[Water Entertainment Technology]
WET Design
Page 1
Who is
WET
WET…
•is a Los Angeles based design firm specializing exclusively in water feature
development and implementation
• has office locations in China, London and the Middle East and boasts over 200
projects in 20 countries
• is responsible for some of the most notable and recognizable water features to
date
Page 2
History of
WET
•WET was founded in by Mark Fuller, Alan Robinson and
Melanie Simon in 1983.
•As a civil engineering major at the University of Utah,
Mark Fuller focused his thesis work on the development of
a large-scale laminar nozzle which proved to be the
foundation of Fuller’s Water Entertainment Technology.
•Fuller later went on to become a Disney Imagineer
where he developed Epcot’s Leap Frog fountain using his
laminar nozzle.
•The success of leapfrog prompted Fuller to leave Disney
and focus exclusively on water feature design.
Page 3
Technology of
WET
WET is responsible for creating and patenting much of its own technology.
• Laminar Flow nozzles use a specialized filter that reduces fluid turbulence to create a
smooth cylinder of water .
•Oarsmen are computer operated, underwater robotic
nozzles that allow water to be sprayed precisely in any
direction.
• Shooters are compressed air pumps that control the
exact height of spraying water.
• VirtualWET is a 3D particle simulating software that
allows WET designers to see how water will look when it
is manipulated. Choreography is created with VirtualWET
software and then uploaded to the water feature’s control system.
Page 4
Fountains of
WET
Fountain Place
WET’s first major project was Fountain Place in Dallas, Texas, a collaboration with
landscape architect Dan Kiley. Created in 1986, Fountain Place is a 60 story office tower
with surrounding landscape resembling an oasis of fountains, pools and greenery.
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Fountains of
WET
Carlsbad Premium Outlet
Crown Casino
Performance Lake at Wynn Macau Fountains of Bellagio
Burj al Arab
Waters of Americana at Brand
Somerset South Collection Mall
The Dubai Fountain
Branson Town Square
The Grove at Farmers Market
Maryland Plaza
Brooklyn Museum
Branson Landing Lake Fountain
Mirage Volcano
Columbus Circle
Canal City Hakata
Lisboa World Expo 1998
Jewelry Trade Center
Pinklao Shopping Center
Mall of the Emirates
Rockefeller Center
CityCenter Las Vegas
California Plaza Watercourt
PetroChina
Sampoerna Strategic Square
Menara Tun Razak
Fanfare at San Pedro Gateway
Revson Fountain at Lincoln Center
Barney Allis Plaza Park
Kansas City Union Station
Los Angeles Music Center
PSNS Memorial Park
Beijing Finance Street
U.S. Tennis Association
Fountain Place
Olympic Cauldron Park
Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic
Harborside Fountain Park
World Adventure at Leofoo Village
Dubai Marina
Fashion Island Shopping Center
Universal City Walk
Navy Pier
Bellagio Conservatory
Crown Center Square
CityCenter Halo
Pittsburg Plate Glass Plaza
Seattle Center International Fountain
Millenia Walk
The Ritz-Carlton, Singapore
Beverly Hills Reverse Osmosis Water Plant
Detroit Metro Airport
John P. McGovern Medical Center
Harborside Waterfront Staircase
Crossroads Atrium
Downtown Anaheim
Compuware World Headquarters
Gas Company Tower
Epcot Center Imagination
Seibert Circle
McCormick Convention Center
Providence St. Joseph's MedicalPage
Center 6
Fountains of
WET
Bellagio Conservatory, Las Vegas NV
Mirage, Las Vegas NV
Private Residence, Athens, Greece
Page
7
Wynn Macau, Macau,
China
Fountains of
WET
The Dubai Fountain
The Dubai Fountain is a 218 million dollar choreographed fountain in the center of
downtown Dubai, UAE.
The system…
• resides on Burj Khalifa, a 32 acre man-made lake
• contains 6,600 lights and 25 colored projectors
• is 902 feet long and can shoot water up to 490
feet into the air
• plays classical to contemporary Arabic and world
music
• performs every 20 minutes for a few hours
everyday
• has the ability to spray 22,000 gallons of water in
the air at any minute
• displays a beam of light that can be seen from
over 20 miles away
Page 8
Working with
WET
Client Contact
Once contacted, WET designers begin to discuss what kind of feeling the client is trying
to convey as well as size and cost. A physical visit to the site
allows WET to capture the essence of the surrounding
environment.
Concept Design
WET develops a number of concepts that can be altered
based on clients needs, cost, form and scale.
Illustration and Animation
Concepts are presented through traditional drawings and
paintings, then advanced to digital drawings and images
using the VirtalWET software.
Page 9
Working with
WET
Model Making
At the final conceptual stage, physical models are created to ensure the feature will
communicate the look and feel intended.
Design and Presentation
With finishing touches complete, a presentation of the intended
feature ends the conceptual design phase and begins the
physical implementation phase.
Mock Up
WET creates full scale mock ups that allow engineers and
designers to observe the ways the feature will react under
different conditions and adjust the choreography if needed
Page 10
Working with
WET
Schematic Design
Observance of the features surroundings as well as collaboration with the client helps WET
architects choose the materials and design of the features façade.
Engineering
WET designs and engineers their own robotic devices and oversees the fountain components,
water flow mapping, and electrical and lighting systems.
Research
WET has its own laboratory where researchers test and develop new water technologies and
flow strategies.
Page 11
Working with
WET
Manufacturing
All of the components that make up WET fountain experiences is manufactured by
WET.
Installation
WET closely oversees the contractors’ installation of the system.
Choreography
Using VirtualWET software and equipment,
music and lighting are set to the motion of the
fountain on location.
Maintenance
A range of WETCare maintenance programs can be purchased to care for a WET
feature. This can include a staff member permanently on site .
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Sustainable
WET
Open Joint Paving
Equipment is hidden underneath paving and water pops up through the openings which
allows water to seep back in to be recycled.
Hidden Basin
The water basin is stored underground which helps halt evaporation.
Shooters
Whereas traditional fountain pumps are powered by electricity, WET Shooters are powered
using compressed air.
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