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Rio 2016 Olympic Cauldron


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Although any two points are in a straight line, the "straight line from Maracana to Candelaria" thing is a myth. I suppose they could do it all with mirrors ....

I agree.
Imagine the fire a pot will go to the other is overkill.
But it would be nice some interaction . Two people ascending the cauldron is not new and not amazing.
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So the 2 cauldrons are gonna be lit at the same time, & are positioned so there's a straight line from the Port to Maracana...laser beam lighting?

The "straight Line" thing has NOThing to do with it. At some point, 2 relays will set out at a certain time. The relays will arrive at a coordinated time at both sites -- and the final lighters will already be waiting at both Maracana and down at the dockside site and light at say, 10:30 or 11:00 pm whenever it gets to be that time at Maracana. That's what wireless communication is for -- just coordinating and timing the 2 relays. None of this laser...connetion bullsh*t. You're making it more complicated than what will be a simple and easy m.o. of lighting.

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On 7/24/2016 at 0:20 AM, Nemo said:

Looks like a giant metal caterpillar. Maybe a tower of moving spoon like parts with a flame on top...

I believe this may be the work of Anthony Howe, a sculptor well known for its kinetic sculptures.

 

Spoiler Alert below:

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What I don't get about it is that it doesn't look specifically designed for the games. Like they just went into his shop and saw that one from Youtube and said we want that one. Get what I am saying. Usually the cauldron is specially designed for the olympics not just bought at Cauldrons'R'Us. Hopefully this is a decoy or at most part of the lighting mechanism. It's beautiful none the less but I mean for god's sake they spent money to fabricate the Pan Am cauldron from scratch they can at least do that for the Olympics.

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52 minutes ago, alphamale86 said:

What I don't get about it is that it doesn't look specifically designed for the games. Like they just went into his shop and saw that one from Youtube and said we want that one. Get what I am saying. Usually the cauldron is specially designed for the olympics not just bought at Cauldrons'R'Us. Hopefully this is a decoy or at most part of the lighting mechanism. It's beautiful none the less but I mean for god's sake they spent money to fabricate the Pan Am cauldron from scratch they can at least do that for the Olympics.

 
 
 
 
 

That thought did occur to me also.  As you said, someone in the Committee got his catalogue; sent an agent to the shop/warehouse.  "We want something that'll fit with 3 meters to spare"  How about this one in the corner.  And there's a bigger one outside!! 

(Love your "Cauldrons'R'Us comment!!)  B)

To which I would add: this Howe either has a good agent or has some great connections within Ceremonias Cariocas.  He must've given them a good deal -- two (the bigger permanent one at the Port Area) for the price of one!   I'd really be curious how much he got paid for something he already previously designed.  

There is this from his website: 

Quote

Anthony’s work is not available for commission. His process keeps him working through the nights in his remote island workshop. The pieces resulting from that work which are not sold are listed on this website in the ordering section.

From the "ORDERING" section:

I have five very large scale works between twenty two and thirty five feet high under fabrication at various facilities around the world including the Walla Walla Foundry in Walla Walla, Washington, Zahner in Kansas City, Missouri and also Huttinger in Nuremberg, Germany. They should be completed later in the year and will be posted on my website when done. Prices will most likely start at $250,000.00 USD for these new pieces.

No small scale work is available at this time nor is it commissionable.  

 
3
 

which means, if true, then it was NOT commissioned; and indeed bought from the surplus stock; and was ordered online!  :wacko: 

I wonder if shipping was free????

Edited by baron-pierreIV
For the heck of it!!
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I'm quite sure these spiraling wind-spoons were custom made for Rio. However; it's a bit lame that it's nothing original and many many others already exist in practically the same form. What I am curious about is how the flame will be incorporated with the wind-spoons. I don't imagine anyone would want the thing to turn black with soot so how will the flame present itself? It seems like it should be centered in the contraption but of course that would be the sootiest...and very similar to their last spherical thingy with a flame in the middle. And I want a BIG flame, hard to imagine how that happens in this spidery apparatus.

This thing already sort of looks ridiculous, too tricky, trying too hard, tacky, crafty, unwieldy, temporary and vulgar. But maybe it'll be light and airy, sparkle and not turn black?

Additionally, WHY do we know so much already about it, seems like they didn't even try to cover it up at the stadium.

 

 

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The thing is, I think Howe gave Rio 2016 a deal when they settled on an existing design but which coud be adapted with gas lines and from which flames could appear.  With hotel space and AA tickets to the Opening Ceremony, my guess is that Mrs. Howe, his manager-wife, negotiated a US$550,000 - 650,000 deal for the caldera.  That's just my guess.  A very nice deal for the Howes.  

Or I wonder if an RFP was even put out by the Committee?  

