BrandKnew September 2013 April 2014 | Page 12

The Best And Worst Design From The 2014 Olympics Carey Dunne FROM THE MINIMAL LOGO TO THE SUPERSIZED HALFPIPE, HERE’S A ROUNDUP OF THE BEST AND WORST DESIGN AT THE OLYMPICS THIS YEAR. 1. BEST: PHOTOGRAPHS OF LIFE IN SOCHI BEFORE THE OLYMPICS SWEPT IN Before the 2014 Olympic Games came a long, Sochi was a humble little seaside city. Residents there hardly knew what they were in for. Photographers for a new book called The Sochi Project spent two years documenting Sochi and argue that it makes next to no sense to turn this resort destination into a world stage for a massive sporting event. 2. BEST: A VISUAL GUIDE TO CORRUPTION AT SOCHI When Putin and his cronies stormed into Sochi, they spent a total of $51 billion--$40 billion over budget--building the most expensive Olympic Games in history. An infographic by Russia’s Anti-Corruption Foundation reveals how government officials and businessmen turned the Olympics into a source of illicit income. Marvel here at the staggering costs of the Games, from a $25,000 stadium seat to an $8.7 billion highway (the world’s most expensive). You’d think they could’ve bought a few working doorknobs, too.