“It’s the first 3D logo in the history of the Olympics,” said during a talk at the Design Indaba conference earlier this year. Gelli said the complications of scaling the branding for all its potential uses made the task a huge challenge.
“It’s considered the most complex visual identity in the world because it has to be printed on a pen and at the same time it has to dress the whole city.” Gelli’s design agency Tátil, which he founded in 1988, was one of 139 that attended the initial briefing for the Rio 2016 logo competitio
“When I saw I thought oh my God, I’m going to give up!” he added. Each was told that their proposals had to incorporate 12 different attributes – from reflecting local culture to being universally understood. It had to be as effective “printed on a billboard in Fifth Avenue and at the same time on a newspaper read in a small village in the Himalayas,” said Gelli.
“Our target was really the entire world,” he added !
Hadeer Shahin is the Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she curates innovative architectural works from around the globe. With a background in architecture from Alexandria University and hands-on experience in design and digital content, she bridges the gap between technical precision and editorial vision. Hadeer’s keen eye for spatial storytelling and her passion for contemporary design trends make her a vital contributor to Arch2O’s mission of highlighting excellence in the built environment.