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What comes to mind when you first hear the term "SciArt"? For me, it was my experience at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai!
Dubai’s World Expo has already proven to be one of this decade's biggest events! Among the countless attractions, one unique feature has always stood out to me.
Image credits: Virtual Expo Dubai
The Surreal Waterfall gives visitors a much-needed respite from the sweltering Dubai heat.
It plays games with your vision. Imagine seeing a massive wave of water come down a steep hill, pause midway, and retreat. As if rethinking…
That’s what this waterfall looks like at night as I stand at the base of its steep stone walls. Accompanied by choreographed music and lights, the water plays an indecisive game, going back and forth.
The experience is calming and invigorating at the same time. You expect to be drenched with every rising wave, but the wave never reaches its destination!
Experiencing this man-made spectacle reminded me of the Naneghat Reverse Waterfall back home in India, where flowing water is stuck in a tug-of-war between gravity and wind. There, speedy winds carry falling water back up—a wonder created by nature.
Credits: Gulf News
How did the Expo make this illusion work?
It’s simple, the installation uses water’s inherent property of flowing… and some high-tech water mechanics.
Mechanical play makes it look like water is shooting in reverse from the sides as it rises above visitors’ heads!
The key to the installation is the use of porous stones at the bottom of the concave facade that slowly let water seep through.
This seeping water creates the illusion of water receding upwards.
The result is a large wave that soars toward you but suddenly disappears at your feet.
Carefully calibrated pumps control the speed and volume of water released to create a series of smooth flows and quick bursts.
Specially composed music tracks and synced lights bring the installation to life as if it were a living piece of art.
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