CRYSTAL Fountains – now known simply as Crystal – is expanding in the Middle East, having already established a reputation for installing some of the most striking and unusual water features in the region.

The international water feature specailist counts among its recent successes in the region the Welcome Pavilion at Yas Island, a multimillion-dollar development by Aldar Properties that serves as the gateway to Ferrari World, the biggest covered entertainment city on the planet, and the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower.

The Welcome Pavilion is home to one of the world’s largest and most spectacular water features and includes a customised and choreographed dancing fountain located in pools on either side of the entrance adjacent to the Ferrari-inspired theme park. With its incredible effects, the theatrical water feature sets the stage for a memorable experience for visitors at the theme park that includes the fastest rollercoaster on Earth and an array of luxury hotels, retailers, restaurants and sports facilities.

The Welcome Pavilion includes a customised and choreographed dancing fountain.

Created by leading aquatic architecture firm, Aquatic Design & Engineering, (ADE), in coordination with Crystal, the water feature covers 89,000 sq ft (8,268 sq m) and is visible from the Welcome Pavilion’s car-park.

The fountain uses the latest LED lighting and water nozzle technology to provide an endless array of moods and shows. Thousands of LED lights and nozzles (2,100 Crystal LED lights, 750 nozzles and 91 custom Crystal CheoreoSwitches) were installed in geometric patterns symbolising a racetrack to create unique choreographed sequences of water and light. The water feature has a calm, passive daytime mode, utilising only 10 per cent of power. Throughout the evening, the fountain builds every 30 minutes, dazzling visitors when every light and nozzle is running.

The water feature’s pools are constructed in a series of raised platforms, or steps, that are lined with LED lights, adding to the geometric effects that the pattern of lights and nozzles create. “The fountain can be reprogrammed at any time to produce customised sequences of water and light,” says Paul L’Heureux of Crystal. “For example, the LED lights can display the colours of a national flag on a particular evening, or perform a tailored one-off water show for a special guest. Water and light effects can also be choreographed to ‘dance’ to music. Over the years, the fountain will be reprogrammed many times to ensure that visitors never see the same display.”

White Square office complex in Moscow, Russia ... another of Crystal’s projects.

The water feature incorporates a range of different nozzles that are individually programmed to form animated sequences. Aerator burst jets shoot water up to 100 ft (30.4 m) in the air, and generate a tight stream that rises rapidly but disperses at its peak to fall in a gentle, controlled manner. Aerator cascade jets produce geyser-like eruptions of foamy, aerated water that bursts from the surface of the pool and falls heavily in a conical pattern.

LED lights work to create an endless kaleidoscope of changing colours including Crystal’s LED ring lights. “These are the latest in LED lighting technology and consist of a sealed ‘ring’ of individual LEDs, with an allowance in the middle to accommodate a water nozzle. Due to the circular nature of the lights, water effects are surrounded 360 degrees, creating intense lighting from all angles,” he explains.

“Working together with the team from Aldar, ADE had a great development partner who allowed us to create a dynamic and engaging water feature. This will serve as one of ADE’s signature projects for years to come with its innovative look and energy efficient design. Crystal’s products helped us turn our visions into reality,” says Ken Martin, president and managing director of Aquatic Design and Engineering.

L’Heureux says: “Working with ADE continues to be a privilege. Yas Island could be described as the Las Vegas of the Middle East and the fountain certainly rivals anything you would see there. We employed the most contemporary engineering to help ADE create a fascinating water feature and are delighted with the results.”

The company also holds credit for the World Voices water installation in the residential lobby of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Crystal assisted Jaume Plensa in the design of the water elements of the installation envisioned by the contemporary Catalan artist. Cast in bronze and brass alloy, plated with 18-carat gold and finished by hand, the cymbals are suspended onto titanium rods anchored at the bottom of two pools, evoking reeds in a lake. The cymbals create a distinct timbre as they are gently struck by water dropping from the ceiling, which the artist compares to the sound of water falling on leaves.

Crystal developed custom technology that created the right size, volume, and control of the droplets that fall approximately 60 ft from the atrium’s gold-leaf ceiling onto 18 of the gold cymbals. The droplets fall through 25-mm-diameter openings in the ceiling, and create a natural rhythm as they make contact with the cymbals below.

The international water feature specialist recently changed its name from Crystal Fountains to Crystal.

Commenting on the rebrand, L’Heureux says: “Today’s water features cannot be described as fountains. They are incredible visual displays of artistry and engineering that create memorable atmospheres and effects. Our work is just as much about architecture and engineering products and systems as it is about engineering water. We are a world leader in water feature products, including submersible LED lights and water jets that create dazzling effects with water and light. The change to Crystal reflects that we are about more than just fountains.”

The company continues to expand in the Middle East to meet the growing market and client needs. In this regard, it has relocated two of its highly-experienced North American team members to its Dubai office.

Kris Dutkiewicz, an application engineer, has expert knowledge in LED lighting, sequencing controls, programming, and on-site assistance. Dutkiewicz will play a key role in providing electrical solutions for water features for Crystal’s clients in the Middle East market.

In addition, Ritesh Khetia, a project manager, has extensive experience in design and engineering and will ensure that Crystal’s water feature design is of the highest quality in the Middle East.

“The addition of Ritesh and Kris to the Dubai team demonstrates the importance of this growing region to Crystal. The growing Dubai team will provide product and technical guidance as well as applying Crystal best practices, which will assist us in servicing the Middle East,” says L’Heureux.

Crystal has offices in North America, the Middle East and Europe.

Other recent Crystal projects include the first-ever water shows on a cruise ship on the Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Allure of the Seas, and White Square office complex in Moscow, Russia. In south-east Asia, Crystal’s projects include the water features at Taipei 101 in Taiwan, and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.