In the heart of London, a vibrant structure floats upon a lake, reflecting multicolored patterns onto the water. Located in Hyde Park, the sculpture is the latest work by artists Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude (now deceased). Called The London Mastaba, the title refers to a flat-roofed ancient Mesopotamian structure. Christo and his team built the 650-ton work with more than 7,500 barrels. They installed it on a floating platform anchored to the lake bed.

For almost 50 years, Christo and Jeanne-Claude collaborated to create temporary works. It took a year for local authorities to grant Christo permission to build The London Mastaba. The team constructed it in two-and-a-half months. They secured steel scaffolding to the platform. Then they transported the barrels into the park. Finally, they attached the barrels to the frame. Christo hopes to install an even larger mastaba in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates using more than 400,000 barrels!