Christo’s The Floating Piers — from concept to reality

Christo — The Floating Piers. A 28 x 21.5cm collage using pencil, wax crayon, enamel paint, photograph by Wolfgang Volz, aerial photograph and fabric sample. Photo: André Grossmann

During testing at Lake Iseo, Montecolino, Italy. Christo is delighted that the pier segment undulates with the movement of the waves. Photo: Wolfgang Volz October 2015

At the headquarters in Montecolino, construction workers build the piers. They are assembled in 100m-long segments and stored outside Montecolino on Lake Iseo. January 2016 Photo: Wolfgang Volz

At a factory in Fondotoce at Lago Maggiore. About 200,000 high-density poly-ethylene cubes are manufactured over a period of eight months before delivery to the project site in Montecolino, January 2016 Photo: Wolfgang Volz

At geo — die Luftwerker, 75,000 square meters of yellow fabric are sewed into panels, Lübeck, Germany, February 2016

The felt that will cover the cubes underneath the yellow fabric is transported from Montecolino to San Paolo island by Elimast Helicopter Service, May 2016 Photo: Wolfgang Volz

Workers install the felt that will cover the floating cubes before the yellow fabric is installed, May 2016 Photo: Wolfgang Volz

Aerial view of the project’s building yard in April 2016. Photo: Wolfgang Volz

Vince Davenport, responsible for the felt and fabric installation on the pedestrian streets, director of operations Vladimir Yavachev and Christo at the project’s headquarters in Montecolino, April 2016. Photo: Wolfgang Volz

An aerial view of The Floating Piers taken on June 16, 2016. Images courtesy Wolfgang Wolz

An aerial view of The Floating Piers taken on June 16, 2016. Images courtesy Wolfgang Wolz

An aerial view of The Floating Piers taken on June 16, 2016. Images courtesy Wolfgang Wolz

An aerial view of The Floating Piers taken on June 16, 2016. Images courtesy Wolfgang Wolz

An aerial view of The Floating Piers taken on June 16, 2016. Images courtesy Wolfgang Wolz

An aerial view of The Floating Piers taken on June 16, 2016. Images courtesy Wolfgang Wolz

Christo walks on The Floating Piers on Lake Iseo, northern Italy on June 16, 2016. Filippo Monteforte / AFP Photo

In his first installation since 2005's The Gates, the environmental sculptor Christo has used 100,000 square meters of fabric, carried on a pontoon of 220,000 high-density poly-ethylene cubes to create The Floating Piers, an artwork that will allow visitors to literally walk on water. Like all of Christo's works, the installation, which has transformed Lake Iseo in northern Italy, is temporary and will last for just two weeks. Words by Nick Leech / The National