The Look of the Games

On my travels around Vancouver, I have been amazed at how the city has been "dressed" by the look of the Games. The visual designs for Vancouver 2010 were created by the VANOC Brand and Creative Services team which was led by a fellow from Spain who moved to Vancouver in 2005 after falling in love with the city while he was on his honeymoon. Unfortunately after leading the team to create amazing ideas and designs for the Games, he died suddenly last August. His team has done a tremendous job implementing his vision.

VANOC describes the look this way:
Inspired by the dynamic energy of Vancouver, Whistler and Canada, Vancouver 2010 imagery creates a space where nature and culture transform and grow — like the power, speed and spirit of the athletes. Design representations of water and vegetation are incorporated frequently and serve as a symbol of nature’s nourishing and rejuvenating powers. Emotive, dynamic athlete imagery captures the heroism and beauty of sport. The Vancouver 2010 imagery is progressive and youthful, conveying Canada’s personality and adventurous spirit.

Where have I seen it? Everywhere is seems.

There are 6,000 banners hanging from street lamps across the city--even in my neighbourhood.

GM donated thousands of vehicles for VANOC use which are seen everywhere these days and are decorated with the visual imagery.

An Air Canada hangar near the entrance to the Vancouver International Airport has a huge snowboarder on it.

At the Richmond Olympic Oval (for speedskating), the imagery is used on both the security fencing in the foreground and on the windows of the building. The broadcasting folks asked to have the huge windows blacked out for optimal television coverage so the Olympics imagery did the trick.

Every barrier to move people in the right direction has been decorated.

And buildings downtown are wrapped like this one with a freestyle skier ...

and this one with the mascots.

While not the official Games visual design, the Hudson's Bay Company store--home of the Olympics Superstore--has been wrapped with Canadian athletes and welcome messages.

And this hotel under renovation has been wrapped with the world's largest Canadian flag.

The venues, of course, will also feature the visual design. More about those when I see some of them during the Games.

You can pretty much look in any direction in downtown Vancouver and not forget what is about to start on the 12th.