OMEGA commissioned a countdown landmark for Vancouver ahead of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games; a sculptural piece of public art with the quality and precision associated with the brand. Positioned outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, it needed to build excitement, become a destination and give physical presence to the Games three years before opening ceremonies. The design brought together Vancouver’s urban and natural character, and leveraged the graphic language of the pre-games visual identity platform.

The design featured glass and stainless steel structures suggesting ice, water and the modern city, set on concrete plinths and contrasted with a Western Red Cedar tower carrying the Olympic and Paralympic emblems. Colour-changing illumination, inspired by the Sea to Sky journey to Whistler, gave the structure animation at night and a strong representation of the games’ core colour palette. I worked closely through the detailed production and fabrication process to ensure the vision was delivered to the highest standard.