Edited by baron-pierreIV
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Are we pretty much sure that sculpture is going to be the cauldron? Will be disappointed that the cauldron is a piece of sculpture that's commercially available. And yet again a small cauldron that doesn't tower over the stadium. London's cauldron is pretty but failed in function. I miss the giant cauldrons!

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19 minutes ago, kevzz said:

Are we pretty much sure that sculpture is going to be the cauldron? Will be disappointed that the cauldron is a piece of sculpture that's commercially available. And yet again a small cauldron that doesn't tower over the stadium. London's cauldron is pretty but failed in function. I miss the giant cauldrons!

The intent of the London cauldron, sited in the same relative situation as the 1948 London cauldron, was to take the function of the cauldron back to what it had been in 1948, a focus for the main stadium, with the "visible over the city" IOC nonsense dealt with using video feeds. It looks as if Rio are trying a similar eco-modest strategy, but complying with IOC demands by siting their main cauldron at a significant (though not sport related) open space within the city.

The possible off-the-peg design has one benefit: it's a lot more difficult for some random designer to claim it was originally their idea.

 

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I would assume, and I'm giving Rio 2016 the benefit of the doubt, that they ran an RFP and Howe somehow won it, but using already his well-known designs and probably already having one or 2 adaptable models in his foundry.  I think this could be one of the more interesting back-stories of Rio 2016.  At least it wasn't a Russian artist picked.  Can you imagine if it had been a Russian artist?? :blink:

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I actually don't mind much having a big cauldron outside the stadium like in Sochi 2014. Thought they did a great job with the whole cauldron segment, especially all the torch bearers running alongside and the performers and props cheering the final torch bearer as they ran out of the stadium. Quite a neat touch. 

Unfotrunately it became quite anticlimactic when they were out in the cold and deserted plaza. Should have open it to the public so the cheering crowd surrounded the cauldron itself. 

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1 hour ago, kevzz said:

Are we pretty much sure that sculpture is going to be the cauldron? Will be disappointed that the cauldron is a piece of sculpture that's commercially available. And yet again a small cauldron that doesn't tower over the stadium. London's cauldron is pretty but failed in function. I miss the giant cauldrons!

I couldn't agree more. I keep hoping for a Barcelona style cauldron with the gigantic flame over the stadium. This might become a new tradition for me (Since in 2014 I claimed the cauldron tower was a red haring during a time where I was mentally incapacitated with internet access) but I am really hoping that the Howe sculpture thing is a decoy for a bigger more stunning cauldron. Of course, all evidence seems to point to the Howe piece being the cauldron, I'm just holding on to the smallest shred of doubt.

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9 minutes ago, Nemo said:

I couldn't agree more. I keep hoping for a Barcelona style cauldron with the gigantic flame over the stadium. This might become a new tradition for me (Since in 2014 I claimed the cauldron tower was a red haring during a time where I was mentally incapacitated with internet access) but I am really hoping that the Howe sculpture thing is a decoy for a bigger more stunning cauldron. Of course, all evidence seems to point to the Howe piece being the cauldron, I'm just holding on to the smallest shred of doubt.

 

The problem is, the covered stadia now precludes huge, hanging-on-the-side caldera -- esp if it's a flimsy covered stadium.  So Tokyo will be the same problem.  And Tokyo needs the roof more than say, RIo, because Japan's summer time is rainy.  So fuggedabout those big caldera for now attached to the stadia.  It will probably be split cauldrons...and multiple caldera have happened anyway in many past Winter Games.  What is the one constant thing in life?  Change.  

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There was a story on atr a few months ago that mentioned they were interested in a cauldron incorporating mirrors to make the flame appear bigger than it actually was .

I cant see this being an additional sculpture to fit next to the cauldron to enhance it. There doesnt seem a hell of alot behind that screen.

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2 hours ago, baron-pierreIV said:

The problem is, the covered stadia now precludes huge, hanging-on-the-side caldera -- esp if it's a flimsy covered stadium.  So Tokyo will be the same problem.  And Tokyo needs the roof more than say, RIo, because Japan's summer time is rainy.  So fuggedabout those big caldera for now attached to the stadia.  It will probably be split cauldrons...and multiple caldera have happened anyway in many past Winter Games.  What is the one constant thing in life?  Change.  

Well that's a good point, but I would love to see the large cauldrons outside the stadium in the park, similar to what Sochi did.

And speaking of Tokyo, does anybody think that the cauldron from the '64 games will make an appearance. I would cool to have it lit during the OC like what was done in Innsbruck.

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Wasn't the main cauldron/flame for the Doha games in the giant tower? That tower was so big the flame looked tiny. I like the cauldron from the ceremony, it's neat, it would have been cool to see it out in the park outside the stadium.

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2 minutes ago, AustralianFan said:

Yep, I was referring to their Stadium cauldron.

Gotcha. The stadium cauldron would have been epic if it was outside the stadium during the games

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