Category Archives: 2012

A Very British Torch Relay.

Posted on November 7, 2011 by

As the organisers of the London Olympics propose ever more stupid stunts that the Olympic Torch must perform during the Olympic torch relay – zip-wire over the Tyne, abseiled down a tower in Grimbsy,  taken in a steamer across Lake Windemere, … Continue reading →

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Interview: Cecil Balmond

Posted on October 21, 2011 by

Cecil Balmond is a Sri Lankan born, British designer, engineer, artist, architect, and writer. Known for his close collaborations with architects, such as Toyo Ito on the Serpentine Pavilion and Rem Koolhaas on the Casa da Musica in Porto and … Continue reading →

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Of Montreal

Posted on July 13, 2011 by

After the establishment of the Committee d’Organisation des Jeux Olympique (COJO) in 1972, the body tasked with not just running the Olympic Games in Montreal but controversially to build the structures, the Canadian Ambassador for Argentina wrote to his superiors … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012, Architecture, Media, Old Things, Urbanism | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A History of the Olympic Torch Relay: Part III, Race Resurfaces

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

As we have previously discussed, the Olympic Torch Relay was founded by the Nazi party in the 1936 to communicate an idea of racial hegemony . We have also seen that the Torch itself slowly became a means of showing … Continue reading →

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Reaching for My Revolver

Posted on June 21, 2011 by

Will Gompertz on the Today programme this morning said that the arts has “always been embedded in the idea of hosting the Olympics.’ As portions of the £80m Cultural Olympiad were officially announced – a group of artists to create … Continue reading →

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A History of the Olympic Torch Relay: Part II, The Torch as Technology

Posted on May 20, 2011 by

In the original series of Star Trek, there is an episode called ‘Who Mourns For Adonais’, in which Captain Kirk meets Apollo, who by the time of stardate 3468.1 is the last of the Greek Gods. He sports a glittering … Continue reading →

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A History of the Olympic Torch Relay: Part I, Owning Antiquity

Posted on May 18, 2011 by

In the late 1950s, two British archaeologists made an important discovery whilst excavating at the ancient site of Delphi in Greece. Here, several hundred years before the birth of Christ a famous oracle had been established. During the classical period, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 | 2 Comments

When Doves Fry

Posted on April 28, 2011 by

A plan to ban fireworks from the Opening Ceremony of the games, prompted IOC President Jacques Rogge into prolonged reminiscence about a salutary tale from the annals of Olympic history. Rogge, one of the rare members of the IOC to … Continue reading →

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Gratuitous Beauty Pageant Post

Posted on October 21, 2010 by

Giovanna Mazotti was voted Miss Italy in 1952 winning the right to represent her country at that year’s Miss Universe competition, which was eventually won by Miss Finland. Upon returning home, Miss Italy  told a Rome newspaper that the Miss Universe … Continue reading →

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A Cathedral Dedicated to Excrement

Posted on October 1, 2010 by

As London’s sewer system accepts into its gaping maw a huge autumnal deluge, it is worth sparing a thought for those who created it. The Metropolitan Board of Works was created in 1855 to improve the cities infrastructure ‘under the … Continue reading →

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