The Emirate of Dubai can be ranked among the modern wonders of the world. All his construction projects surpass world analogues in scale, grandeur, external effects and cost. One of the wonders in Dubai is the fountain, which is as colossal, incredible, magnificent, like everything in this city. Rather, this is not one fountain, but an entire ensemble producing musical and visual shows, with a complex lighting system. This complex is called singing, dancing, choreographic fountains.
The fountain in Dubai is open both day and evening. When, after sunset, in the color illumination of the floodlights, the dance of water jets begins, the spectacle amazes with its beauty, scale and graceful coordination of performance.
History of creation
The customer of the project of this unique complex is Emaar Properties, a company for the development and management of real estate in the United Arab Emirates. In Dubai, fountains were developed by engineering and design firm WET Design (California), which was the first to use air at such high pressure to create choreographic water shows. At one time, she carried out a project of the famous Las Vegas fountains at the Lake Bellagio Casino.
Construction cost 800 million dirhams UAE (218 million US dollars). To select the name of the fountain, Emaar Properties organized a contest, the result of which was announced at the end of October 2008. Since February 2009, the test tests of the fountain with the already approved name “Dubai” began, and on May 8 the ceremonial launch of the fountain and the simultaneous opening of the Dubai shopping center took place. In a ceremonial speech, a representative from Emaar Properties noted that "The Dubai Fountain is an expression of a creative mind."
Description
The fountain in Dubai, the largest of these complexes in the world, is installed in the development center of Dubai in front of the Dubai Mall in the shallow (1.5 m deep) artificial lake Burj Khalifa, 275 m long. The complex is formed by feed mechanisms located in two arcs and five rings of different diameters. The work of the fountains is accompanied by one of the many musical compositions (about 40 plays) reproduced through speakers installed around the lake. The system creates many different patterns and combinations of the movement of water jets in the air.
Under the musical accompaniment, water soars up several levels of height, in different parts of the system, with different intervals and sequences depending on which melody is played. The unique dynamics of water is created by rotary nozzles, due to which the moving jets hit in different directions, while repeatedly bending, twisting in arcs and spirals. The backlight complements this visual and sound composition, the look of the Dubai fountains (photo in the article) is truly mesmerizing.
How it works?
To supply multiple jets of this power, high-pressure air is used, which is supplied by several pumps and water pressure systems. Changing the pressure gives options for altitude, speed and sequence of water shots. Nozzles with complex movable mechanisms that make jets dance are called “rowers” and are autonomous robots. Rowers act as leading instruments on which the entire choreographic composition and smooth transition of jets in legato movements are based. Some rowers have nozzles that create circular and spiral flows. The movable mechanism of other "rowers" creates the effect of a wrist with endless movement in a circle or from side to side.
Water guns of different capacities with larger nozzles operate under extremely strong pressure. They are called "shooters", they throw water to a colossal height and are divided by power. “Super shooters” shoot water jets up to 73 m high into the air. The nozzles of the “extreme shooters”, pushing out the water, create the strongest noise, and their jets reach a height of 152.4 m, which is equivalent to the height of a 50-story building. Since it takes a long time to re-push water to a great height to create sufficient pressure, these fountains are practically not used in daily shows.
Control mechanism
The Dubai Fountain's main fountain control tower is located on the top level of the nearby Dubai Mall. The choreography of each performance is first created by a unique computer simulation program called VirtualWET, which in real time simulates the appearance of the jets, including effects produced by gravity and wind. Music themes are randomly selected.
Backlight
The underwater illumination system at the base of the jets with 6600 spotlights and 25 color projectors not only complements, but forms a special “choreographic” effect. This, combined with the constantly changing movement of water, accurately expresses all the nuances of the musical composition: tempo, pitch, smooth transitions of the legato, short pulses of staccato, enhanced entry of drums.
One of the representatives of WET, the creator of the singing fountains in Dubai, said about the carefully thought-out action of the backlight: “It combines the magic of water and the elements of nature to evoke generalized sensations of the movement of light and emotions, which should create a harmony of the external world and our senses.”
Musical accompaniment
The works were selected by Emaar from the resources of classical and contemporary world music. Musical pieces are selected taking into account the ability to visually interpret them with a fountain. At the same time, the rhythmic pattern, the variable power of sound supply, the expressiveness of the works were important. One of the selection criteria was that the songs should be familiar to the public and evoke positive emotions. The timelessness of works that are well received by people of different generations is also important. The musical repertoire corresponds to the tastes of the cosmopolitan population of Dubai, which includes more than 180 nationalities.
During the performance, musical works lasting from 2 to 4.5 minutes are played continuously. Daytime fountains in Dubai: 13:00 - 13:30. Evening show: 18:00 - 23:00 with the extension of the performance for 30 minutes on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Sometimes during the day during testing the complex works without music.
Fountain in numbers
A few facts about this grand building:
- 275 meters - this is the length of the fountain, twice the size of a football field;
- 150 meters - the maximum height of the water column created by the most powerful water cannon;
- 83 000 liters - the volume of water that is released every second by the fountain into the air when operating at full capacity;
- 25 color options and 6 600 incandescent lamps WET Superlights are involved in this complex;
- 32 km - this is the maximum distance at which it is possible to see the beam of floodlights of the fountain.
In the end, I would like to add that more than 47 million people have already visited this water choreographic ensemble since its launch.