This website has been archived and is no longer updated.

The content featured is no longer current and is being made available to the general public for research and historical information purposes only.
 
 
What will it look like? How will it work? I've got a great idea and I want to test it out. First I need to decide what I want it to do. Then I'll make a model and see if it works.

   
  The person who says this is about to start designing. Designing is the part of the innovation cycle that will turn the sum of your ideas and research into a product, system or environment.

Design determines how an innovation works and looks, how people use it, how it's made, what it's made from, even how it's packaged. At the end of the line, design also determines how a product is disposed of - or whether it can be recycled or reused.

The user reacts to design in two important ways: first by assigning all sorts of values (like status, sexiness and desirability) to external appearance; and second by assessing how performance measures up to expectation.

A designer needs to understand the practical and visual requirements as described in the brief. Investigating possible solutions, modelling, testing and evaluating the results ensure the final design meets as many of these requirements as possible.

Design Institute of Australia http://www.dia.org.au/DIA2000menu.cfm
Design Council UK http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/design/
Exploring design and innovation http://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/exploring/home.html
 



 Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch — a unique design project

The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games was an important event in the history of Sydney and Australia. Sydney's infrastructure and organisational abilities were under scrutiny from all 199 nations (10 651 athletes) attending the Games. The Games were declared the 'best games ever'. In addition to the accomplishments of athletes in the stadium, there were significant achievements in Australian design and technology leading up to the Games. One of these was the development of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch.

The torch featured many design and technology elements that had not been used in earlier Olympic torches. Several groups collaborated in its development. The exterior was designed by Blue Sky Design, modelling was done by Box and Dice and manufacturing by GA & L Harrington, all based in Sydney. The innovative fuel combustion system was researched and developed by Adelaide University and Fuel & Combustion Technology Pty Ltd.

The torch received recognition around the country, including an Australian Design Award. It became an icon of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and took its place in the collection and exhibition of the Olympic Museum in Switzerland alongside all other Olympic torches. The design of the torch was integral to the innovation and to its impact.


 
 
The Olympic torch. Gift of the New South Wales Government. Part of the Sydney 2000 Games Collection. Click to view enlarged image
The Olympic torch. Gift of the New South Wales Government. Part of the Sydney 2000 Games Collection.
 
Introduction

Celebrations erupted on 23 September 1993 when Sydney was announced as the host city for the 2000 Olympic Games. From then until the Games opened, many Australians worked hard to make the Games succeed.

The torch relay is important in the lead-up to each Olympic Games. Every relay begins when a sacred flame is lit from the sun's rays in Greece. The flame then travels to the host city, and its arrival signals the beginning of the Games. The first torch relay of the modern Olympic Games was conducted in 1936 in Berlin. It was inspired by ancient Greek traditions described in drawings and writings.

The Sydney 2000 torch relay was the longest ever. The flame travelled 27 000km from Greece to Sydney via several Pacific islands and many towns in Australia. Cathy Freeman, who later won an Olympic gold medal, was the last to carry the flame and used it to light the Olympic Cauldron.

Every country that hosts the Games designs its own torch. The Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) wanted the torch to become an icon of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and represent Australia's skills in manufacturing and design.
It is a policy of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that all aspects associated with the Torch reflect the culture of the country hosting the Olympic Games. It is considered imperative that Australian organisations are involved in this design and development process to assist in the promotion of Australia's future vision and demonstration of local technical capabilities.
Olympic Torch Relay - Handheld Torch and Portable Cauldrons,
Invitation for Proposal, SOCOG, 1998.
Sydney Morning Herald Sydney 2000 Torch Relay news site (archive) http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/torchrelay/

   
 
Mark Armstrong. Courtesy Blue Sky Design
Mark Armstrong. Courtesy Blue Sky Design
 
The design brief

November 1998 SOCOG invited forty firms to participate in the tender to design and manufacture the Olympic Torch. One of the companies that responded to the tender was Blue Sky Design, based in Sydney.
The Olympic torch was a piece of industrial design that had a fascination for industrial designers.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design.
The torch design brief was a thorough document that outlined the aesthetic and technical requirements for the torch. The design had to embody the spirits of Sydney, Australia, the athlete, Olympia, innovation and sustainability. It had to be safe and easy to use, and stay alight even if it was upside down.

