The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were held in the middle of a global pandemic, resulting in the first ever spectator-free Games. The brand new National Stadium built for the occasion was supposed to be full of people every day, making lifelong memories that would endear them to the stadium for the rest of their lives. Instead, the stadium remained empty and quiet throughout the Games, and forgotten afterwards. This made it difficult for the Japan Sports Council to ensure that the stadium continued to serve a public purpose after the Games—an important aspect of the Olympic legacy.

The JSC devised a way to endear the public to the National Stadium: a unique set of visual assets inspired by the stadium. The stadium seats became colorful dots of natural tones; and the striking, wood-slatted cladding of the stadium exterior transformed into wood-toned stripes. They then used the assets to streamline the stadium’s interior design to give it an attractive, contemporary look and applied them to a wide range of everyday products. The goal was to use the products to bring the stadium into the lives of the public and endear the stadium to them, despite them never having stepped foot inside.

We limited the visual assets to dots, stripes, and combinations of the two to give them the flexibility to work on both flat and three-dimensional surfaces. Yet, we also ensured to fine-tune the coloring to make them distinctive enough to serve as the brand identity of the stadium. We applied the visual assets to the vertical banners hanging outside the stadium, digital signage, stadium tour tickets and maps, business cards for the employees, calendars, and a wide variety of merchandise including tote bags.

Following the opening of the stadium to the public in March 2022, people flocked to the stadium from all across Japan, attracted by the stadium's new visual direction. Many participated in the facility’s daily tours, which reached full capacity on a daily basis. Sales of stadium merchandise jumped 500% compared to the months leading up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This included T-shirts, tumblers, and other everyday items. Despite not having the advantage of nostalgia, the National Stadium transformed into a popular destination, allowing the Japan Sports Council to fulfill their responsibility in preserving the Olympic legacy.