Materials selection for a bio-inspired and symbolic product: The Trentino Winter Universiade 2013 torch ‘Gentian of Alps’

Abstract

The torch is one of the most emblematic elements of the Olympic and Universiade Games protocols. This object, together with its functional aspects, has to highlight the symbolic and positive values of the event. For this reason, the design process of the torch is not easy. In this article, the inspiration, the ideation, and the design process of the Winter Universiade Trentino 2013 torch will be illustrated. The focus is to highlight the perceptive and symbolic use of materials. For the structure, an innovative coloured steel is used. Five different materials, one for each class, are used to represent the five symbols of the winter sports and culture connected with the colours of the Olympiad and Universiade flags. In this edition, for the first time, an Olympics and Universiade torch has a biomorphic appearance.

Keywords

Product design bio-inspiration materials selection symbolic biomorphic sport torch

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

International Olympic Committee (CIO). Olympic legacy, March 2013, http://www.olympic.org/ (accessed 5 February 2014).

García

. Enhancing sport marketing through cultural and arts programs: lessons from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Arts Festivals. Sport Manag Rev 2001; 4: 193–219.

International University Sports Federation (FISU), http://www.fisu.net/en/FISU-homepage-3137.html (2004, accessed 5 February 2014).

Sinclair

. More than an old flame: national symbolism and the media in the torch ceremony of the Olympics. Media Int Aust 2000; 97: 35–46.

Zhang

Xiaobin Zhao

. City branding and the Olympic effect: a case study of Beijing. Cities 2009; 26: 245–254.

Horne

Whannel

. The ‘caged torch procession’: celebrities, protesters and the 2008 Olympic torch relay in London, Paris and San Francisco. Sport Soc 2010; 13: 760–770.

Olympic Studies Centre (OSC), http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Reports/EN/en_report_655.pdf (2013, accessed 5 February 2014).

Olympic Studies Centre (OSC). The Olympic torch relay, http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/The_Olympic_Torch_relay.pdf (2013, accessed 5 February 2014).

Waitt

. Social impacts of the Sydney Olympics. Ann Tourism Res 2003; 30: 194–215.

10.

Olympic Studies Centre (OSC). Torches and torch relays of the Olympic Winter Games from Oslo 1952 to Sochi 2014, http://www.olympic.org/Assets/OSC%20Section/pdf/QR_Torches_Relays_WOG_Oslo_%201952_Sochi%202014.pdf (2014, accessed 5 February 2014).

11.

John

Clements-Croome

Jeronimidis

. Sustainable building solutions: a review of lessons from the natural world. Build Environ 2005; 40: 319–328.

12.

Ljungberg

. Materials selection and design for development of sustainable products. Mater Design 2007; 28: 466–479.

13.

Vincent

. Biomimetic patterns in architectural design. Archit Design 2009; 79(6): 74–81.

14.

Rossi

Pellizzari

. Applying the electroforming process to bio-inspired architecture: the case of Castelbuono Estate Winery. Front Archit Res 2013; 2: 435–444.

15.

Gruber

Imhof

. Transformation: structure/space studies in bionics and space design. Acta Astronaut 2007; 60: 561–570.

16.

Singh

Rahman

Sudhir Kumar

NVG

. Bio-inspired approaches to design smart fabrics. Mater Design 2012; 36: 829–839.

17.

Feng

Dai

. The gift from nature: bio-inspired strategy for developing innovative bridges. J Bionic Eng 2013; 10: 405–414.

18.

Bar-Cohen

. Biomimetics—using nature to inspire human innovation. Bioinspir Biomim 2006; 1: P1–P12.

19.

Ashby

Johnson

. The art of materials selection. Mater Today 2003; 12: 24–35.

20.

McDonagh

Bruseberg

Haslam

. Visual product evaluation: exploring users’ emotional relationships with products. Appl Ergon 2002; 33: 231–240.

21.

Ljungberg

Edwards

. Design, materials selection and marketing of successful products. Mater Design 2003; 24: 519–529.

22.

Karana

Hekkert

Kandachar

. Material considerations in product design: a survey on crucial material aspects used by product designers. Mater Design 2008; 29: 1081–1089.

23.

Lindberg

Roos

Kihlstedt

. A product semantic study of the influence of the sense of touch on the evaluation of wood-based materials. Mater Design 2013; 52: 300–307.

24.

Wastiels

Schifferstein

HNJ

Heylighen

. Red or rough, what makes materials warmer? Mater Design 2012; 42: 441–449.

25.

Ashby

Brechet

YJM

Cebon

. Selection strategies for materials and processes. Mater Design 2004; 25: 51–67.

26.

Georgiev

Nagai

. A conceptual network analysis of user impressions and meanings of product materials in design. Mater Design 2011; 32: 4230–4240.

27.

Overvliet

Soto-Faraco

. I cannot believe this is not wood! An investigation in the perception of naturalness. Acta Psychol 2011; 136: 95–111.

28.

Petiot

J-F

Yannou

. Measuring consumer perceptions for a better comprehension, specification and assessment of product semantics. Int J Ind Ergonom 2004; 33: 507–525.

29.

Deng

Edwards

. The role of materials identification and selection in engineering design. Mater Design 2007; 28: 131–139.

30.

Albiñana

Vila

. A framework for concurrent material and process selection during conceptual product design stages. Mater Design 2012; 41: 433–446.

31.

Ipek

Selvi

Findik

. An expert system based material selection approach to manufacturing. Mater Design 2013; 47: 331–340.

32.

Jahan

Bahraminasab

Edwards

. A target-based normalization technique for materials selection. Mater Design 2012; 35: 647–654.

33.

Olympic Museum, http://olympic-museum.de/torches/torch2012.htm (2012, accessed 5 February 2014).

34.

Ashby

Johnson

. Materials and design: the art and science of material selection in product design. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2002.

35.

BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13424048 (2012, accessed 5 February 2014).

36.

Olympic Torch Collection, http://www.olympictorchcollection.com/ (accessed 5 February 2014).

37.

SteelColor, http://www.steelcolor.com/products-steel-sheets/tsteel.html (accessed 5 February 2014).

38.

Olympic Museum, http://olympic-museum.de/quickview/all_torches.htm (2012, accessed 5 February 2014).

39.

International University Sports Federation (FISU), http://www.fisu.net/medias/fichiers/298.pdf (2013, accessed 5 February 2014).

40.

Edwards

. Book review. Mater Design 2003; 24: 401–402.

41.

HiMacs, http://www.himacs.eu/products (accessed 5 February 2014).

42.

Rossi

Scrinzi

Compagnoni

. Enamel and design—the potential of enameled materials. Bologna: Fausto Lupetti, 2011.

43.

Rossi

Zanella

Sommerhuber

. Influence of mill additives on vitreous enamel properties. Mater Design 2014; 55: 880–887.

44.

Scrinzi

Rossi

. The aesthetic and functional properties of enamel coatings on steel. Mater Design 2010; 31: 4138–4146.

45.

Winter Universiade Trentino 2013. The Secrets of the Torch of Trentino 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VXHBJh8C34 (2013, accessed 5 February 2014).

46.

FISUTV 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5q6qRWp_Ps (2013, accessed 5 February 2014).