3D Printed Eiffel Tower Made From Ocean Waste Marks Olympics in Czechia

On Friday, July 26th, 2024, the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games officially opened! And since then we have seen incredible feats of prowess from athletes the world over in about 40 sports. But of course, not everyone can make it to France to celebrate the games, so how are different countries celebrating their athletes while cheering them on? Well, in Czechia, they have 3D printed a scaled down Eiffel Tower out of marine waste that has been put on display at the country’s official Olympic Festival.

Originally announced in April 2024, this project is the brainchild of Czech company 3DDen and the Czech Olympic team and has been erected near Lake Most in north Bohemia. It is the centerpiece of the Olympic Festival taking place on the shores of the pit lake where visitors are able to try out different sports as well as watch Czech athletes competing at the event. It is a glorious homage to France and one that also follows with the increased commitment to sustainability in the Olympics, as the 12.5-meter (~41′) structure has been made entirely from plastic taken from the ocean.

Installation of the 3D printed Eiffel Tower on the shores of Lake Most (photo credits: Martin Divisek/EFE)

Creating a 3D Printed Eiffel Tower

Eco-friendliness is the name of the game at Paris 2024 with the French authorities working hard to make it as green as possible including with more plant-based food (even if some have complained), recycled materials for temporary arenas as well as equipment like beds, a focus on public transportation and new bike lanes and much more. And sustainability was also the idea behind this 3D printed Eiffel Tower. Specifically, according to the CEO of 3DDen, it was made of about 1.3 tons of ocean waste.