The torch had to be simple, lightweight (less than 1.5kg) and low in cost. It had to produce a highly visible flame that would burn for at least 20 minutes with efficient use of fuel and minimum emissions. The torch had to operate in rain or hail, winds up to 65km/h and temperatures from -5°C to 45°C. It would need to travel in different environments and via different means of transport including boat, bicycle, canoe and horse.

Production of 14 000 torches and 1000 commemorative torches had to be completed by March 2000. Prototypes needed to be ready in February 1999 to be launched in March 1999.
Our first response was to say, yes, this was something we wanted to win, so we formulated a design strategy to win the tender. In fact, it turned out that winning the tender was the actual design process.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design.

   
 
Concept sketches for the torch design. Courtesy Olympic Co-ordination Authority and Blue Sky Design. Click to view enlarged image
Concept sketches for the torch design. Courtesy Olympic Co-ordination Authority and Blue Sky Design.


The hunting boomerangs that inspired the designs. Click to vew enlarged image
The hunting boomerangs that inspired the designs
 
The innovation

The first step for Blue Sky Design in approaching the Olympic Torch project was to assemble a team. The company quickly formed partnerships with the best people in the fields required. Blue Sky collaborated with RMIT University Centre for Design to address the environmental aspects of the torch design. Manufacturers GA & L Harrington joined the collaboration along with Box and Dice model makers. Blue Sky approached Phillips Electronics to provide financial backing for the design and development process.
When you win a tender you have to have a team with all the right skills. So that was how we responded, was first collate the very best partners we could, and have a winning team.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design.
Investigation

Blue Sky Design had never designed an Olympic torch before. To understand the history and tradition of the Olympic torch, the designers began by doing research. They analysed the design and technology used in each of the previous Olympic torches and learnt from problems other countries had experienced. For information about Olympic torches used before Sydney 2000, see the International Olympic Memorabilia Federation http://www.collectors.olympic.org/e/fimo/fimo_torches_e.html.

To address the look described in the brief the designers focused on the different 'spirits' suggested: of Sydney, innovation, Olympia, the athlete and sustainability. Blue Sky created image boards for each of the different aspects. The spirit of Sydney included the Opera House sails and the water of Sydney harbour. Innovation included the orbital engine and the Victa lawnmower. The spirit of the athlete was 'higher, faster, stronger'.
It's something of our culture with the Opera House and the lightness. It had to be sporty like a Kevlar racing bike. It had to be unique and surprising… like a Sarich engine or a piece of biomedical equipment … that's a little bit about Australia's culture as well.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design.
These image boards helped to inspire the designers when creating the initial design drawings. The senior designer for the project was Robert Jurgens. He began by making sketches to try and embody all the characteristics required of the brief.

The designers looked for inspiration in natural and built environments to help develop a strategy that would appeal to the judging committee. Another significant influence was the shape of the hunting boomerang that they had in the studio as they were developing the designs.
[We wanted to] convey the curve of the boomerang without making it too obvious.
Robert Jurgens, Senior Designer, Blue Sky Design.
All that stuff had to come out in the early sketches, and then we modelled up four designs in our tender because we weren't quite sure which way to go.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design.
   
 
The four designs submitted by Blue Sky. Courtesy Olympic Co-ordination Authority and Blue Sky Design. Click to view enlarged image
The four designs submitted by Blue Sky. Courtesy Olympic Co-ordination Authority and Blue Sky Design.
 
Developing alternative solutions

Blue Sky Design submitted four designs with its tender application. Each one addressed a different combination of the design elements from the brief. The first design had a high tech approach with a carbon fibre handle. The second design was more traditional, with a wooden handle and the Opera House sails in a cup around the flame. The third design was inspired by the athlete and the shape of a boomerang. The fourth design was symbolic, with the outer layer representing the white sails of the Opera House and the inner blue layer the waters of the harbour, with the shape inspired by the hunting boomerang.
   
