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Scene One
The designers morphed the Beijing symbol into a dancing figure reminiscent of the traditional Chinese practice of Tai chi, slow motion routines practiced together every morning in Chinese parks.
Next, the figure was given the shape of a traditional Chinese “chop” or seal. In China, an agreement, painting or contract is considered incomplete until the chop is applied.
The color red signifies prosperity, luck and good fortune. The finished logo above combines all the elements. The caligraphic type style was selected to resemble traditional Chinese caligraphy. The Olympic committee required one main logo and secondary logos for each of the games. Below are the logos for swimming, table tennis and equestrian events. Learn more about the logo design.
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I was recently lucky to be included in an exchange trip to China as one of 29 American designers. The trip was organized by the AIGA Center for Cross-Cultural Design (AIGA/XCD). We traveled to Beijing, Xian, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Among the most memorable experiences: an inside look at the process of Olympic logo design, talks with design educators, Chinese street life after a major catastrophe, and signs, everywhere signs of the future.
In Beijing, we visited the creators of the Olympic logo, AICI. (Armstrong International Corporate Identity’s name is inspired by Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, to signify the company’s commitment to leadership.) The design process, whose initial competition attracted almost 2,000 entrants, took two years. Evolution of the logo began with exploration of the Chinese character for Beijing (first frame, below left).
