Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Cauldrons

Commissioned by Balich Wonder Studio on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), we delivered the two exquisite Cauldrons of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

With sports events spanning across Northen Italy, there were two host cities for the first time in Olympic history, for the purpose of inclusivity of all athletes and attendees. We therefore built two Olympic Cauldrons, one located in the centre of Milan under the Arco della Pace, the other located in the mountains in the Piazza Dibona of Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Created by Marco Balich – inspired by the iconic Hoberman Sphere – and designed in conjunction with Lida Castelli and Paolo Fantin, these stunning kinetic sculptures were engineered to expand and contract. As the Cauldrons were lit during the opening ceremony, both spheres opened synchronously and kept the flame alive throughout the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Each cauldron was over 10m high, reaching 4.5m in diameter once opened, the movement controlled using our Qmotion automation software. Through the power and discipline of engineering, it took nine months of thinking, designing, prototyping, adapting, manufacturing, finishing, testing, packing, installing, and commissioning to bring them to life.