ARCHITECTURE AT EXPO 2020 DUBAI | THE WATER FEATURE IN AL WASL PLAZA

A display of intelligent solutions and pure ingenuity, Expo 2020 celebrates progress and diversity while it provides a glimpse into the future.

Architect: WET design
Location: Situated between Al Wasl Plaza and Jubilee Park.
Design: Combining the forces of nature – water, earth and fire.
Water: Massive sheets of water dramatically cascading down curved vertical walls. By day they flow into a mysterious, multi-hued circle of fire, and by night defy gravity by streaming upwards. All the water is sustainably recycled in the display.
Music: The water sounds are beautifully harmonised to music. The award winning composer Ramin Djawadi and WET’s choreographers worked together to blend music with the outstanding visual water display.
Fire: In the middle of the display a mysterious circle of fire gives off enormous bursts of red, green and yellow flames. Produced with
pure hydrogen, the flames have no carbon.
Garden: Palm trees and fragrant plants are dotted along the curving paths that border the central water feature.

Water falling at the Water Feature, Expo 2020 Dubai. (Photo by Mahmoud Khaled/Expo 2020 Dubai)
Water falling at the Water Feature, Expo 2020 Dubai. (Photo by Mahmoud
Khaled/Expo 2020 Dubai)

Situated between Al Wasl Plaza and Jubilee Park, the Expo 2020 Water Feature combines the elements of water, earth and fire in a way that will both surprise and delight the senses.

The 153 individual waves range from glistening sheets to bursts of water that literally leap from the walls as they make their dramatic descent to the plaza below. People are invited to walk to the base of the falls to see how the water disappears through the stone. At night the waves reverse themselves – producing a gravity-defying spectacle as they flow up the walls.

At the feature’s centre is a mysterious circle of fire that produces enormous bursts of flames in spectral hues of red, green and yellow. In keeping with Expo 2020’s theme of sustainability, these huge flames are of pure hydrogen and therefore produce no carbon.

Each surge of water is released on a musical cue, creating an orchestral masterpiece performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The original score was written by the award-winning composer Ramin Djawadi, whose work includes the theme music for the HBO series Game of Thrones, which earned him Grammy Award nominations in 2009, 2018 and 2020.

The Expo 2020 Water Feature and its surrounding landscaping and architectural elements are arranged in a way that connects people through dynamic movement inside the park, while also allowing interaction between adjacent spaces.

The Expo 2020 Water Feature was created by California-based WET Design, which uses supercomputers and other cutting-edge technology to build some of the world’s most iconic fountains and water features, including the famous dancing fountain at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. WET’s choreographers and Ramin Djawadi worked together to marry music with the visual water experience of the water feature. The surrounding landscaping and architectural features were designed by SWA Group.

Aerial view of Garden in the Sky & Water Feature at night, Expo 2020 Dubai. (Photo by Dany Eid/Expo 2020 Dubai)
Aerial view of Garden in the Sky & Water Feature at night, Expo 2020 Dubai. (Photo by Dany Eid/Expo 2020 Dubai)

A VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN PRINT IN SELECTIONS #57

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

 

SELECTIONS is a platform for the arts, focusing on the Arab World.

Selections editorial presents a quarterly print magazine and weekly online publication with high quality content on all subjects related to Art and Culture. Full of world-leading artworks, exquisite brand imagery, original creative illustrations and insightful written articles.
Selections Viewing Rooms presents carefully curated online art shows aiming not only to shed light on contemporary art executed by living artists, but also for viewers to buy contemporary fine art, prints & multiples, photography, street art and collectibles.
Discover the previous and current shows here.
Cultural Narratives foundation is an extensive collection that is travelling the world by leading established and emerging talents aiming to reflect the culture of the region in their works.

Current Month