Medal designers wanted

“If you allow yourself to dream, you can achieve anything. And that’s what this Olympic medal represents,” said Clara Hughes, five-time Canadian Olympic medallist.

On Thursday December 13, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) announced that it is accepting official proposals from artists and companies interested in designing the Olympic and Paralympic medals. From now until January 30, 2008, artists, designers and creative teams from around the world will have the opportunity to submit their response to the Request for Proposal (RFP), demonstrating their credentials, talent and motivation for developing the medals that represent the pinnacle of athletic achievement.

“The design of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic medals presents a new opportunity to tell the unique story of Canada’s Games and ignite the Olympic and Paralympic spirit,” said Ali Gardiner, VANOC director of brand and creative services. “We’re looking for an artist, designer or creative team to work with us and the Royal Canadian Mint to design inspiring, timeless medals for the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games that reflect the extraordinary effort, determination and heart of the athletes who will win them in 2010.”

The design

As part of the RFP requirements, interested designers are invited to submit relevant elements from their portfolio showing an example of their work, as well as respond to other questions in the proposal. A VANOC evaluation team will then select proponent(s) to develop concepts for the medal designs. Following this, concepts will be short-listed and refined before final design(s) are selected. While artists will have to work within guidelines surrounding size and substance, there is plenty of opportunity for creativity. Even the shape is negotiable, with medals from the Paris 1900 Olympic Summer Games and Sapporo 1972 Olympic Winter Games departing from the traditional round silhouette.

From Amsterdam 1928 to Sydney 2000, the front of the Summer Olympic Games medals have been almost identical, featuring Giuseppe Cassioli’s traditional depiction of the Greek Goddess Nike wearing a laurel leaf in front of a Greek stadium.

In contrast, both sides of the medals for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have few similarities from one Games to the next. With glass-etched medals from Albertville 1992 to medals inspired by river rocks at Salt Lake 2002, winter medal designs share distinctive aspects of the Host Region and its culture along with the spirit of the Games.

The medal metal

Whatever the designs, one element that will remain consistent is the material used. While the medals do not have to be made entirely of metal – Lillehammer 1994 Olympic medals featured a granite base – the medals need to be recognizably gold, silver and bronze. The highest quality metal used for Vancouver 2010 will be supplied by Vancouver-based mining company Teck Cominco and the medals will be struck by the Royal Canadian Mint. Gold-plated silver will be used for gold medals, and silver and bronze will be used for silver and bronze medals, respectively.

“One of my favourite medals is the one from Sydney 2000. The medal itself includes several aspects of the city as well as many things that were unique to those Games. Every time I look at it and show it to people, I am reminded of how awesome the Games, the people, the venues and the overall experience was in Sydney,” said Marni Abbott-Peter, Paralympic medalist from Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. “I heard that it was even made from gold that was mined in Australia – a fact that makes it even more unique and really cool.”

To see Abbott-Peter’s medals along with a wide range of other Olympic and Paralympic medal designs, visit the BC Sports Hall of Fame, located at BC Place Stadium, the future home of the Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies.