Basic shapes are used to create 6 designs related to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games including at least one pattern, one building and one character. Using a die- cut, each design is printed over 8 cubes. When placed correctly, the cubes can be used to reconstruct each design.
From left to right:
Design 1: The traditional Chinese lanterns are the main motif of this pattern. Also called sky lanterns, these red lanterns represent a prosperous business and a thriving life and are a staple decoration element not only in China, but all over Asia as well.
Design 2: This pattern includes the official logo/emblem of the 2008 Games, appearing in red, designed by renowned Chinese graphic designer, Guo Chunning. Named Dancing Beijing, it is composed of the Chinese character for the word “capital” designed into the shape of a human. It is accompanied by the globally recognized Olympic rings, consisting of 5 intersecting circles.
Design 3: This pattern’s motif is the number 2008 made from circles. It symbolizes the year in which the Beijing Olympic games took place.
Design 4: This building is called the Temple of Earth, built in 1530 during the Ming Dynasty and located in the northern part of central Beijing. There were apparently 14 emperors who offered sacrifices to the God of Earth for 381 years until the Qing Dynasty was overthrown. In 1925, the Temple of Earth was open to the public as a park. The Star Gates, which are the main elements of design 2, mark the boundaries of the Fang Ze Tan altar located at the center of the park.
Design 5: While Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps are two of the athletes who stood out the most in the 2008 Olympic Games, having won two and eight gold medals, respectively; their achievements are already recognized worldwide, and they are now legends of the sports and athletics fields. Thus, I have decided to represent a less-known female athlete who was equally as outstanding in the games but has received less recognition, fame, and popularity over the years: the Chinese Jingjing Guo, who has won 2 gold medals in the Beijing Olympics alone and multiple other medals in other Olympic and World championships. She is today a Chinese national sports figure and is called “The Princess of Diving.”
Design 6: This building is called The Forbidden City, the palatial heart of China. This national treasure, located in Beijing, China, was constructed in 1420 and survived both the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1912). It is China’s best-preserved imperial palace and the largest ancient palatial structure in the world. Considered to be one of the five most important palaces in the world, it proudly represents the essence and culmination of traditional Chinese architecture.
Once cut and shaped using the die-cuts (example shown below), the 8 cubes, when combined correctly, can form all 6 of the designs.
