Tokyo 2020 Unveils Paralympic Games Sport Pictograms

The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) today unveiled the official Paralympic sport pictograms. There are a total of 23 pictogram designs, with 22 of the Paralympic sports each represented by one pictogram, and one used for each of the two cycling disciplines. The pictograms have been created with the aim of helping people overcome language barriers through the use of internationally recognisable images to depict individual sports. Honouring and celebrating Paralympic sports, the pictogram images depict Paralympians in dynamic poses in the various sporting disciplines. Aiming to reflect and promote an inclusive society that celebrates differences and promotes world-class athleticism, the pictograms will be a major identifier of the Paralympic Games sport programme.

This is the first time in Japan that Summer Paralympic sports are individually represented in the form of pictograms. This is the first time that badminton and taekwondo pictograms are being used, as these two sports have been newly added to the Paralympic programme for Tokyo 2020.

The pictograms will work in both functional and aesthetic applications and will be deployed in various scenarios, including at competition venues, events, on city decorations and licensed products. They will help retain visual impressions of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in the memories of people both during and after the Games.

While following the same creative concept and design of the Olympic Sport Pictograms, the characteristics of the individual Paralympic sports were taken into account by accurately reflecting their rules, the athletes' posture and the equipment they use.

Each design will feature two sets - a "Free Type" and a "Frame Type". The Free Type unframed pictograms will be mainly used on posters, tickets and licensed products, with the Frame Types being used for more functional purposes on maps, signage at competition venues, guidebooks, and on websites.

Colour variations will be developed mainly using the blue of the Tokyo 2020 Emblems and five other traditional Japanese colours–kurenai, ai, sakura, fuji and matsuba– as sub-colours to create points of difference.

A team led by renowned Japanese designer Masaaki Hiromura designed the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games sport pictograms.

Said Hiromura, "It is a real honour to have participated in the design of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games sport pictograms. I have tried to express the dynamic beauty of the athletes through these pictograms, while respecting the legacy bequeathed by the pioneers of the Japanese design industry in their designs for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. The 2020 designs took us almost two years to complete and they embody the thoughtful input of the many people involved. I hope that these pictograms will inspire everyone and help generate excitement for the different sports at Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, and that they will colourfully decorate the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games."

Name: Masaaki Hiromura

Date of birth: 6 August 1954

From: Aichi Prefecture

Now residing: Tokyo

Occupation:Graphic designer

Background

In 1988, Hiromura established the Hiromura Design Office. He has worked mainly in the field of graphic design, specialising in corporate identity and visual identity planning for museums, commercial facilities and educational facilities, as well as in signage design. He was appointed guest professor at Tama Art University and representative director of Japan Creative. He is the author of "Design to Design" and other works.

Projects

National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Yokosuka Museum of Art, The Railway Museum, 9h nine hours Kyoto Teramachi, Sumida Aquarium, Tokyo Station Gallery, the Nagoya Castle Hommaru Palace, SOGO Department Store, Seibu Department Store, and others.

Awards

Silver Prize at the N.Y. ADC 9th International Annual Exhibition, KU/KAN Award 2008, Mainichi Design Awards 2008, Gold Prize in the Good Design Awards 2010, Outstanding Design in the SDA Sign Design Awards, and others.

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