Pass the torch
There is a very strict ritual behind the lighting of the Olympic flame and the torch relay that follows. Lit by the sun's rays at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, the flame goes on a short relay around Greece, before being handed over to the host city at a ceremony in Athens. In the case of next year's Olympic Games, the flame will land on UK shores on 19 May 2012. It will then go on a 12 800 kilometre journey, carried by 8 000 torchbearers in a relay that lasts for 70 days, around the UK. On 27 July 2012 it will enter the Olympic stadium in London where the last torchbearer will light the cauldron, which will officially signify the start of the London Olympic Games.
The Olympic torch is one of the most powerful of the Olympic symbols – a dream project for any designer. For London 2012 it was BarberOsgerby who landed that job. "As designers this is quite simply the best project going – to design an icon for the Games," says Edward Barber, co-founder of BarberOsgerby.
Unveiled in June, the London 2012 torch is unlike any that has ever been created before. Standing at 80 centimetres tall, the golden triangular form, which is wider at the top and tapers in at the bottom, is perforated with 8 000 holes. Crafted from aluminium alloy, it weighs in at just 800 grams, including the fuel canister.
Earlier this year BarberOsgerby won the competitive tender run by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) and the Design Council, who set the brief for the torch. "One of the important Olympic values is to stretch, to go beyond your boundaries," says Mat Hunter, chief design officer at the Design Council who was also part of the judging panel. "The design of the torch not only had to be really innovative but also had to really push the boundaries. When we first saw BarberOsgerby's design there was something really stretching about it."
BarberOsgerby was founded by industrial designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby in 1996. Based in East London, the firm has developed furniture and products for a diverse range of international clients. Over the years they have received many accolades and awards for their work, which is often distinguished by clean, modern lines and technical craftsmanship.
In keeping with their design philosophy, the pair wanted to create a very simple yet innovative design for the Olympic torch. "It had to be remarkable, it had to be memorable. It also had to be something that the torchbearer would be very proud to run with and had to celebrate the celebratory nature of the games," says Barber.
Additionally, not only did they have to make it as light as possible, as more than half of the torchbearers would be aged between 12 and 24, they also wanted it to resemble a functional object, like a piece of sporting equipment.
"We also thought it was important to have a strong narrative in the design," explains Barber. This narrative revealed itself when the pair were scrutinising the brief. "The brief was a very hefty 85-page document with lots of things that we needed to consider that we had not even thought about. But lots of trinities became apparent in the document. For instance, it was the third time the Games would be held in London, the Olympic motto consists of three words, 'Faster, Higher, Stronger', and the three Olympic values are respect, excellence and friendship," he describes. "So we decided on a soft triangular form. Also, from a practical perspective, a triangle gives better grip."
They knew that they wanted the torch to be made out of one material – metal – as it can withstand the heat of the flame. The perforations then came about from thinking about how the torch could be made to be as light as possible. Additionally, the holes would also help dissipate the heat. "We didn't want something that would conduct the heat from the top where the flame is down to the torchbearer's hand. That challenge was somewhat answered by the perforations. Air moves through the torch and the perforations allow the metal to cool and so the torch never gets hot," explains Barber. "The other thing about the perforations is that they add a level of grip if running in the rain."
Click to view high resolution of the 2012 Olympic Torch
When they were designing the model they realised that the structure had over 7800 perforations. They decided to make it exactly 8000. "We redesigned the pattern so that the final concept had 8000 holes, a hole for each one of the torchbearers," says Barber. This was, of course, another narrative in the torch – that they were able to reflect each one of the runners who would be carrying the flame around the UK next summer.
The holes also give the torch a great transparency, as you can see right into the heart of it where the propane-butane gas canister is located. "Previous torches have been very solid but being able to see through it in places and see the burner gives it a whole new dimension," comments Hunter. "In product terms, almost in the same way that the first iMacs with their bright, transparent colours set a new expectation of what a desktop computer might look like, BarberOsgerby has managed to move the torch forward and make it more fascinating with a physical form that has more holes than structure."
Aluminium was chosen as the material, mainly due to its lightweight yet very strong qualities. This special aluminium alloy, which is used in the aerospace and automotive industries, is then gold plated. This may seem out of the ordinary for a design firm that doesn't do 'bling', but a steel finish wouldn't have had the same effect. "We chose gold because it makes quite a statement," explains Barber.
For Hunter, the gold is ideal because not only is it striking for those who see it 'in the flesh', but also for those who will see it on television. With the light reflected off it, as well as camera flashes, the surface of the torch will have a sparkly appearance.
There is no doubt that this is a modern torch – "a torch of our times", as Barber puts it. Of course, each Olympic torch is different and often created to represent the host country and tell a certain story in the design.
