The last few months have been difficult for everyone. However, the health crisis seems to be coming to an end, and initiatives to bring joy back to citizens’ lives are increasing, and this is particularly the case we have seen in England. To cheer up the people of London, the Canary Wharf financial district asked designer Yinka Ilori, known for his colorful creations, to design a public basketball court in the heart of the district. To break the schemes and offer the residents of the neighborhood an original and colorful terrain, the artist has resorted to a little-used method for the construction of sports infrastructure: additive manufacturing.
Much smaller than traditional courts, the 3D printed basketball court designed by Yinka Ilori is designed for 3-3 basketball games. It has only one basket and therefore can only accommodate 6 players. A lot of thought went into the design of the field, in particular for the color patterns, but also for the motto “Be the best you can be”. Through this motto, the designer asks all athletes and sports professionals to resume their habits after the pandemic. “The goal for me was to bring a sense of hope and positivity to the city. All you can do is perform at your best. I think that applies to everything we do in our life. “explains the Londoner.
Designer Yinka Ilori on her custom-designed basketball court | Credits: Matt Alexander and Sean Pollock
Yinka Ilori and the 3D printed tiles
As we can see, Yinka Ilori’s basketball court is really eye-catching. Unlike traditional courts, the court floor is not made of wood or concrete, but of 3D printed polypropylene tiles. These tiles, designed by the British company OnCourt, have the advantage of being more durable. In fact, the terrain markings have been integrated into the material itself, so the colors are more resistant than if they had been painted. On this, Ilori clarifies: “The colors used in the field are very vivid and I think they will last a long time. However, this is still a sports space, which means there will be a lot of wear and tear in the long run. “.
Additionally, OnCourt claims that the 3D printed floor, called Traction², provides better grip and reduces stress on players’ knees and ankles. However, no additional information on the 3D printing process has been released. This project is the first in sports history to integrate additive manufacturing to create the playing field. Once again, additive manufacturing demonstrates the scope of its possibilities and how crucial it can be in many applications.
3D printed tiles | Credits: Matt Alexander and Sean Pollock
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