The Arches Fountain An artistic & aesthetic frontage in Muscat
- The idea behind the fountain design is inspired by the shape of the arches prevailing in the Opera House Muscat.
- The fountain is equipped with modern technology that saves water and energy consumption.
- An automatic operating system to control the movement and flow of water with some light effects.
- The garden surrounding the fountain commensurates with the fountain`s geometric and aesthetic shape.
Written by: Mahboba As`Sabahi
Photographer: Essam al Zidjai
In an attempt to develop the area surrounding the Royal Opera House including the improvement of the road system leading to the Opera house, Muscat Municipality has accomplished the project of implementing the Arches Fountain Project and the surrounding garden. It has been a cosmetic project in Muscat Governorate, distinguished with its modern nature, amidst a lively location along the Sultan Qaboos Main Street and the Royal Opera House Muscat in the Sarooj area. The fountain taking the arches shape of the opera house with its water flow and garden architecture give a homogeneous view to road and the surrounding area as well.
The design of the fountain is inspired by the arches of the Royal Opera House, which is a high cultural landmark, while the pure water lines reflect a transparent and aesthetics Art while giving them attractive night lighting through the homogeneous formations caused by the water formations between the Shadow and light. The project reflects profound implications for the aesthetic influences of the Royal Opera House.
The fountain has been made of iron and stainless steel known as “duplex”, with a height of 12 meters and a weight of about 15 tons. The water system of the fountain is also an automated system programmed with computer systems throughout the week, from 6 in the Morning until 12 midnight.
The fountain design also takes into account the sustainability in water consumption used. It has been also equipped with modern systems that take into account the quantities of water used, so water nostrils of the Fountain Basin automatically stops once the required quantity is complete, and are automatically restarted in the event of a decrease, which may result from evaporation or other factors. Water is re-filtered and pumped back into the fountain Basin to ensure the purity of water and the continuity of operation of the fountain, and the fountain is fully controlled from the pump room, which includes all pumps and all electromechanical connections, the fountain operating system is connected to Internet systems to follow its operational status.
The water movements within the fountain are harmonic with their arched structure which is programmed on different matches, in terms of morning, evening and night periods. During the period of operation of the fountain, water movements are divided into four movements: curved forms similar to palm leaf, movement approaching the shape of the rainwater flow, the main cruise movement, smoothing and running all the movements simultaneously.
On the other hand, the lighting element was an important element that was taken into account in the design of the fountain in a thoughtful and elegant manner, reflecting beautiful and attractive reflections of the neighboring landscape. The light effects of the fountain`s model are operated by automatic systems programmed according to sunset and sunrise, so that the lighting begins in gradually fading with the gradient of the day and the opposite at night, the finest lighting types have been selected to ensure the continuity of their operation, as the lighting of the fountain has been programmed To light the colours of the Sultanate`s flag (white, green and red), in conjunction with the Sultanate`s glorious National Day celebrations (47th).
It is noteworthy that Muscat Municipality contracted a specialized global company to design and implement the project through a specialized working group of design and structure engineers. The implementation of the Arches Fountain Project coincided with the implementation of afforestation and beautification works in the surrounding area of the fountain site, with the aim of achieving technical and aesthetic integration in the engineering of the area the general in which the fountain is located, giving the advantage of modernity, development and beauty to suit its homogeneous geometric shapes with its composition The parentheses.
**************************