Cloud gate

Master craftsmanship for the world’s most famous “bean”.​​

While designed by artist Anish Kapoor, the physical realization of Cloud Gate in Millennium Park was made possible through the intensive on-site fabrication and finishing work of MTH Industries. As the primary erection and finishing contractor, MTH was responsible for the daunting task of transforming 168 individual stainless steel plates into a singular, seamless mirror.

Our team executed over 2,400 linear feet of precision welding and oversaw a grueling 12-step grinding and polishing process that required roughly 12 to 14 hours of manual labor for every square foot of the sculpture’s surface. By meticulously removing every visible seam while working on slippery, compound-curved slopes, MTH’s artisans achieved the “liquid mercury” effect that has made the sculpture a global icon of public art and engineering.