the 2024 olympic and paralympic games says paris 2024 is about celebrating sport, style and culture

having previously hosted in 1900 and 1924, paris becomes the second city ever to host the summer olympics three times after london, which hosted the 1908, 1948, and 2012 games. now let’s talk about the 2024 olympics edition. way back in 2018, anyone in the world who could write and speak french was able to participate in a competition to design the logo for the 2024 paris olympics. sylvain boyer, the founder of ecobranding and its partner agency, royalties, participated in the creative exercise to represent his roots as a paris-based artist. in 2019, the logo and visual identity for paris 2024 was launched. the logo combines two iconic symbols associated with the games – a gold medal and the olympic torch – with an image of marianne, a female figure representing the french republic. for the first time the logo will be the same for both the olympic and paralympic games.

boyer knew he wanted to represent french culture and do something that had never been done before. but his team never imagined they would win. “we were just a small, young company, not a big advertising group,” he said. “on paper, we were not the type to win a competition like this.” and yet they did win.

now, boyer’s logo — which is either a woman’s face or flames, depending on how you view it — will be seen by billions. one year after the logo reveal, the paris olympic committee announced a total parity between male and female participants, with 50 percent of this year’s athletes being women — a historic first! (in los angeles in 1984, only 23 percent of the participants were women, and in tokyo 2020, only 48.8 percent.)

here, boyer takes us inside his process of designing the emblem, including the underdog story of how he did it inside his paris apartment, part of the backdrop of the city’s protests; why we need the olympics today more than ever; and what it means to create a logo that can elicit so many reactions around the globe.

above>the story of the paris olympic logo goes back to 2018 when sylvain boyer watched his city change before his eyes. all images courtesy of sylvain boyer.

this is the first olympic logo with a woman on it. when we first designed the logo in 2018, paris began seeing a greater movement for social equality for women. we saw this movement everywhere, from the streets of paris to tv to cinema. every week in 2018 there was a strike for a social cause, whether it was a women’s march or fridays for the future.

in this environment, i started drawing these designs with the initial idea of making a moniker that represents sports in europe. but this type of imagery is always one of a male’s performance. we wanted to do something different. we thought, what happens if we take a woman’s face and put it in the performance arena? and so the shock, the semantic shock, comes from that. our country has an allegory, marianne, who is the symbol of democracy and the republic. in fact, we see a lot of women’s allegories all over the world — think of the statue of liberty, for instance. when we designed our logo, we jumped off of our country’s cultural context and historical legacy.

paris was an important city to make this choice because it was the first city where women participated in the olympic games, exactly 100 years ago. when we presented it for the first time to the olympic committee, we showed a survey showing the remarkable evolution of female participation in the olympics since 1924. it got everyone excited. but this choice was a more interesting one for the olympic committee than it was for us — because it was the olympic committee who decided to be represented by a woman. today, it’s still a delicate subject matter.

this is the first time in the olympics a dual identity was presented at the same time. one that tied the legacy with the more current paralympics brand.

for the paris 2024 president tony estanguet, the primary statement of the evening was the shared logo. “it was key for us since the beginning of this project,” in the crowded aftermath of an event that had been witnessed by french sports minister roxana mărăcineanu, paris mayor anne hidalgo and athletes such renaud lavillenie, the world pole vault record holder. “we will have the same venues, at the foot of the eiffel tower, the chateau versailles, all those kind of iconic venues will be used for the olympic and paralympic games.

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in the beginning, the idea was to make a female logo, and in fact, it used to be more feminine than it is today. we first designed it with red lips, but the olympic committee said we had to change that. a lot of people only see the flames and they don’t see a woman when they first look at it, and that used to bother me, but today i like that. it’s like a game of perception. if you want to see only the flame, you see only the flame. if you want to see the woman, you see the woman. if you want to see a gold medal, you see a gold medal.

i didn’t expect to get the response that it did. we knew before revealing it that it might be an offense to some people. it was a huge conversation through the media. within 24 hours of revealing it, there were about 500 press releases about it. on social media, we saw so many mixed reactions. i don’t use social media, and people told me, “don’t go on twitter.” but i was too curious. all of the violence online was weird and new to me. looking back, i feel like it was a good experience because it changed how i do my job today. it’s a good thing that a logo can elicit so many reactions, and it makes it even more popular. i’m sure this logo will have an impact on the story of the games.

