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Dezeenwire: London designers BarberOsgerby are to design the Torch for the London 2012 Olympic Games. More details below.

See also: Heatherwick to design Olympic Cauldron for 2012 games.

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London 2012 appoints designers of the Olympic and Paralympic Torches

• London design duo selected
• Olympic Torch in development

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today announced the designers of the London 2012 Olympic Torch. A London-based design studio has been appointed to design the Torch that will enable 8,000 Torchbearers to carry the Olympic Flame around the UK during the 70-day Relay next year.

The Olympic Flame will arrive into the UK from Greece on Friday 18 May 2012. Designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby won an international competitive tender launched last year by LOCOG and the Design Council to create the Torch, along with the celebration cauldrons to be used at the lunchtime stops and evening celebrations during the Olympic Torch Relay.

The Olympic Torch Relay is presented by Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. The designers are based in Shoreditch in the London Borough of Hackney, less than four miles from the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. The Olympic Torch Relay will conclude on evening of 27 July 2012, with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron to open the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: ‘The Olympic Flame will literally shine a light on inspiring people, places and 2012 Games projects and programmes right across the UK as communities begin their Olympic celebrations with the Torch Relay. 95% of the UK population will be within a one hour journey time of the Olympic Torch Relay and we are now developing the Torch which will be one of the key visual icons of the London Olympic Games.’

The designers are also working on design aspects for the Paralympic Torch Relay that will take place between the close of the Olympic Games and the start of the Paralympic Games in August 2012. The Olympic Torch, expected to be unveiled in June 2011, will carry the Olympic Flame and take the 2012 Games to people’s doorsteps, showcasing the best of the UK – from dynamic urban areas to places of outstanding natural beauty and sporting and cultural landmarks.

Throughout its journey around the UK, the Olympic Torch Relay will visit different communities and connect people to the Olympic Games, its heroes and its spirit.

David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council said: ‘Arguably this is one of the most visible design briefs in the world – literally billions of eyes will be on the Olympic Flame in 2012. I am delighted that Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby have won this commission and wish them well as standard bearers for UK design.’

The three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung – will help bring the Olympic Flame to the people of the UK. Together they provide an optimum mix of Olympic Torch Relay expertise and community based programmes to support the staging of the Relay.