With simultaneous unveilings at the Triennale di Milano and Expo 2025 in Osaka, the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games revealed the torches that will carry the Flame across Italy and beyond. Named Essential, the new torches pay tribute to minimalist design and Italian innovation, balancing tradition with advanced engineering and a firm focus on sustainability.
OLYMPICS
Presented by four celebrated athletes, Stefania Belmondo and Bebe Vio in Milan, Martina Caironi and Carolina Kostner in Osaka, the torches were introduced as emblems of unity, energy, and transformation. Belmondo, who served as the final torchbearer at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, stood alongside Vio, Caironi, and Kostner to represent the legacy and future of Olympic and Paralympic achievement.
Designed by Studio Carlo Ratti Associati and developed by Eni in collaboration with Versalis, the Essential torch features two variations: a blue-green version for the Olympic Games and a bronze-toned version for the Paralympic Games. Both models showcase a refined, iridescent finish and are engineered by Cavagna Group, revealing a technical core previously hidden in torch design. The flame mechanism is visible for the first time, allowing both torchbearers and spectators to witness the ignition process up close.
Crafted entirely in Italy, the torches weigh approximately 1,060 grams (excluding the fuel canister) and are composed primarily of recycled aluminium and brass alloys. Emphasizing sustainability, they can be reused and refilled up to ten times. Powering the flame is bio-LPG, a renewable energy source produced at the Enilive biorefinery in Gela, Sicily, using waste materials like used cooking oil and animal fats.
The grip of the torch incorporates XL EXTRALIGHT®, a lightweight material produced by Finproject using a Versalis polymer derived 60% from bio-naphtha. The torches’ finishes employ Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), creating a surface that shifts in appearance depending on lighting conditions, adding a kinetic visual quality to the relay experience.
The Olympic torch’s Shades of Sky colorway draws inspiration from Italy’s varied skies, symbolizing transformation and momentum. The Paralympic torch, in Mountains of Light, honors resilience and strength, reflecting the determination of Paralympic athletes to reshape their future.
The Essential torch stands as both a technological innovation and a cultural symbol. During Expo 2025, the two versions will be showcased at the Italia Pavilion in Osaka. In Milan, they will remain on display at the Triennale from May 2025 until the conclusion of the Games. After the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the Olympic torch will join the permanent collection at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, marking its place in history as a vessel of fire and symbol of design-forward sustainability.
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As the countdown to Milano Cortina 2026 continues, the unveiling of Essential offers a preview of what the Games will bring: a vision where form meets function, and where Italian craftsmanship tells a new story of unity through sport.
This is gorgeous! Carlo Ratti is one of the best studios out there !