it is even more important to have this logo now than when i designed it six years ago. as a designer, you design for the future. back then, i couldn’t have imagined what the world would look like today. usually, when you think about the future, it’s always about a more positive future. so i didn’t imagine the pandemic, financial crisis, or the european emergency with ukraine and russia. today, we need the olympics now more than ever, because the games have a clear promise. it’s the promise of peace.

above> it’s like a game of perception. if you want to see only the flame, you see only the flame.

the next phase of the visual identity, along with a series of pictograms, has just been launched and it continues this approach of blending past and present. inspired by the parisian spirit and french culture, the identity has been influenced by fashion, food, architecture and history.

above> an example of the pictograms system that will appear via the way finding system // below> paris 2024 olympics mascots, “phryges,” symbolize french freedom

medallists at the paris olympics will be rewarded with a piece of the eiffel tower, organisers said on thursday as they unveiled the hexagon-shaped medals forged out of scrap metal from the monument. the idea was to link the games with symbols of france, said thierry reboul, creative director of paris 2024.

“the absolute symbol of paris and france is the eiffel tower,” said reboul. “it’s the opportunity for the athletes to bring back a piece of paris with them.” designed by jeweller chaumet, the 18-gram hexagon tokens, representing the shape of france, are made of iron from past refurbishments of the tower stored for years in a warehouse whose location is secret.

above> thierry reboul, creative director of paris 2024.

[ 2024 paris olympic games ]

tanner woodford, co-founder of the design museum of chicago, asked me and other chicago designers to create a chicago theatre district banner. my challenge was to represent steppenwolf theatre using only shapes, colors, and textures; no words. tanner provided the words as well a white template to create consistency among the set of banners. the banners will be on randolph, between michigan and wabash.

above > l to r david salkin and sophie calhoun // below angela stucky

above > l to r janell nelson and john robert hatherly // below chuck anderson and lashun tines

above > l to r luke elder and raymond hayen // below havid alavi and cody hudson

[ design museum of chicago ]

mini has revealed the aceman, a new electric-only production model that looks much the same as the aceman concept car. the aceman fits in between the cooper hardtop and the countryman suv in terms of size. it’s not yet confirmed for the u.s. market, but we think it will come here.

fully electric go-kart feeling.
the new mini aceman is only available with a fully electric drive, giving locally emission-free mobility combined with the driving fun that only mini can give. the new mini aceman will be launched on the market in the mini aceman e version and as the enhanced performance mini aceman se. the mini aceman e achieves a range of 310 kilometres in the wltp test cycle. the high-voltage battery in the mini aceman se enables a range of 406 kilometres according to the wltp. charging is quick and easy with alternating current at 11 kw or with direct current in the mini aceman e at 75 kw and in the aceman se at up to 95 kw. this charges the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in just under 30 minutes at an appropriate fast-charging station.

new mini design language: “charismatic simplicity”.
the entire new mini family features a reduced and clear design. the minimalist design language is also expressed in the mini aceman: “the minimalist design style of the mini aceman also powerfully conveys its progressive character. the mini aceman is a strong character with his own young personality within the new mini family. it has an independent design language, is compact and looks agile. with its distinctive expression, it is the perfect everyday companion for those who value individuality in urban areas,” emphasizes oliver heilmer, head of mini design.

the exterior features a streamlined front, short overhangs and a functional two-box design. the “clever use of space” design principle, typical of the brand, takes on a new form. the front of the mini aceman has a distinctive design and reinterprets typical mini elements such as angular headlights and an octagonal front grille. the daytime running light elements of the led headlights display three different modes, individualising the front view of the new mini family member. the eye-catching design of the mini aceman makes a progressive statement, while at the same time paying due homage to the brand’s history and marking the vehicle out as a mini at first glance.

immersive experience in the interior.
the interior design also pursues a consistent reduction of alec issigonis’ original idea: the cockpit invokes three central design elements of the classic mini with the practical steering wheel, the round oled display in the centre and the redesigned toggle switch bar. a knitted recycled polyester material covers the surface of the dashboard. structure and colour lend the interior a homely character with accentuated colour contrasts. this effect is enhanced by light projections displaying different patterns and colours on the surface of the dashboard. these are part of up to eight mini experience modes. they all provide an immersive driving experience with light, sound, and graphic design in the oled display.

