The Seoul cauldron was inside the stadium, the London 1948 cauldron was in the same position. Im sure there have been others. This was the designers vision, and its his desision to make. Only coming on this tread have I even found out people have a problem with it. Being in the park nobody is walking round looking glum at the fact the flame is inside the stadium, nobody seems scared by it, nobody is being offered councilling. The concept is gorgeous, the lighing up there in the top 3. The design is the best ever in my opinion. Only people on this forum seem concerned by it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningrings Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Hear, hear! Such much needed perspective from London itself. I would put the actual lighting of the cauldron of London 2012 with Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000 as equally the three best ever, in terms of emotion and creativity. However in terms of the actual cauldron itself, this would have to be one of the most beautiful. Other cauldron designs I've appreciated is the slender precision of Athens 2004, the modernity of Barcelona 1992, the classic Los Angeles 1932/84, the space-age simplicity of Munich 1972, and the classic form of Melbourne 1956. Speaking of Munich - there is a slight resemblance in function (the individual gas nodes) to London 2012, forty years later: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 If I were in London, I would set up a photo booth near Olympic Park and charge people to have their photo taken with a photo of the cauldron. GB members would get a special discount, of course -- except for the few dead ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menegazfelipe Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 The cauldron looks so dusty... Last time I saw it, not all petals were burning, in fact, just a few of them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2004 Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 The designer created his vision. He wanted this concept rather than a flame up high in the sky. The Seoul cauldron was inside the stadium, the London 1948 cauldron was in the same position. Im sure there have been others. This was the designers vision, and its his desision to make. Only coming on this tread have I even found out people have a problem with it. Being in the park nobody is walking round looking glum at the fact the flame is inside the stadium, nobody seems scared by it, nobody is being offered councilling. The concept is gorgeous, the lighing up there in the top 3. The design is the best ever in my opinion. Only people on this forum seem concerned by it Not true at all. The cauldron's location was a big topic in all the media covering the Olympics during the last few days (including the major British newspapers), on German TV they reported for example that many viewers are asking critical questions about why the cauldron isn't visible from the outside. This is not just an issue for us Olympic forum nerds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 The concept is gorgeous, the lighing up there in the top 3. The design is the best ever in my opinion. Only people on this forum seem concerned by it Cauldron complaints have been on our evening news every single night so far -- not to mention featuring in your own British media. This is not about the design. It's about what feels like an elitist isolation of the cauldron from anyone without an athletics ticket, plus the intentional extinguishing and relighting of the flame. I think that having an 82 year old guy on a cherry picker light the flame that will burn throughout the Games is an appalling choice. Truthfully, I'm shocked. This whole cauldron was an awful decision and the IOC should have stopped it long ago. So every NOC gets to take home a charred piece of metal (have you seen the state of those petals?). It's a wonderful intellectual idea, but practically this cauldron concept is a massive failure and a huge blot on London's Games. Seb Coe's and other Brits' defenses and justifications just show how out of touch they are with the rest of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevzz Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Cauldron complaints have been on our evening news every single night so far -- not to mention featuring in your own British media. This is not about the design. It's about what feels like an elitist isolation of the cauldron from anyone without an athletics ticket, plus the intentional extinguishing and relighting of the flame. I think that having an 82 year old guy on a cherry picker light the flame that will burn throughout the Games is an appalling choice. Truthfully, I'm shocked. This whole cauldron was an awful decision and the IOC should have stopped it long ago. So every NOC gets to take home a charred piece of metal (have you seen the state of those petals?). It's a wonderful intellectual idea, but practically this cauldron concept is a massive failure and a huge blot on London's Games. Seb Coe's and other Brits' defenses and justifications just show how out of touch they are with the rest of the world. I have to agree with you. I really love London's ceremony and the Games overall so far but I am also massively disappointed with the thinking behind this cauldron logistic. I really love the design and the idea of 204 burning petals to come together as one large flame. I think this is the most potent and meaningful cauldron concept ever, and its visually appealing too. But all these falters when the designer fail to grasp the very essence and basis of the cauldron and Olympic flame, for it to be seen by Park wide visitors. One shouldnt compare it to 1988 Seoul Games, it is a different era and God knows why they have a small cauldron. But ever since then, all cauldrons have been big and visible and that is what people preferred, no matter how much conceptual idea you trying to argue to have in small and inside. I still cannot comprehend that LOCOG/ IOC approves of this, and that image of the rusty cherry picker, the old fella and the construction worker is going to stick with me at least, as that is the moment when the final cauldron was lit. I'm sorry as much as you deny it, that is the truth. I hope the petals can be fully cleaned and polished up before sending up to the NOC. Otherwise they will just be burned charred copper, not exactly the nicest souvenirs to take home to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 If I were in London, I would set up a photo booth near Olympic Park and charge people to have their photo taken with a photo of the cauldron. Love this. Hits the nail on the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevzz Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Model of the cauldron at the V&A exhibition http://www.dezeen.com/2012/07/31/london-2012-olympic-cauldron-by-thomas-heatherwick-model-and-drawings/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 This sculpture in Pioneer Place Shopping Ctr in Portland, OR remindes me of the cauldron concept. Would be nice if the cauldron "petals" and stalks were more to this scale, and then more visible to the park too. Of course it would be vastly more complicated to devise a mechanism to fold much larger arms into place (another reason to keep smaller), but for the olympics one would think it might be worth the effrot. Imagine how spectacular! Not like this