When in 2023, together with Petr Vacek for CZ Basketball, we created the travelling Jiří Zídek Sr. Cup, we had no idea that a few years later we would return to a similar project again. This time, however, it was not about a cup for the winner of the entire competition, but about a completely new design of medals for first, second and third place in the top Czech basketball competition, the Maxa NBL.
The result caught the attention not only of the basketball community, but also of Czech Television, which presented the project to viewers in Studio 6 and subsequently also in the sports news. You can watch both reports below.
From a medal to a story of victory
The new medals were created in collaboration with the designer and jeweller Antonia Lecher, who approached the brief a little differently than is usual for sports awards. The goal was not merely to create another medal, but an object carrying a strong concept and building upon the visual identity established a few years ago by the Jiří Zídek Sr. Cup.
Each of the medals therefore contains all three colours of victory – gold, silver and bronze. From different angles, it thus reveals different colour accents and reminds us that in the final series every player gives their absolute best on the court, regardless of which medal they ultimately leave with.
Several partners participated in the project. Antonie Lecher created the design itself, at PrusaLab we ensured the technical development, prototyping and production, and the assembly of the ribbons was handled by the JEDNA BEDNA sheltered workshop. The result is an award that connects design, modern technology and a social dimension.
How 3D printing helped bring the project to the finish line
From the initial sketches to the handover of the final medals, time was one of the greatest enemies. That is precisely why 3D printing and rapid prototyping became key tools.
Using FDM printing, we were able to repeatedly verify the dimensions, proportions and structural details within a few days. Instead of waiting a long time for production samples, we had individual variants in our hands immediately and could further modify them together with the author of the design and representatives of CZ Basketball. As a result, we managed to finalise the design of the medals before the production of the final laser-cut metal parts.
Projects like this are the ones we enjoy the most. It is not just about manufacturing the object itself, but above all about the ability to quickly test ideas, find the right solutions and connect design with actual production.
We are thrilled that the entire project has made it onto television screens and that, through it, we can show the general public just how important a role 3D printing plays today – not only in the production of prototypes, but also in the creation of final products and unique projects on the borderline between design, technology and sport.
Below you can watch a report from Studio 6, Czech Television's sports news, and also an interview about the creation of the medals on the Basketbal Fokus podcast.
