The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games medal design tells a narrative of the athlete and their individual journey towards reaching their goal, using an aerial map view of the roads and canals of the West Midlands as a metaphor.
The road map represents the path each athlete took towards their goal of competing in the games. The canals flow under and around the roads, and symbolise the foundation of connection between the athletes who share a common goal and passion for their sport, as well as the connection between the countries of the commonwealth.
We wanted to create something that the athletes could treasure for the rest of their lives, so the design features reflective facets that create a play of light and lend a jewel-like quality to the piece, honouring the place it was designed and produced in Birmingham's historic Jewellery Quarter.
As lead designer for the project, I developed the medal design concept from hand sketches to 3D CAD models, and led the team who designed the accompanying ribbon & boxes.
We considered all athletes when designing the medal and related assets, including visually impaired competitors and wheelchair users; the medal has a tactile quality, so that they’re interesting to touch as well as to look at, and the medal features an adjustable ribbon so that it can be worn comfortably by athletes of any height.
We considered all athletes when designing the medal and related assets, including visually impaired competitors and wheelchair users; the medal has a tactile quality, so that they’re interesting to touch as well as to look at, and the medal features an adjustable ribbon so that it can be worn comfortably by athletes of any height.
