June 15, 2007. There we are, finally. After over 3 years of hard work, patience, despair and enthusiasm we organized the “Signing of the first piece of the Athletes Alley”, in the BOCOG Exhibition Hall. The VIPs who left their marks were HRH Prince Philippe (Crown Prince of Belgium), Mr. Wang Wei (BOCOG Executive Vice President & Secretary General) and the Belgian artist Olivier Strebelle. Later on their signature will be engraved. The piece is part of the first sculpture element.
The Association “Strebelle in Beijing 2008” is donating the art work to the Beijing Government, in the name of the Belgian Government (through the National Lottery) and several enterprises such as Belgacom, Suez Tractebel, Inbev, Janssen Pharmaceutica, CMB, Euronav, Total, Baron Vastapane.
The board of directors of the Association includes François Narmon (Dexia Bank), Jean-Luc Dehaene (former Belgian prime minister), Etienne Davignon (Suez Tractebel), Luc Vansteenkiste (Recticel), Alain Rens (former ambassador), Pierre Jean Everaert (InBev), Gad Weil (project director).
Location of the sculpture: in the Olympic Park, close to the main western entrance and north of the International Area and the Olympic Village (Olympic Green).
Five groups of abstract sculptures made of stainless steel tubes are spread over an area of 100 meters long and 20 meters wide. The average height is 14.5 meters and the highest point is 20 m.
From a precise point of view at the entry of the alley, the abstract elements become a figurative ensemble revealing the logo of the Olympic Games, held up by five athletes.
the Strebelle team in Brussels working on one of the many scale models – Sun & Gilbert – the whole Strebelle team
