5600 m³ Package, Project for Documenta 4, Kassel, 1986

For documenta IV in 1968, Christo and Jeanne-Claude realized the 5,600 Cubic Meter Package, a monumental, air-filled sculpture made of synthetic fabric. Reaching a height of 85.3 meters, it set a new record and was considered their most technically demanding project to date. After carefully evaluating various locations, they chose the expansive Auepark in Kassel, Germany, to maximize the spatial impact of the installation. Scientific planning began in 1967 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where the artist duo collaborated with mechanics expert Dimiter S. Zagoroff. Wind tunnel tests confirmed that the structure could flexibly respond to air currents, deform under pressure, and subsequently return to its original shape.
This edition documents the ephemeral artwork and illustrates its conceptual and aesthetic significance within the artistic practice of Christo and Jeanne-Claude.