The Floating Piers, a 3-kilometer-long walkway, are being extended across the water of Lake Iseo of Italy installed by Bulgarian artist Christo and French philosopher Jeanne-Claude. 100,000 square meters of shimmering yellow fabric, carried by a modular floating dock system of 220,000 high-density polyethylene cubes, undulate with the movement of the waves as The Floating Piers rise just above the surface of the water, which provides a temporal landscaped artistic imagination to the visitors. 

Visitors will be able to experience this huge artistic installation only for sixteen days -June 18 through July 3, 2016 as long as the weather permits to see it. After the 16-day exhibition, all components will be removed and industrially recycled.

Visitors can experience this work of art by walking on it from Sulzano to Monte Isola and to the island of San Paolo, which is framed by The Floating Piers. The mountains surrounding the lake offer a bird’s-eye view of The Floating Piers, exposing unnoticed angles and altering perspectives. Lake Iseo is located 100 kilometers east of Milan and 200 kilometers west of Venice.

''Like all of our projects, The Floating Piers is absolutely free and accessible 24 hours a day, weather permitting,'' said Christo. “There are no tickets, no openings, no reservations and no owners. The Floating Piers are an extension of the street and belong to everyone.''

The piers are 16 meters wide and approximately 35 centimeters high with sloping sides. The fabric continues along 2.5 kilometers of pedestrian streets in Sulzano and Peschiera Maraglio. 

''Those who experience The Floating Piers will feel like they are walking on water – or perhaps the back of a whale,'' said Christo. ''The light and water will transform the bright yellow fabric to shades of red and gold throughout the sixteen days.''

In the spring and summer of 2014, Christo, Vladimir Yavachev – Operations Director, Wolfgang Volz – Project Manager, and Josy Kraft – Registrar/Curator, scouted the lakes of Northern Italy. Along with Project Director Germano Celant, they found Lake Iseo to be the most inspiring location. Since that time they have worked alongside team members from around the world to realize The Floating Piers. 

The Floating Piers was first conceived by Christo and Jeanne-Claude together in 1970. It is Christo’s first large-scale project since Christo and Jeanne-Claude realized The Gates in 2005, and since Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2009. As with all of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s projects, The Floating Piers is funded entirely through the sale of Christo’s original works of art.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude have a long history of creating projects in Italy: Wrapped Fountain and Wrapped Medieval Tower in Spoleto, 1968; Wrapped Monuments in Milan, 1970; and The Wall – Wrapped Roman Wall in Rome, 1973–74.

Lake Iseo is located 100 kilometers east of Milan and 200 kilometers west of Venice.

The mountains surrounding the lake offer a bird’s-eye view of The Floating Piers, exposing unnoticed angles and altering perspectives.

The project will be on view for sixteen days – June 18 through July 3, 2016 (weather permitting)

Landscape view-connecting Sulzano, Monte Isola and the island of San Paolo

The fabric-covered streets of Sulzano

The fabric-covered streets of Sulzano, visitors start to experience the installation within the streets

From the evening of June 15 to the evening of June 17, teams unfurl 100,000 square meters of shimmering dahlia-yellow fabric on the piers and pedestrian streets in Sulzano and Peschiera Maraglio

Construction processes 

The light and water will transform the bright yellow fabric to shades of red and gold throughout the sixteen days

Map indicating the fabric on pedestrian streets in Sulzano. Image © 2016 Christo

Map indicating the fabric on pedestrian streets on Monte Isola. Image © 2016 Christo

All images © Wolfgang Volz, 2016 Christo

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