Christo’s “The Gates” Return: Now in Augmented Reality
In 2005, New York City’s Central Park was transformed into a vibrant saffron river as 7,000 arches of the installation “The Gates” finally came to life after decades of planning. The project by Christo and Jeanne-Claude became a symbol of the city’s revival after the 9/11 tragedy, attracting over four million visitors—three times the usual number.
Now, 20 years later, the legendary installation returns—in digital form. To celebrate the anniversary, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, The Shed, Central Park, NYC Parks, and Bloomberg Philanthropies have organized a large-scale retrospective.
The Shed hosts an exhibition featuring original sketches, models, and archival materials, while Central Park itself has become a site for an AR experience. Using the Bloomberg Connects app, visitors can once again walk beneath hundreds of saffron-colored arches, virtually recreated along the path between the park’s east and west sides at 72nd Street.
The route is fully accessible to visitors with limited mobility, and augmented reality technology brings “The Gates” back to life in a whole new dimension.