"Some Olympic torches haven't stood the test of time, I think. Either they have appeared a bit faddish in terms of an aesthetic style from a particular era, or they have attempted to pick up a certain design or architectural element," explains Hunter. "I think BarberOsgerby's torch has strong British design values about it – it's very simple and modern yet has a great humanity and certain quirkiness."
BarberOsgerby not only wanted to make it modern in appearance but also to use advanced technology in its production. Initially they envisioned it being made using an additive manufacturing process whereby objects are built up from 3D model data, layer upon layer. "But when we finally won the product and realised that there would be 8 000 torches to manufacture, it was too much of a risk to go down this untested route," comments Barber.
Despite this, they still wanted to use the very latest production techniques. "Although we used a more conventional manufacturing process, it's still pretty cutting-edge technology," Barber says. "The technology that is able to punch all those holes at such a fast speed has only become available in the past year."
There was no question about the torch being made in the UK as it was an ideal opportunity to showcase British engineering and production excellence. "It was essential that it was British," adds Barber. "Britain is a leader in the design world and we are also leading the way in technology, so it made total sense to get it engineered and produced here."
After sketching to card models, through to creating a few proof-of-concept prototypes using stereolithography, it was time to get Tecosim, the product engineers, and The Premier Group, the manufacturers, involved in order to help bring their torch to life. As Barber says, it was incredibly challenging for Tecosim to engineer, but BarberOsgerby were closely involved in the engineering phase to ensure that the design wasn't compromised in anyway. "Having designed it, our job was to guard that design," he says. "We are the guardians of the original concept."
Once it was manufactured it then underwent extensive testing to ensure the design was robust enough. BMW provided the use of its climatic testing facility in Munich for this purpose. The resulting prototype is made of two 'skins' of aluminium alloy, one on the outside and one on the inside, which have the holes punched into them. They are then bent and welded together
and held in place by a cast top piece and base.
The prototype of the London 2012 Olympic torch was officially unveiled in London at an event in St Pancras International station in June. Most feedback has been positive. Sebastian Coe, chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, referred to it as a "beautifully designed, engineered and crafted torch", while Nicolas Serota, director of the Tate and London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Board member, commented that it was "elegant, light and understated" and "shows the flair and confidence of contemporary British design and manufacture".
But, of course, being such an important symbol, everyone has a view and a few negatives are inevitable. "We've had 99 per cent positive feedback. I have heard it being referred to as a cheese grater. I can live with that," smiles Barber.
Ultimately, however, Barber says of the final design, "We couldn't be happier. It's definitely one of the most favourite things I've ever done."
*This article was originally published by Curve, and it has been republished with permission. Written by Tanya Weaver.
The Olympic torch is one of the most powerful of the Olympic symbols – a dream project for any designer. For London 2012 it was BarberOsgerby who landed that job. "As designers this is quite simply the best project going – to design an icon for the Games," says Edward Barber, co-founder of BarberOsgerby.
Unveiled in June, the London 2012 torch is unlike any that has ever been created before. Standing at 80 centimetres tall, the golden triangular form, which is wider at the top and tapers in at the bottom, is perforated with 8 000 holes. Crafted from aluminium alloy, it weighs in at just 800 grams, including the fuel canister.
Earlier this year BarberOsgerby won the competitive tender run by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) and the Design Council, who set the brief for the torch. "One of the important Olympic values is to stretch, to go beyond your boundaries," says Mat Hunter, chief design officer at the Design Council who was also part of the judging panel. "The design of the torch not only had to be really innovative but also had to really push the boundaries. When we first saw BarberOsgerby's design there was something really stretching about it."
BarberOsgerby was founded by industrial designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby in 1996. Based in East London, the firm has developed furniture and products for a diverse range of international clients. Over the years they have received many accolades and awards for their work, which is often distinguished by clean, modern lines and technical craftsmanship.
In keeping with their design philosophy, the pair wanted to create a very simple yet innovative design for the Olympic torch. "It had to be remarkable, it had to be memorable. It also had to be something that the torchbearer would be very proud to run with and had to celebrate the celebratory nature of the games," says Barber.
Additionally, not only did they have to make it as light as possible, as more than half of the torchbearers would be aged between 12 and 24, they also wanted it to resemble a functional object, like a piece of sporting equipment.
"We also thought it was important to have a strong narrative in the design," explains Barber. This narrative revealed itself when the pair were scrutinising the brief. "The brief was a very hefty 85-page document with lots of things that we needed to consider that we had not even thought about. But lots of trinities became apparent in the document. For instance, it was the third time the Games would be held in London, the Olympic motto consists of three words, 'Faster, Higher, Stronger', and the three Olympic values are respect, excellence and friendship," he describes. "So we decided on a soft triangular form. Also, from a practical perspective, a triangle gives better grip."
