Since its inception in 1936, the Olympic torch has come to represent the history and culture of each host country and city. The design team for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch spent more than a year on its design and technical details. The team was truly multinational, with designers from China, Germany, New Zealand and Singapore, and multifaceted, with backgrounds in industrial design, graphic design, chemistry, engineering, materials, art and history. This project’s approach infused a sleek and modern design with symbols of both Chinese culture and the spirit of the Olympic Games. The color, shape, decoration and texture of the “Cloud of Promise” reflects the spirit of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and its host nation.