 
The chosen design. Courtesy Olympic Co-ordination Authority and Blue Sky Design.  Click to view enlarged image
The chosen design. Courtesy Olympic Co-ordination Authority and Blue Sky Design.
 
Choosing a solution

It took Blue Sky Design six weeks from receiving the brief to submitting its proposal to SOCOG. It was chosen as one of four submissions to progress to the final selection round.

The designers focussed on one design in the final round. From their interviews with the SOCOG committee, they decided that the symbolic design would be the one that would most satisfy the committee and the brief.
   
 
The centre core of the model was machined from a solid piece of aluminium. Courtesy Box and Dice Pty Ltd. Click to view enlarged image
The centre core of the model was machined from a solid piece of aluminium. Courtesy Box and Dice Pty Ltd.


The plastic inner shell after vacuum forming. Courtesy Box and Dice Pty Ltd. Click to view enlarged image
The plastic inner shell after vacuum forming. Courtesy Box and Dice Pty Ltd.


The shells were finished before being stuck together to form the model. Courtesy Box and Dice Pty Ltd. Click to view enlarged image
The shells were finished before being stuck together to form the model. Courtesy Box and Dice Pty Ltd.
 
Modelling

For the final selection round, Blue Sky Design decided to produce a model. This was to help the selection committee and the designers visualise the final product. Blue Sky refined the torch design using computer-aided design (CAD) and then emailed the CAD file to Box and Dice model makers.

Box and Dice machined all the parts for the model. The centre core was made from aluminium and then used to form the shape of the plastic inner and outer shells. The model makers Allan Ismay and Rick Perrior decided that when the three layers were put together the torch looked too long. They also decided that the angles of the layers at the top of the torch didn't look right. So in discussion with Mark Armstrong they changed the design as they modelled it, making it shorter and changing the angle of the outside layer so more of the blue layer could be seen. The outer surface of the torch was treated using a water-based printing process that created layers and textures on the surface.
We knew we had to have an exotic surface - just to have anything… because just to have a metal shape, or a plastic shape is nothing… we were searching for finishes and materials that we could embody the design with, and enrich it.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design.
The model weighed about 5 kg. Box and Dice hollowed out the aluminium core and inserted a grille in the top to simulate a burner. The three sections were glued together, a traditional model-making technique. Box and Dice made a clear plastic stand in the shape of a hand to present the torch to the Committee.

Blue Sky Design presented the model to the SOCOG Torch Review Committee, along with a lifecycle analysis of the torch and documentation about emissions, flame burn and manufacturing costs. The design was sent to the International Olympic Committee for approval, and Blue Sky was selected as the firm to continue with the torch design and development. The winning design, conceived by Blue Sky Design senior designer Robert Jurgens and creative director Mark Armstrong, was unveiled in March 1999.
   
 
The perspex torch model being tested in a water tunnel. Courtesy Adelaide University Turbulence, Energy and Combustion Group. Click to view enlarged image
The perspex torch model being tested in a water tunnel. Courtesy Adelaide University Turbulence, Energy and Combustion Group.


The effect of wind on the torch flame. Courtesy Adelaide University Turbulence, Energy and Combustion Group. Click to view enlarged image
The effect of wind on the torch flame. Courtesy Adelaide University Turbulence, Energy and Combustion Group.


The wooden punch and steel die used to make prototypes for testing. Courtesy GA & L Harrington. Click to view enlarged image
The wooden punch and steel die used to make prototypes for testing. Courtesy GA & L Harrington.


This draw die was used to form the torch shape during manufacturing. Courtesy GA & L Harrington. Click to view enlarged image
This draw die was used to form the torch shape during manufacturing. Courtesy GA & L Harrington.
 
