History in the making. A new wonder of the world. "The Mastaba" will not only be Christo and Jeanne-Claude's greatest achievement and only permanent large-scale work, but also the biggest sculpture in the world and one of the most significant creations in history. Conceived in 1977, "The Mastaba" takes its name from an ancient word describing a trapezoidal structure with a flat top, two vertical walls and two outward sloping sides. Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "Mastaba" will be made from 410,000 multi-colored barrels to form a mosaic of bright sparkling colors that echoes Islamic architecture. The sculpture will be 150 meters (492 feet) high, 225 meters (738 feet) deep at the 60 degree slanted walls and 300 meters (984 feet) wide at the vertical walls. The individual colors and the positioning of the 55-gallon steel barrels were chosen by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in 1979, the year in which the artists first visited Abu Dhabi. They have since returned many times, creating a longstanding friendship with the Emirate and its people.
In 2012, the ideal location for "The Mastaba" was identified approximately 160 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi in the stunning desert of Al Gharbia, surrounded by some of the most spectacular dunes in the world.