They knew that they wanted the torch to be made out of one material – metal – as it can withstand the heat of the flame. The perforations then came about from thinking about how the torch could be made to be as light as possible. Additionally, the holes would also help dissipate the heat. "We didn't want something that would conduct the heat from the top where the flame is down to the torchbearer's hand. That challenge was somewhat answered by the perforations. Air moves through the torch and the perforations allow the metal to cool and so the torch never gets hot," explains Barber. "The other thing about the perforations is that they add a level of grip if running in the rain."
Click to view high resolution of the 2012 Olympic Torch
When they were designing the model they realised that the structure had over 7800 perforations. They decided to make it exactly 8000. "We redesigned the pattern so that the final concept had 8000 holes, a hole for each one of the torchbearers," says Barber. This was, of course, another narrative in the torch – that they were able to reflect each one of the runners who would be carrying the flame around the UK next summer.
The holes also give the torch a great transparency, as you can see right into the heart of it where the propane-butane gas canister is located. "Previous torches have been very solid but being able to see through it in places and see the burner gives it a whole new dimension," comments Hunter. "In product terms, almost in the same way that the first iMacs with their bright, transparent colours set a new expectation of what a desktop computer might look like, BarberOsgerby has managed to move the torch forward and make it more fascinating with a physical form that has more holes than structure."
Aluminium was chosen as the material, mainly due to its lightweight yet very strong qualities. This special aluminium alloy, which is used in the aerospace and automotive industries, is then gold plated. This may seem out of the ordinary for a design firm that doesn't do 'bling', but a steel finish wouldn't have had the same effect. "We chose gold because it makes quite a statement," explains Barber.
For Hunter, the gold is ideal because not only is it striking for those who see it 'in the flesh', but also for those who will see it on television. With the light reflected off it, as well as camera flashes, the surface of the torch will have a sparkly appearance.
There is no doubt that this is a modern torch – "a torch of our times", as Barber puts it. Of course, each Olympic torch is different and often created to represent the host country and tell a certain story in the design.
"Some Olympic torches haven't stood the test of time, I think. Either they have appeared a bit faddish in terms of an aesthetic style from a particular era, or they have attempted to pick up a certain design or architectural element," explains Hunter. "I think BarberOsgerby's torch has strong British design values about it – it's very simple and modern yet has a great humanity and certain quirkiness."
BarberOsgerby not only wanted to make it modern in appearance but also to use advanced technology in its production. Initially they envisioned it being made using an additive manufacturing process whereby objects are built up from 3D model data, layer upon layer. "But when we finally won the product and realised that there would be 8 000 torches to manufacture, it was too much of a risk to go down this untested route," comments Barber.
Despite this, they still wanted to use the very latest production techniques. "Although we used a more conventional manufacturing process, it's still pretty cutting-edge technology," Barber says. "The technology that is able to punch all those holes at such a fast speed has only become available in the past year."
There was no question about the torch being made in the UK as it was an ideal opportunity to showcase British engineering and production excellence. "It was essential that it was British," adds Barber. "Britain is a leader in the design world and we are also leading the way in technology, so it made total sense to get it engineered and produced here."
After sketching to card models, through to creating a few proof-of-concept prototypes using stereolithography, it was time to get Tecosim, the product engineers, and The Premier Group, the manufacturers, involved in order to help bring their torch to life. As Barber says, it was incredibly challenging for Tecosim to engineer, but BarberOsgerby were closely involved in the engineering phase to ensure that the design wasn't compromised in anyway. "Having designed it, our job was to guard that design," he says. "We are the guardians of the original concept."
Once it was manufactured it then underwent extensive testing to ensure the design was robust enough. BMW provided the use of its climatic testing facility in Munich for this purpose. The resulting prototype is made of two 'skins' of aluminium alloy, one on the outside and one on the inside, which have the holes punched into them. They are then bent and welded together
and held in place by a cast top piece and base.
The prototype of the London 2012 Olympic torch was officially unveiled in London at an event in St Pancras International station in June. Most feedback has been positive. Sebastian Coe, chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, referred to it as a "beautifully designed, engineered and crafted torch", while Nicolas Serota, director of the Tate and London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Board member, commented that it was "elegant, light and understated" and "shows the flair and confidence of contemporary British design and manufacture".
But, of course, being such an important symbol, everyone has a view and a few negatives are inevitable. "We've had 99 per cent positive feedback. I have heard it being referred to as a cheese grater. I can live with that," smiles Barber.
Ultimately, however, Barber says of the final design, "We couldn't be happier. It's definitely one of the most favourite things I've ever done."
*This article was originally published by Curve, and it has been republished with permission. Written by Tanya Weaver.
