Nendo signs Olympic cauldron for Tokyo 2020 Games

Designed by Nendo studio, the Olympic cauldron for the Tokyo 2020 Games is one of the points of the Olympics created to represent inclusion and gender equality : "everyone gathers under the sun, everyone is equal and everyone receives energy" , says the concept. designed by Mansai Nomura, former executive creative director of the opening and closing ceremonies planning team, from which the design resembling the sun was created. It took 85 drafts to arrive at the final design: sketches of fire trapped in heat-resistant glass and flames that rotate to create a spherical appearance. Through trial and error, the final shape came to be a sphere composed of upper and lower hemispheres, each one with five panels representing the Olympic rings. When it opens, the pyre makes a movement that is reminiscent of flowering : this expresses not only the Sun itself, but also the energy and vitality that can be obtained from it, like plants sprouting, flowers blooming and hands opening towards the sky. .

Unlike the Rio 2016 cauldron, which was powered by gas, the piece designed by Nendo studio is powered by hydrogen - the energy was generated at a facility located in Fukushima Prefecture , which is recovering from the damage caused by the Great Tohoku Earthquake. occurred in 2011. Hydrogen, which does not emit carbon dioxide when burned, was also used to power the torch at certain parts of the relay. The electricity required for the electrolysis of water in the hydrogen production process was provided by solar power generation. Hydrogen burns with a colorless, transparent flame and is invisible. To serve as the Olympic flame, it needed to be colored, so sodium carbonate was used to create a reaction and turn the flame yellow. Several studies were carried out to determine the amount of solution which should be sprayed close to the flame, as well as what is the best angle for the valve, in order to create a more natural flame similar to a fire made from wood .

meticulous work

The final piece weighs over 2 tons and has an approximate diameter of 3.5 m. The outer panel, which weighs approximately 40 kg per sheet, was made from 10 mm thick aluminum plates, molded with a special hot press in an ultra-low speed to avoid distortions. Adjustments, polishing and paint application were done manually by craftsmen. The interior is waterproof, fireproof and heat resistant. Covered with polygonal mirror panels, it creates a diffuse reflection of the lighting from the ceremonies and the light from the fire.