Paris Olympic Organizing Committee Unveils Designer Matthew Lehanneur’s Tinder Stand for Olympic Torch Relay
Xinhua News Agency, Paris, May 6 (Reporters Xiao Yazhuo and Liu Yang) – As the Paris Olympic flame prepares to arrive in Marseille on May 8, the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee has revealed the design plan for the Olympic and Paralympic torch relay flame station. Renowned designer Matthew Lehanneur, who also designed the Paris Olympic torch, created the innovative tinder stand. The design seamlessly integrates with the Olympic torch, symbolizing the journey of the flame and the spirit of the Games.
The Paris Olympic Torch Relay Tinder Station features a luminous metal appearance, with waves and ripples on the base representing the Olympic flame crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Greece to France. This water element design also pays homage to the Seine River, where the opening ceremony and various competitions will take place.
The upper part of the tinder stage resembles a suspended ring, mirroring the color of the torch and symbolizing the peaceful essence of the Games. Lehanneur explained, “The torch, the tinder stand, and the main cauldron are all interconnected entities, each reflecting the spirit of the Paris Olympic Games.”
With a diameter of 1.35 meters and a weight of 95 kilograms, the tinder stand can be easily lit by torchbearers, including those using wheelchairs. Only 2,000 torches were produced for environmental sustainability, and each torchbearer will receive a souvenir called the “Heart of the Torch”.
The Paris Olympic flame will travel within France and abroad, with the final torchbearer lighting the tinder stand at each stop city to mark the celebration. The Olympic flame will culminate at the main cauldron in Paris on July 26, marking the end of the torch relay.
The innovative design of the tinder stand by Matthew Lehanneur adds a unique touch to the Paris Olympic torch relay, embodying the spirit of peace and unity.