Testing

Adelaide University and Fuel & Combustion Technology Pty Ltd (FCT) were commissioned by SOCOG through a separate tender process to develop the burner system for the torch. Through an extensive research and development process, they created a system that resulted in a new patent. The torch was prototyped and tested intensively to ensure it satisfied the technical requirements within the constraints of the exterior design. The torch shape was tested in a water tunnel to check its aerodynamics. The shape of the flame and its ability to stay alight in different environments were also tested. The manufacturer, GA & L Harrington, was closely involved in the prototyping process. For more information about the design and development of the burner system see Turbulence, Energy and Combustion Group at university of Adelaide http://www.tec.adelaide.edu.au

Manufacturing

Once the torch design had been selected, GA & L Harrington began the manufacturing process. This presented challenges because there were no engineering drawings to work from. The engineers had to use the model made by Box and Dice, along with the design brief, to identify potential problems and solutions for the manufacture of the torch.

The problems they had to overcome included the difficulty of forming the three curved shells of the torch in the chosen materials, particularly the stainless steel inner layer. The middle and outer layers were made from aluminium. Fitting the three shells together and producing the correct colours and texture finishes was also difficult. Special micro-machining techniques were developed to manufacture the choke that regulated the gas flow in the torch. The torch design was fine-tuned in consultation with Blue Sky to ensure the combustion system fitted inside the torch. For more information about how GA & L Harrington solved these problems see http://www.galharrington.com.au/torch.htm.


   
 
Pat Rafter with the Olympic Torch.Pat Rafter with the Olympic torch. Photo by Mike Ke in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Olympic rings. This was a fantastic promotional opportunity for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and an exciting moment for the crowd. Click to view enlarged image
Pat Rafter with the Olympic torch in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Olympic rings. This was a fantastic promotional opportunity for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and an exciting moment for the crowd. Photo by Mike Keating. Copyright News Limited - www.newsphotos.com.au.


The Olympic torch design project culminated in the dramatic lighting of the Olympic cauldron by Cathy Freeman at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony. Copyright News Limited - www.newsphotos.com.au. Click to view enlarged image
The Olympic torch design project culminated in the dramatic lighting of the Olympic cauldron by Cathy Freeman at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony. Copyright News Limited - www.newsphotos.com.au.
 
The impacts

Olympic torches were carried by 10 000 people in Australia and another 2 000 in Oceania and Greece. The flame and torch travelled through all states to within a one hour drive of 85% of the Australian population. As the torch travelled through the country, 188 community festivals were staged around community cauldrons lit by the flame. The torch relay began on 12 May 2000 and finished on 15 September 2000 when the Olympic cauldron was lit and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games began.

The torch relay created excitement and anticipation in the lead-up to the Games. Some of the design team were given the opportunity to run in the relay, including Mark Armstrong and John Harrington. Mark Armstrong was amazed to see the effect the torch had on the crowd. People clamoured to hold the torch and have their photograph taken with it. The torch was a powerful tool for building enthusiasm for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
I was shocked … that people could just be so caught up in a flame on a stick. It's still just a piece of industrial design, it's a piece of engineering, it's a nice looking thing, that's it. But… when I was there in the torch relay I really had a lump in my throat. It was just incredible to see how much it meant to other people, which I didn't realise.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design.
The Olympic Torch won an Australian Design Award in 2000 for Industrial Design. The SOCOG committee was so impressed with the design process used for the torch that it requested the same team of people create the community cauldrons and the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Torch.
This outstanding collaboration has resulted in a finely resolved and ergonomically sound product, which meets both the technical and symbolic requirements of the brief.
Judges' citation for the Australian Design Award for Industrial Design 2000.

For us at Blue Sky the project has been very special and uplifting. The team just "clicked" and each member from the designers to the production engineers has demonstrated a passion for the project which is quite extraordinary.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design.
ABC Torch Relay Archive — Stories about people's relay experiencehttp://http://abc.net.au/torch/
Newsphotos Torch Relay Photo Archive http://www.newsphotos.com.au/

   
 
