VIDEO: Floral Design of London 2012 Olympic Cauldron by Thomas Heatherwick

The London 2012 Olympic Cauldron by Thomas Heatherwick was a genuine work of brilliant design, embodying the Olympic spirit. First off, the massive structure replicates the floral motif of the dandelion, one of England’s foremost symbols. Secondly, the flower has 204 petals, with each one representing one of the participating countries. According to Britain’s Daily Mail, “the petals are copper and the entire structure is about 8.5 metres tall, the rods which make up the stem of the cauldron are made of stainless steel with a heat and acid treatment that makes it a colour called ‘bad black’, which is slightly blue. The cauldron weighs 16 tonnes, far less than the one lit in Beijing four years ago, which weighed 300 tonnes.” After the opening ceremony during which the flame was lit (watch the video below), the cauldron was moved over to another stadium, the former home to the opening ceremony bell, as wells as the location of the London 1948 Summer Olympics. After the games end, each country representative will get to take one of the petals of the structure.

Source: Heatherwick.com