This story was reported for NBC10 Boston.
The torch used at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics was designed by Carol Ratti, a renowned Italian architect and designer who is also a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
This year’s torch is called “Essential,” a name that reflects the minimalism in its design and emphasis it places on the flame itself.
The “Essential” torch is the lightest every created for the Olympics, and can carry the flame through any type of weather condition.
Ratti discussed the design with NBC10 Boston, and described the moment he himself was able to carry the torch through his hometown in Italy. Check out our interview in the player at the top of this story.