Links and references


Blue Sky Creative http://www.blueskycreative.com.au/default.html
Box and Dice http://www.boxanddice.com.au
GA & Harrington http://www.galharrington.com.au/indexl.html
Turbulence, Energy and Combustion Group at University of Adelaide http://www.tec.adelaide.edu.au
FCT International http://www.fctinternational.com
Australian Design Awards http://www.designawards.com.au/ADA/99-00/INDUSTRIAL%20DESIGN/030/030.HTM
The Lab — Olympic Torch Technology http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/torch/default.htm
ABC Torch Relay Archive — Stories about people's relay experience http://http://abc.net.au/torch/
Newsphotos Torch Relay Photo Archive http://www.newsphotos.com.au/
Powerhouse Museum Sydney 2000 Games Collection http://www.phm.gov.au/sydney2000games
Exploring design and innovation http://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/exploring/home.html
Design Institute of Australia http://www.dia.org.au/DIA2000menu.cfm
Design Council UK http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/design
True-blue design, the story of Australia's Olympic Torch', MultiCAD Magazine, Vol 8 No 5 June 2000 http://www.quantumbooks.com/Creativity.html
TAS August 2000 Forum', The Australian Standard, Standards Australia International Ltd, August 2000 http://www.quantumbooks.com/Creativity.html

'True-blue design, the story of Australia's Olympic Torch', MultiCAD Magazine, Vol 8 No 5 June 2000 http://www.echomags.com.au/torch.htm

'TAS August 2000 Forum', The Australian Standard, Standards Australia International Ltd, August 2000 http://www.standards.com.au/

Australian Design Awards, Australian Design Awards Yearbook 2000, Standards Australia, 2000.

SOCOG, Olympic Torch Relay - Handheld Torch and Portable Cauldrons, Invitation for Proposal, 1998.

Unpublished, Powerhouse Museum interview with Mark Armstrong, 15 January 2002.

Unpublished, Powerhouse Museum interview with Mark Armstrong and Robert Jurgens, 1 November 2000.

Key people, jobs and skills

Professor Chris Ryan, Environmental Design Specialist, RMIT University Centre for Design.
Mark Armstrong, Creative Director, Blue Sky Design
Robert Jurgens, Senior Designer, Blue Sky Design
Ian Cameron, Engineering Development, Blue Sky Design
Alan Ismay, Principal Model Maker, Box and Dice
Rick Perrior, Principal Model Maker, Box and Dice
John Harrington, Managing Director, G. A & L Harrington
Norm Smith, Prototype Manufacturer, G.A & L Harrington
Dr Gus Nathan, Project Leader, Adelaide University/FCT
Dr Richard Kelso, Chief designer, Adelaide University/FCT
Prof Keith D King, Chief designer (fuels), Adelaide University/FCT
Di Henry, Torch relay manager, SOCOG
Joseph Buhagiar, SOCOG

Jobs and skills required

Designer
Model Maker
Mechanical Engineer
Chemical Engineer
Manufacturing Engineer
Marketer
Negotiator
Team Leader
Production Line Worker
Office Manager
Personal Assistant

Discussion questions

K-6

1. What is a torch? What is a cauldron? Draw a torch. Draw a cauldron.

2. What is an Olympic Torch and what is it used for?

3. The flame on the torch is fuelled by a gas. What are some of the dangers of using this kind of fuel? What safety precautions can we take when using flammable gases?

4. Collect samples of aluminium, stainless steel, wood and plastic and identify those materials which can be recycled. How many of these materials can be found in the Olympic Torch?

7-10

1. How important was the team or collaborative approach to the final design of the model?

2. What is meant by the life cycle of a product? Why was an analysis of the torch's life cycle considered an important component of the presentation to the SOCOG Torch Review Committee?

3. Discuss why you think the Torch was an important marketing tool for building enthusiasm for the Games.

4. Research ancient Greek traditions which describe the use of a torch or flame. What was the significance of fire to the ancient Greeks?

11-12

1. What is a tender? Outline the differences between an open tender and a selected tender. What advantages would there be in inviting 40 firms to participate in the tender process? What kinds of research would be required for SOCOG to make their selections? What issues might arise in an open tender?

2. Blue Sky selected one out of four original designs submitted to progress to the final selection round. How did they decide which design to develop? Imagine that you are interviewing SOCOG committee members to work out what kind of design would be most successful. What kinds of questions would you ask?

3. For what is CAD an acronym? What is CAD? What kinds of professionals use it? For what purposes and in what situations?

4. Write a brief for the design of a new product. Consider the aesthetic, technical, safety and environmental requirements.

 
ATSE Powerhouse Museum