innovative infotainment through oled display and new operating system.
the round oled display is the central control element for the innovative infotainment in the interior. when combined with the mini operating system 9, it makes intuitive touch operation possible, based on smartphone menu navigation. the operating system is an in-house solution and demonstrates the software expertise the bmw group has developed – also in terms of over-the-air software updates. with over 7 million vehicles, bmw group has the largest completely upgrade-enabled fleet in the industry. as such, in future new mini models will also receive regular remote software upgrades, so that the vehicles are always fully updated. the mini operating system 9 also features the mini brand’s first fully-fledged voice assistant. animated graphic elements, typography and an avatar are used to visualise voice-controlled interaction on the oled display.

photos courtesy of bmw group

[ mini aceman ]

below are a but a few from show-wide spotlights on impactful sustainable solutions, the 2024 lineup of experiences and activations promises to engage and inspire. make sure to add to your “must-see” list!

mindful materials impact area
west past-through, fl 1

as a designer, you wield immense influence over environments, behaviors, and the world we inhabit. every material you select has a ripple effect – ensure it’s positive. visit mindful materials’ activation, made possible by material bank, on the mart’s first floor to discover sustainable products and a common framework to evaluate them.

above> climate positive solutions gallery

climate positive solutions gallery
suite 7-1074, fl 7

the climate positive solutions gallery showcases low-carbon and carbon-negative materials and related technologies that meet the demands of commercial specification without sacrificing design, durability or budgets. journalist and ceu content creator kenn busch has invited leading suppliers to neocon to share their latest innovations and expertise with specifiers working to truly move the needle on climate change and sustainability. guided tours of the gallery will be available on request. come anytime! curated by material intelligence and climate positive now.

above> material bank

material bank
fl 1

with over 550 brands and more than 300 product filters, material bank is the most powerful way to discover, search, and sample materials. visit material bank brand partners exhibiting at neocon and order samples during the show to find them on your desk when you get home. your design process, empowered by material bank.

above> metropolis sustainability lab

metropolis sustainability lab
suite 1120, fl 11

embark on a transformative journey at metropolis‘s sustainability lab during neocon – an immersive exhibit and hub dedicated to empowering you to make a positive impact on both people and the planet. immerse yourself in captivating installations and enlightening workshops that will keep you on the leading edge of sustainable design practices. your journey towards a more sustainable future begins here – seize the opportunity to make a difference with us!

above> haworth/em>

riken yamamoto of japan is recognized for modest designs that inspire social connection and both literal and figurative transparency.

above/below> photo courtesy of tomio ohashi

yamakawa villa 1977
the architect’s earliest work is a private residence situated in woods, designed to feel entirely like an open-air terrace and enjoyed during the warmer months. the non-prescriptive terrace seamlessly transitions into a living room and dining room, while sleeping quarters and the kitchen are contained in small dispersed rooms. the wooden beams that cover the floor below and pitched ceiling above run in parallel throughout the length of this narrow building, inducing serenity and evoking the nature of its immediate surroundings.

above/below > photo courtesy of tomio ohashi

yokosuka museum of art 2006 yokosuka, japan
considering the user experience first, yokosuka museum of art is envisioned as both a destination
for travelers and a daily reprieve for locals. the inviting serpentine entrance evokes the surrounding tokyo bay and nearby mountains, while many of the galleries are underground, providing those who approach with a clear, undisturbed visual experience of the natural geography. visitors may view through to the landscape and other galleries from round cutouts in all common spaces, uniting theseotherwise distinctive environments so that those inside are impressed upon not only by the artwork,but by the place and activity of others alongside them. the restaurant, with glass windows spanning the entire length, is on the ground floor, evoking a resort-like venue during all seasons.

above photo courtesy of shinkenchiku sha / below>tomio ohashi

hotakubo housing 1991 kumamoto, japan
yamamoto’s first social housing project encompasses sixteen clusters of housing that yield 110 units, arranged around a tree-lined central square that may only be accessed by passing through a residence. inspired by traditional japanese machiya and greek oikos housing that fostered collectivism amongst neighbors, yamamoto prompts a passage from private to semi-public space, resulting in a threshold that creates a subsociety, enabling the “local community area” while respecting privacy of individual families. occupational limitations enforced by the public housing act result in small units, so each features a terrace that faces the square, expanding living areas and connecting residents to the natural environment.

