The materials from the Arc de Triomphe wrapped by Christo and Jeanne-Claude will be repurposed

In September 2021, the Arc de Triomphe, located at the end of the Champs-Élysées in Paris, was wrapped for 16 days in 25,000 square meters of silver-blue fabric secured by 3,000 meters of red ropes, marking the last work by Christo and Jeanne-Claude to be realized. In 2024, the materials used to wrap the monument commissioned by Napoleon will be repurposed to create tents and shade structures for the Olympics and Paralympics. The wood and steel used for the installation's substructures have already been repurposed by Les Charpentiers de Paris, ArcelorMittal, and Derichebourg Environnement.

The project is strongly supported by the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and is led by Parley for the Oceans, an environmental organization committed to protecting the oceans. “The ropes and fabric from the artwork speak to the true superpower we possess as humans: imagination. We will create tent structures designed to protect human life from dangerous heatwaves and to recharge our hearts and minds for the epic challenge ahead. I am confident that together we can create a new economy where harmful, toxic, and exploitative business practices remain relics of the past,” said Cyrill Gutsch, Founder and CEO of Parley for the Oceans.

Opening image: Matthias Koddenberg © 2021 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation