Milano Cortina 2026 Unveils Olympic Medals as Sculptures of Unity and Design
- Gen de Art
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
In a city renowned for its fusion of heritage and innovation, the unveiling of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic medals in Venice signals more than a celebration of athletic triumph—it’s a statement of Italian design culture at its most poetic and precise.
Crafted under the artistic direction of Raffaella Paniè, the Brand, Identity and Look of the Games Director, and realized by the historic Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS), these medals stand as minimalist masterpieces. At once sculptural and symbolic, they embrace the profound concept of duality and togetherness: two halves uniting to form a whole, representing not just athlete and victory, but the unseen network of coaches, family, and community who shape every moment on the podium.
“Victory is never a solitary moment,” says Paniè. “It’s built through collective strength, support, and unity. This story lives in the surfaces of the medals, where two textures meet and begin a narrative shaped not only by the athletes, but by everyone who helped them get there.”
A Minimalist Vision, A Maximal Meaning
In a world where Olympic design can often veer toward the ornate or ceremonial, the Milano Cortina medals adopt a language of refined essentialism. Inspired by the Italian avant-garde and echoing the sleek purity of the Carlo Ratti–designed Olympic torches, the medals resist spectacle in favor of narrative clarity and tactile resonance.
The surfaces themselves are a study in contrast—two distinct textures brought together through the Olympic or Paralympic symbol at the center. They mirror the unprecedented dual-host nature of the 2026 Winter Games, shared between Milano and Cortina, as well as the union of Olympic and Paralympic values into one unified design story.
“Each medal is a unique object,” says Paolo Perrone, President of IPZS. “A fusion of craftsmanship and innovation, expressing the universality of sport, the struggle, and the emotion of victory.”
A Technical and Emotional Feat
Each medal is produced using advanced minting techniques and an eco-conscious approach, incorporating recyclable, non-toxic protective finishes and powered entirely by renewable energy—a nod to the future-facing ethos of these Games. They are engineered with an 80mm diameter and 10mm thickness, with gold medals made of 999 silver plated with 6g of pure gold, silver medals in 999 silver, and bronze crafted from copper.
But beyond materials and measurements, these are objects of desire—not just for athletes, but for a design-savvy audience attuned to the cultural stakes of form. They are medals that transcend the podium, encapsulating Italy’s broader contribution to aesthetics, emotion, and symbolism.
“They are the heartbeat of Italy,” said Giovanni Malagò, President of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. “They carry not just the tribute of victory, but a living fragment of the Italian spirit.”
©Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026
Unveiled by Icons, Defined by Legacy
The unveiling, held at Palazzo Balbi in Venice, was accompanied by two of Italy’s most decorated athletes: Federica Pellegrini, a record-breaking swimmer, and Francesca Porcellato, a Paralympic legend across three disciplines. Their presence bridged the values of resilience and grace, anchoring the medals not only in aspiration but in lived excellence.
Design That Moves
The medals of Milano Cortina 2026 tell a story far larger than their physical form. They are meditations on human connection, forged in metal but fueled by meaning. They reflect the shared heartbeat of cities, nations, and people in motion. They don’t just mark the end of a race—they celebrate the journey, the hands that helped carry it forward, and the belief that even the highest podiums are built together.
Key Facts:
Total Medals Awarded: 1,146 (Olympic: 245 of each metal; Paralympic: 137 of each)
Dimensions: 80mm diameter | 10mm thickness
Produced by: IPZS, Rome
Design Language: Minimalist, dual-texture, sustainable finish
Material: Gold-plated silver (gold medal), silver, copper
For those who view Olympic medals as merely metallic tokens, Milano Cortina 2026 offers a quiet rebuttal: in their deliberate form and spiritual clarity, they serve not just as trophies—but as design objects that carry the soul of a nation.
