London 2012 Unveils Olympic Medal Designs

In addition to all the other festivities celebrating one year to go until next year's summer games, London 2012 also officially unveiled their medal designs. I personally really like them. I'm not sure what I expected but I was surprised that I liked them so much when I saw them. Well done London 20122! Here are some details that were outlined in their official press release regarding the unveiling...

To mark one year to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games, the London 2012 Olympic medals have been unveiled to the world tonight by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, and London 2012 Organizing Committee Chair Seb Coe, in the presence of IOC President Jacques Rogge and Coordination Commission Chairman Denis Oswald at a special ceremony in Trafalgar Square, London.

The Olympic medals, which are presented in recognition of the incredible achievement of outstanding athletes, will be made in Britain and have been designed by British artist David Watkins who is an established artist in the field of decorative art.

The Press Release went on to describe the medals further...

IOC President Jacques Rogge said: 'Highlighting the effort and achievement of the athletes, as well as the city where the Games are held, these beautiful medals will be a fitting reward for the Olympic medallists of 2012. It is the pinnacle of a sporting career to become an Olympic champion but I am confident that receiving one of these medals will make it all the more special in London next year. Congratulations to LOCOG for creating a design that will inspire the Olympians of 2012.'

The Olympic medals' circular form is a metaphor for the world. The front of the medal always depicts the same imagery at the summer Games – the Greek Goddess of Victory, Nike, stepping out of the Parthenon to arrive in the Host City.

The design for the reverse of the London 2012 Olympic medals contains five main symbolic elements:

• The dished background suggests a bowl similar to the design of an amphitheatre.
• The core emblem is an architectural expression, a metaphor for the modern City, or as a geological metaphor as a tough crystalline growth which is deliberately jewel like. 
• The grid brings both a pulling together and sense of outreach on the design – an image of radiating energy that represents the athletes’ achievements and effort.
• The River Thames is a symbol for London and also suggests a fluttering baroque ribbon and adds a sense of celebration. 
• The square is the final balancing motif of the design, opposing the overall circularity of the design and emphasising its focus on the centre and reinforcing the sense of ‘place’ as in a map inset.

The sport and discipline of the medal-winning athletes will be engraved on the rim of every medal.

I do find the line about the "circular form as a metaphor for the world" pretentious though. Of course it's round! All the summer Olympic medals are. But I digress...

You can read more details here: http://goo.gl/2nrpx