Jump to content

Rio 2016 Olympic Cauldron


Recommended Posts

Having an inside cauldron would be reasonable if the main stadium was totally indoor like in Vancouver, but after London commited and defended their idea of not having the flame as a "touristic attraction" with an open stadium ot would be very nonsense to repeat the same error and defending it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem is that Rio doesn't have a real alternative, Mau. London had one - because the Olympic Stadium's roof wasn't that obtrusive, a flame on top of an external cauldron tower would have been visible for quite many among the stadium audience. Additionally, London (unlike Rio) actually had enough space around the Olympic Stadium to construct such a tower.

If one finds a solution how to put a cauldron on that very fragile-looking roof at Maracana Stadium, I'd gladly accept it. I'm no fan of yet another "indoor" cauldron either. But I have big doubts whether there really is an alternative.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess since Olympic Stadiums started to have 360º roofs over the tribunes cauldrons have become a complete headache :wacko:

Remember a cauldron is just a ceremonial/decorative thing that is needed only for 17 days. It should NOT determine whether a 360-deg roof should be installed or not. They can always make adjustments for such a temporary thing as a cauldron. It ISN'T the be-all of an Olympic Games.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Then why have a cauldron at all? It's historically been the climax of the OC -- the Olympics' biggest night. If it's such a trivial thing, why make such a big deal out of it in the OC? If the cauldron is merely an inconvenience and an afterthought for Games organizers, then it might as well be eliminated as a symbol. Simplify everyone's lives.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remember a cauldron is just a ceremonial/decorative thing that is needed only for 17 days. It should NOT determine whether a 360-deg roof should be installed or not. They can always make adjustments for such a temporary thing as a cauldron. It ISN'T the be-all of an Olympic Games.

Yes, but it's still important, if it's inside people will complain that visitors can't see it, if it's outside people in the stadium will complain that they couldn't see the cauldron lighting. Obviously if you're going to build an olympic stadium pointing to OLYMPICS you must take that in count.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, but it's still important, if it's inside people will complain that visitors can't see it, if it's outside people in the stadium will complain that they couldn't see the cauldron lighting. Obviously if you're going to build an olympic stadium pointing to OLYMPICS you must take that in count.

Don't worry. There are experienced people at the helm of ceremonies. They will find a way. If some people won't like it; tough titties.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Then why have a cauldron at all? It's historically been the climax of the OC -- the Olympics' biggest night. If it's such a trivial thing, why make such a big deal out of it in the OC? If the cauldron is merely an inconvenience and an afterthought for Games organizers, then it might as well be eliminated as a symbol. Simplify everyone's lives.

Silly response to Baron's post. It's not a case of designing the whole stadium or its roof around the cauldron or else not bothering. There's a huge amount of middle ground for creative people to work in.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Silly response to Baron's post. It's not a case of designing the whole stadium or its roof around the cauldron or else not bothering. There's a huge amount of middle ground for creative people to work in.

That's what I meant...u just said it differently. ANd u quoted Athens, not me...so, the silly response is really to him then?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

from what i can see the RIO2016 organizers between a rock and a hard place. opting for a 'tower' cauldron does not work for maracana due ti the lack of space and the fact that it's not in the Olympic park give the more reason for the super-fan to complain about, the 'London' type cauldron might be the only solution but there is the problem of visibility to the people outside and also a problem of moving the thing it a match setting after the OC. the 'Vancouver' compromise is won't work as it defeat the purpose of the whole thing. why do we need to light the cauldrun at the OC if there a 'fux' cauldrun being lit somewhere by a man in the back of a pickup truck. ?

if me an obvious solution will a light the stadium on fire. the cauldron will be the rim of the maracana stadium. you get the visibility of Beijing et al, and the intimacy of london

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ilustrado, the IOC charter says that the "cauldron-lighting" must be visible to the Tribune of Honor (the VIPs) and most of the OC audience who paid gazillions to attend the evening's spectacle. So it will be somewhere on the floor. That is the focal point of the 80,000 first-nighters. They can then relight it elsewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem is that Rio doesn't have a real alternative, Mau. London had one - because the Olympic Stadium's roof wasn't that obtrusive, a flame on top of an external cauldron tower would have been visible for quite many among the stadium audience. Additionally, London (unlike Rio) actually had enough space around the Olympic Stadium to construct such a tower.

If one finds a solution how to put a cauldron on that very fragile-looking roof at Maracana Stadium, I'd gladly accept it. I'm no fan of yet another "indoor" cauldron either. But I have big doubts whether there really is an alternative.

You are claiming about "fragile" roof structure and in fact, the structure is not fragile at all...

Still, I'm not sure how much weight the structure is able to support, and that's why I think the cauldron can be really internal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Silly response to Baron's post. It's not a case of designing the whole stadium or its roof around the cauldron or else not bothering. There's a huge amount of middle ground for creative people to work in.

First, the exaggerated tone of my earlier post was intentional.

Second, of course you don't have to design the stadium around the cauldron. However, if the cauldron is going to continue to be the climax of the biggest night of the Games, if it is going to continue to be the one symbol that Olympic bids may not incorporate in their logos because it is so important, then it deserves careful planning and forethought, certainly more planning and forethought that London demonstrated.

For me, London's cauldron was a failure. It felt like an afterthought that was squeezed into a convenient corner. Yes, the design of the cauldron itself was interesting, but it was not widely visible (in fact, it was all but invisible for the first week) and was intentionally extinguished after the OC. Every other consideration took precedence over the visibility of the primary Olympic symbol. I would hate to see a repeat of that in Rio.

If Rio does choose to follow London's lead and the cauldron is only visible for a couple football matches, I think that the importance of the cauldron as an Olympic symbol should be seriously reevaluated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Danny I saw on the news the roof supports a few tons of weight on top. Either way I don't think the cauldron would look good up there. I'm expecting more like the PAG sun cauldron, I wouldn't be surprised if they redesign it and make it better, it looked pretty good. Maracana is among the shortest Olympic stadiums so I don't expect a huge cauldron either, it'd block alot of people . Another idea is moving the cauldron to the Olympic Stadium since most events will be held there(?) no point on keeping it at Maracanã for soccer matches.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally, I think it's too early to speculate much on the cauldron, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see multiple ones spread across the Rio venues.

Exactly, indeed, because it was already announced Maracana will return to works after the World Cup to starts prepartions for Olympic Ceremonies, which means, things will be changes after World Cup...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think it will really matter that Maracana has no running track as additional stage area. I mean, Athens and London concentrated the artistic segments of their opening ceremonies mainly in an oval space in the middle of the infield (Athens had the pool, London had the elevated "Isles of Wonder" stage), without using the running track area excessively.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...