ABOUT

Urban Commissions invites designers living in the UAE to design an urban water feature that can be placed in the outdoor arena of Dubai Design District (d3). The feature can be a pond, a birdbath, a fountain, or any design that invites people to gather around water for enjoyment.

With water playing a central role in this urban feature, we took spiritual inspiration from Feng Shui. In Hong Kong, the Feng Shui process resulted in skyscrapers having holes in them, known as dragon gates. They allow dragons to fly from the mountains to the water. This smooth passage uplifts the spiritual energy and activates water's healing powers.

We wanted to highlight this spiritual application of the dragon gate and its connectivity by creating an enclosure of water streaming down the acrylic shards and collecting into a pond at the base. This flow of energy can be enjoyed and absorbed through the 'gates' created on either side and enhanced with light at night.