July 12, 2021
Keio University
Professor Hiroya Tanaka of the Keio University Faculty of Environment and Information Studies served as the design supervisor for the project to produce the victory ceremony podiums for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games using 3D printers. Alumni, researchers, and students from the Hiroya Tanaka Lab also collaborated to handle key parts of the process, from research and development to manufacturing design. The podiums for these Games were made from recycled plastic for the first time in the history of the Games, as part of a citizen-participation initiative called the "Tokyo 2020 Podium Project." A total of 24.5 tons of materials were collected from approximately 2,000 major supermarkets and drugstores, 113 schools, and various companies and organizations across Japan. The design was created by artist Asao Tokolo, who also designed the Games' emblems. Tomoki Hiramoto, an alumnus of the Hiroya Tanaka Lab (who completed his master's degree at the Graduate School of Media and Governance in 2010), unlocked the potential for 3D manufacturing and directed the entire project, including the color-matching design.
Please see below for the full press release.