ABOUT THE PROJECT
Counting down to the first football World Cup in the Middle East
Unveiled on 21st November 2021, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Official Countdown Clock became a dynamic, innovative symbol of the first-ever football World Cup in the Middle East.
CHALLENGE
The World Cup brought us all together, the power to unite through the beautiful game. The concept was simple and born from a single thought, ‘The Sands of Time’.
Elegantly interwoven with Arab history and culture, the clock’s award-winning design symbolised the wealth of possibility Qatar would bring to the World Cup, and the legacy that the tournament will pave for future hosts.
OUR IMPACT
- m+
- fan visits
- 00+
- countries amplified to the world with social media messaging
- different continents designed
THE OUTCOME
The infinity symbol brought to life
Inspired by the infinity symbol shape of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 logo, we transformed a 2D logo into a 3D sculptural form that transformed as audiences walked around it, celebrating the notion of time through two unique mechanics.
Firstly, the mirror-finished stainless steel Möbius and secondly, the three-dimensional hourglass. Both design features meant that we had arrived at a physical and digital expression of ‘time.’
The latter would become a canvas for virtual stories. A time capsule that leveraged the power of social media around the world through a series of hashtags, the world was invited to express their passion for football and their contributions were featured within dynamic content that featured on a curved LED.
An iconic location
The design could be viewed in 360°, giving audiences striking views of not only the content being generated but also the exceptional landscape of its location and surroundings, framed by the spectacular Doha city skyline in the background.
Groundbreaking craftsmanship
The Möbius inspired loop was one of the most challenging aspects of this design. The ambition was for this form to twist and undulate on all planes, meaning every section of the build was unique.
The 3D digital hourglass, with its interactivity, was something that had not been done before. The technical backbone that drove the ‘Countdown Clock’ was at the very cutting edge of technical innovation and operated with the utmost reliability.
AWARDS
Design Middle East Awards:
Innovation in Design
I have never seen anything like this before in decades.
Gianni Infantino FIFA President
VALUE
For the audience
The design symbolised the pride that the people of Qatar have in their past and their ambition for the future. Fans engaged with locals and created unique memories, with the ‘Countdown Clock’ framing their new conversations and experiences.
For the brand
The design has come to represent a symbol of this historic moment in time for Qatar on the global stage. Celebrating the thrills of the tournament itself and enhancing the country’s reputation and cultural relevance as the first Muslim country to host a football World Cup and FIFA’s mission to open football to the world.
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