 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Foley designs Indian F1 Grand Prix trophy
As excitement builds towards the forthcoming 2012 Airtel Indian Grand Prix, title sponsors Bharti Airtel on Wednesday, appointed renowned Bengaluru-based designer Michael Foley to craft the trophy for the race.
The design of the trophy for the Indian Grand Prix is an aesthetic interpretation of a contemporary and forward looking India on a global pedestal.
- They take the prize for worst designed trophies
Expressing his thoughts on the design, Michael Foley said, "Designing the trophy was an exciting challenge that we were happy to take on. Formula One is an interesting combination of sports, technology, glamour, entertainment and youth -- and we wanted the trophy for the Indian Grand Prix to reflect each of these elements. After a lot of design work, we finally arrived at a trophy that was a perfect blend of contemporary and traditional India. We are getting the trophy ready and look forward to finalizing it within the first week of October 2012."
Foley designs Indian F1 Grand Prix trophy
Foley created 20 different designs before the final one was picked. His team took concepts forward through a series of processes which detailed and engineered each idea. The conceptualisation stage lasted over a month and the final trophy in production now.
The Indian Grand Prix trophy makes use of new-age materials like aircraft-grade aluminium as well as relying on traditional ornamentation. Mirror-finished internal surfaces and a fine matte finish on the outer surface, while the Ashoka Chakra is subtly embedded as the base foundation.
The inspiration takes the Indian 'Chakra' as a focal point in discovering the concept of speed. Chakra is integral to India's Identity -- bridging the ornamental design ethos of Indian culture in the form of a contemporary expression. The design uses a 'victory procession' inscription from old Indian architecture -- stylised with a red enamel filled engraving that envelopes the Airtel Indian Grand Prix trophy -- thus creating a strong visual connect with India. The 'mystique' of internal reflections also brings up a play of colours of the Indian flag.