above> photo courtesy of kouichi satake / below> photo courtesy of ga photographers

pangyo housing 2010 seongnam, republic of korea
a complex of nine low-rise housing blocks is designed with nonprescriptive transparent ground floor volumes that catalyze interconnectedness between neighbors, assuring that even those residents who live alone don’t dwell in isolation. a communal deck across the second floor encourages interaction, featuring spaces for gathering, playgrounds, gardens and bridges that connect one housing block to another

above> photo courtesy of riken yamamoto & field shop / below> photo courtesy of nacasa & partners

be original americas, the non-profit advocacy organization established to educate and inform design professionals, consumers, educators, students and media about the value of authenticity in designs, begins its 11th year by announcing the formation of three committees. these committees will address the following key strategic areas:

developed to increase visibility and develop new avenues for outreach and education. this committee will plan & support the be original americas fellowship and other programs surrounding education. they will also develop opportunities for outreach to architecture & design firms and universities, as well as update & promote the current ceu accredited courses.
as a non-profit organization, membership and fundraising are key to the success of the be original americas’ mission. this committee will work to expand the membership base and encourage renewals, as well as develop fundraising ideas, special events and other opportunities. they will review and expand upon the current member categories and benefits.
there is strength in numbers and cultivating a community. this committee will plan & support events including town halls, panel discussions, special exhibitions, happy hours & lectures. they will also help develop and plan the annual meeting, which will be held february 6th, 2024, in new york city. they will ideate additional public relations and social media opportunities.

advocacy & education committee:
chairperson: amy auscherman, director, archives & brand heritage, millerknoll
kenneth baker, managing principal, gensler – north central region
odile hainaut, co-founder, wanteddesign & icff brand director
rebecca steiger, senior associate & creative director, tpg architecture
jenny hackley, creative marketing manager, lekker home

membership & fundraising committee:
chairperson: ricardo nabholz, managing associate, studio creative director, tpg architecture
cory grosser, creative director & owner, cory grosser & associates
annie kantor, founder & director of design, modern metal
patricia kittredge, sr. vice president of growth & innovation, lumens community & promotion:
chairperson: john edelman, president & ceo, heller
robert sargent, sales & business development manager, n.a., anglepoise
carly conelli, managing director, n.a., louis poulsen
alex enzbigilis, director of sales, rosendahl design group us
claire pijoulat, co-founder, wanteddesign & icff brand director

coming off the success of the 2022- 2023 exhibition, originality deconstructed, held at ace hotel in new york, palm springs and los angeles as well as a lively auction by wright/toomey & co., be original americas looks to increase its awareness and activities in support of our members and their authenticity & creativity.

[ about be original americas ]
be original americas is a non-profit creative advocacy organization committed to informing, educating, and influencing manufacturers, craftsman, design professionals, educators, media, and consumers about the economic, ethical and environmental value of authentic design.

[ media contacts ]
beth dickstein, bde&co., beth@bdeandco.com; m: 917-969-3808
karen brooking, bde&co., karen@bdeandco.com; m: 917-733-7898

“the beginning is the most important part of the work.” – plato

all of us are really wanting a fresh new year! this video made in 2019 by tbwa/paris for the national society of french railways (sncf) captures what our mind’s eye was seeking: a celebration of new life, a feeling of hope and optimism. may all your plans bloom and blossom beyond your wildest dreams.

the video was a way for the sncf to give thanks to those “preserving the planet” by traveling by train. according to the sncf, trains give off 30 times less co2 than individual cars and 20 times less than planes. thus, the national railway body is positioning itself as a healthy alternative to other modes of transport.

to illustrate this sentiment, the successive blooming of flowers – a time lapse that covers 200 hours. to capture each one of the 50 varieties included, every flower was photographed once every five seconds, day and night, which accumulated in 14,000 images per flower.

in the film, every flower that blooms is accompanied by the wheezing bang of fireworks, to illustrate the celebratory nature of the campaign. the sncp aims to transition from diesel-powered rail to developing stations that are autonomously powered by 2035.

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