Graphic Landmark: The Paris Bid for the 2012 Olimpics
A Parisian, Pierre de Coubertin recovered the idea and designed the flag of the Olympic games for the modern times. In the beginning of the past century he created one of the most symbolic flags representing the unity of the five continents and the encounter of the athletes of the world in the Olympic games. How to create a symbol that evokes and tributes this creator and at the same time built a landmark for the Paris bid at the Olympic games of 2012? By erecting the 5 Olympic rings of the flag a graphic landmark emerges. each ring will become a different level of stadium at the Olympic landmark. The rings, becoming the “ Olympic boxes” are piled up as the continents in the erected flag , each one containing enough space for the bid expositions, conferences, meetings and framing different views over the Batignoles site. Even the Eiffel Tower will be seen from one of the boxes. “Altius landmark” To reach enough height, two more boxes are added to the continents: on one side the Paris box, located at the bottom, representing the welcoming city, and works as the hall of the landmark; and in second place at the top of the landmark a missing continent creates the space for the water reservoir and tops the two vertical movement systems: the Antarctic box. This box will be a monument to the earth and the most important natural reservoir of the planet, while at the same time will light the Batignoles site as a lighthouse for the future. Together with the spinal columns the Antarctic water reservoir closes the structure system.The vertical movement system (elevators and stairs) contains the structure that holds the boxes on their places; this are the spinal columns of the landmark. each box is a tube composed of steel frames giving to them enough rigidity to work as beams hanging from the two columns. This system allows the installation of the boxes not as piled up but stacked in the spinal columns. The park and the desired constellation If the park will represent the Olympic village and the people all over the planet, this same boxes can be re arranged in the park where a constellation between them is created. Then in 2012 this constellation can be erected in the shape of the Olympic landmark as it was planned in 2004.