guy isn't used to working on a larger scale. (unfortunately the Heatherwick sculpture bellow was ultimately dismanteled due to structural issues) The hoods (petals) also remind me of these David Weeks light fixtures, which I used in a lot of projects back in the 2000s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 It's an elegant and creative design. It is not a functional design. As a piece of sculpture, it's a success. As an Olympic cauldron it is a failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.x Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Not sure why Lord Coe wouldn't want the Olympic Cauldron to become London's mecca for 17-days....unless, he knows they screwed up and is trying to grasp at straws for an excuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexjc Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 It's an elegant and creative design. It is not a functional design. As a piece of sculpture, it's a success. As an Olympic cauldron it is a failure. Actually...yeah...good call, but as a cauldron should be placed in view...There should've been a Glass Wall at the back of where it now sits so we could at least have a view. This going to be one of the post games issues when everyone, including the GB Forum users, tear apart what is turning out to be a very average games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nykfan845 Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 The designer created his vision. He wanted this concept rather than a flame up high in the sky. The Seoul cauldron was inside the stadium, the London 1948 cauldron was in the same position. Im sure there have been others. This was the designers vision, and its his desision to make. Only coming on this tread have I even found out people have a problem with it. Being in the park nobody is walking round looking glum at the fact the flame is inside the stadium, nobody seems scared by it, nobody is being offered councilling. The concept is gorgeous, the lighing up there in the top 3. The design is the best ever in my opinion. Only people on this forum seem concerned by it Yes. Rah-rah London, whatever. The designer's vision thing is bullshit. What does that have to do with being publically seen? It's the freaking Olympic Cauldron. It's to be seen by everyone. The design may indeed be stunning but what the hell is the point if no one can see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY20?? Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 One of those huge, crowd-packed thoroughfares at the Olympic Park would've been the perfect place to move this cauldron to or have an identical one at. Though i'm not convinced it's the most aesthetically pleasing thing. It only looks nice from certain angles and the flame burns really unelegantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainad Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Actually...yeah...good call, but as a cauldron should be placed in view...There should've been a Glass Wall at the back of where it now sits so we could at least have a view. This going to be one of the post games issues when everyone, including the GB Forum users, tear apart what is turning out to be a very average games. Post games issues? It seems you're already busy tearing everything apart! But hey, don't let me stop you having your fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiFreak Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Would've been nice to see the cauldron in broadcasts when they cut to commercial, but so far during these games, no cauldron. Despite even Boris saying we'll be able to see it on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 It's Lord Coe's insistence that the cauldron is not "a tourist attraction" I find most troubling. That argument is very demeaning to the spectators, people who have spent a great deal of money to get to London and are caught up in Olympic fever. As some one else wrote (I forget who) the Games themselves are the ultimate tourist attraction. Isn't that a big part of why London wanted to host? They wanted their moment in the spotlight. They wanted the world to come to them, to marvel at all London has to offer. If the Games are the ultimate tourist attraction and the Olympic flame is THE iconic symbol of the Games (so much so that the IOC won't allow candidate cities to use images of the flame in their logos) then it had darn well better be on public display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 That's why I decided not to go to London this year. I just knew I wasn't going to be able to see the cauldron "live." Would've been nice to see the cauldron in broadcasts when they cut to commercial, but so far during these games, no cauldron. Despite even Boris saying we'll be able to see it on TV. NBC had one such moment in its broadcast this day so far. Have been watching 5+ hours of their daylight telecast. And in the evening telecast, they have opened after commercials with close-up shots of the friggin' cauldron. WHen it's all bunched together, it's not really a very inspiring cauldron design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyelBrazil Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 ^^I can't still believe NBC is the only source you guys in US can get to watch (video) the games on TV... Even down here in the third world we have 10+ HDTV (2 in Open-Air TV) channels with continuous live TV coverage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrack Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 It's not just NBC, but all networks that NBC owns. They are providing access online too. They're just not doing it very well and are very protective of the major sports. Example: All sports are available live and for replay online. However, if that event is going to air on the daily primetime coverage, then you can replay those events until after primetime coverage has aired on both coasts. So if I miss an event that airs live at 2:30p (and don't have tv), I can't watch the replay online until 3am the following day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyelBrazil Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 ^^Man, from the perspective of Brazilian - we are used to have all the sports events live (indeed, sometimes it annoys a bit in our TV), this is really sad from NBC. In my cable TV I have 10 channels with London 2012 24/7... And we don't need to pay more for it... Plus TV Record and Record News (both open-air) are broadcasting all Brazilian athletes main events live and many other boring sports (to a Brazilian audience) like fencing or badminton... For 2016, it's already confirmed we will have 3 of our 5 major open-air TV networks broadcasting the games live in HDTV Plus 6 Sportv, 5 ESPNs and at least 2 BandSports.... By 2016, all TV broadcasters in Brazil must be HDTV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 By 2016, all TV broadcasters in Brazil must be HDTV. Would they have HDTV in Rwanda? In the Maldives? In Haiti? Danny, I don't think the whole world's day revolves around TV. Not everyone and NOT every economy can always afford the latest technology ASAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nu4m Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 when does athletics officially start in the Stadium - tomorrow or the weekend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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