Christo - Floating Piers (1 Viewer)

[Linda]

I caught the tail end of an interview with Christo about his latest project at Lake Iseo in Italy. He pays for his installations and all are meant to be short-lived. When it is dismantled, the materials are recycled.

Several people were interviewed about the piers, and most said about the same thing - that it was like walking on water and being part of the lake itself. They used interlocking plastic blocks, which they covered with a gold colored material. People can walk from the shore to some nearby islands.

He definitely is an original, but I get the basic idea. He is saying art is around you all the time. You just need to open your eyes.

Has anyone seen any of his installations?

The website shows how they managed this project.

http://www.thefloatingpiers.com/#introduction

 

[Pucksterguy]

I have a similar system at my cottage. About 15 feet of floating dock. Anchored at the deep end. I'm gonna add another 20 feet hopefully this summer to reach deeper water. Ya gotta have good balance as it moves and pivots as it floats. The lake level goes up and down by couple of feet every year depending on rain fall and a couple of dams used to regulate the water levels. I love just sitting on the dock having a beer and enjoying the scenery and peace of the wilderness surrounding me.

 

[Linda]

Pucksterguy it sounds lovely just floating away. There even is a song to go with it, right?

 

[Pucksterguy]

yup, for when I'm bobbing on the waves in my boat....

 

[Pucksterguy]

ORRRR

 

[Linda]

ORRRR

That was the one I was thinking of!

 

[Pucksterguy]

I don't know why that didn't come to mind right away...Methinks I finally killed off my remaining brain cells, LOL

 

[Vickie]

Those piers are nice. I like how far into the water they go.

 

[Stargazer]

ORRRR

This is one of my all-time favorites! It brings back so many childhood memories...

When I was growing up as a kid in San Francisco in the '60's (and this song was popular), my Dad would frequently take me to what we knew as "Coast Guard Beach". This was a small, sandy beach just east of Fort Point (under the Golden Gate Bridge). There was a really cool Coast Guard station there, with an awesome sea wall and long dock that went out into the bay. Several of the smaller Coast Guard cutters were docked there and helicopters often landed nearby. They even had a hovercraft stationed at the site--that was REALLY cool to watch come and go.

The beach had an old barnacle-covered concrete sea plane ramp that was exposed when the tide was out. I'd love to explore the slippery, seaweed-covered structure, interacting with the mussels and starfish that would often be clumped in the gaps between the large concrete blocks. Unfortunately, I think the station and ramp are long gone, but the memories remain.

Every time I hear that song, I remember those times...so thanks for the memories, PG!

 

[Snowmelt]

I have a similar system at my cottage. About 15 feet of floating dock. Anchored at the deep end. I'm gonna add another 20 feet hopefully this summer to reach deeper water. Ya gotta have good balance as it moves and pivots as it floats. The lake level goes up and down by couple of feet every year depending on rain fall and a couple of dams used to regulate the water levels. I love just sitting on the dock having a beer and enjoying the scenery and peace of the wilderness surrounding me.

Yo. Beaver in a past life.