Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games — Turning Scottish icons into opening ceremony spectacle

Project Type: Ceremony
CLIENT: People and Co
LOCATION: Glasgow, Scotland
Year: 2026

Commission

As collaborators to People for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, we helped shape the creative direction of the ceremony from the outset.

Our ambition was to create moments that felt unmistakably Glasgow – drawing on the city’s humour, character and cultural identity, to reimagine familiar icons in unexpected ways. We concepted, designed and fabricated three key moments for the ceremony: a larger-than-life Loch Ness Monster, a kaleidoscopic transformation of Glasgow Central Station’s iconic clock, and an explosive Teacake finale.

Nessie

Response

We brought the legend of Nessie to life as a large-scale moving puppet, dressed in the colours of Team Scotland. Designed with a sense of character and mystery, her expressive movement gave Nessie a life of her own as she emerged from the loch for a sentimental encounter with Sam Heughan.

Glasgow Central Station’s iconic ‘Meet Me Under the Clock’ acted as the backbone of the show, descending before turning to reveal its kaleidoscopic transformation – a shifting, colourful interpretation inspired by Glasgow’s legendary club and music culture.

To ensure the ceremony ended on a high, the Teacake was supersized, with an unexpected burst of pyro adding another layer of surprise and spectacle before ending the ceremony with an unmistakably Scottish bang. The Teacake quickly became a fan favourite, capturing headlines and becoming one of the defining images of the Opening Ceremony.