At the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the crystal clear “five rings of ice” amazed global viewers. These rings used a creative LED display system that transformed the symbolic structure into a vivid stage centerpiece. Although the piece appeared simple, it relied on complex LED display engineering, precise control systems, and lightweight structural technology.
The installation covered 134 square meters and weighed about 3 tons. However, the custom LED display structure remained extremely thin at only 35 centimeters. Moreover, the Olympic “ice crystal five rings” reached 19 meters in length and 8.75 meters in height. Therefore, the engineering team used an advanced large-scale LED display design to balance size, brightness, and safety.
Through the Wiya lifting system of the National Stadium, the LED display rings rose more than 10 meters in only 43 seconds. Furthermore, the movement stayed smooth because the lifting accuracy reached millimeter-level standards. Although the audience focused on the glowing rings, every transition depended on the stability of the LED display lifting system.
After Apexls accepted the project, the team carried out layered structural planning. They built the interior using a 360° LED ring display with no visual dead corners. Therefore, the director team gained full freedom to display any creative visual content. Additionally, the outer diffusion panel refined the light output so the LED display effect stayed soft and clear.
The engineering team also faced a strict weight limit. Although the LED display system needed strong brightness and stability, the final structure could not exceed 3 tons. Therefore, the designers followed the structural logic of a rocket airframe. This aerospace-inspired method produced a lightweight yet strong LED display frame that also resisted level-6 winds.
Through this approach, the final LED display rings maintained rigidity, transparency, and safety while remaining easy to lift during the ceremony. Although the rings looked like simple frozen symbols, each glow came from thousands of synchronized LED display units working with precise optical panels.
In summary, the “five rings of ice crystals” demonstrated how modern LED display technology supports large creative installations. Although the audience saw a beautiful symbol, the structure relied on innovative LED display engineering, lightweight design, and high-precision motion control. Because of these integrated systems, the Olympic structure achieved visual beauty, mechanical stability, and symbolic impact on the global stage.