Landscape Architect Articles

Avaza Resort Water Fountains Park, Turkmenistan07-07-16 | Feature

Avaza Resort Water Fountains Park, Turkmenistan
Fountain complex is built 300 meters out into the Caspian Sea

Steve Kelly, LASN Editor
Fountain Design by Pavel Pashkovskiy, Fountains International, Dubai

The linear span of the sea fountains at the Avaza Resort on the southeastern shores of the Caspian Sea is an impressive 140 meters. There are 40 fountain jets lined up parallel to the shore, with a larger central fountain set forward of them closer to shore. Four salt-water resistant submersible 200 kW water pumps (by Grundfos) drive the powerful central fountain jet. The main jet is equipped with custom-made straightener modules and mega size nozzles (both from PEM Fountain). Using a water manifold designed by Fountains International, the central water jet can shoot water to a height of 145 meters (158 yards) in calm weather.

The Avaza Resort (sometimes spelled "Awaza') has been reported as the centerpiece of Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's efforts to build a world-class tourist attraction. The resort stretches for 16 kilometers and reportedly includes "eight high-rise, marble-clad hotels," with plans to open 60 more.

Turkmenistan is in central Asia on the Krasnovodsk Gulf of the Caspian Sea. Seventy percent of the country is covered by the Karakum ("Black Sand") Desert. Turkmenistan was a Soviet republic that became independent after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The country has large reserves of natural gas. It was reported on Fox News in 2006 that since 1993, the government has supplied the citizenry with water, electricity and natural gas at no charge. Such beneficence has garnered President Berdimukhamedov the moniker "The Protector."

Each of the 40 fountains lined up behind the central sea fountain are driven by 45 kW submersible water pumps. This "chorus line" of fountains throws up a 60-meter tall water wall in calm air conditions. Each of the 40 water jets are illuminated under water by 4 1,000-watt narrow-beam lights (by Osram) fixed in underwater light enclosures (PEM Fountain).

The Caspian Sea is east of the Caucasus Mountains, but for better reference, its southern shores are bordered by Iran. The sea is the largest "enclosed inland body of water on Earth." While some might dispute whether it's a sea or a huge lake, it is salty, but only about a third of the salinity level of most seawater.

The Avaza Resort is on the shores of the southeastern Caspian Sea, just 12 kilometers west of the city of Turkmenbashi (pop. 86,800).

Above FX technologies create outstanding show effects. The sea fountains employ two 30-watt 4 color DPSS (diode-pumped solid-state) laser projectors, and four 16-watt green DPSS laser projectors. The waterproof laser projectors have a closed loop design cooling system that allows the laser projectors to work under tons of falling water, while delivering colorful laser lighting. The laser show system is driven by six Lasergraph DSP laser controllers. The show controls devices"?uadvanced show controllers, digital video players and control signal recorders"?uwere produced by the Orlando-based Alcorn McBride Co.

Fountains in the Sea
First, a little background on how we became aware of this fountain complex tucked away in this remote local. In LASN's inquiry for interesting water features for our July issue, Peter Micha, president of PEM Fountain Co., sent along a video and images of rather astounding fountains set just offshore in the waters of the Caspian Sea, plus a complex of fountains on shore that comprise a water park. Both complexes used fountain equipment supplied by PEM.

We'd never seen anything quite like the enormous colorful fountains shooting up out of the sea, which included laser shows, music and colorful video projections using the night sky and a large screen of water as the backdrop to project cinematography of folk dancing, running horses, sails boats, the waving flag of Turkmenistan and various animations.

The designer of the sea and water park fountains is Pavel Pashkovskiy. Mr. Pashkovskiy is Russian and is the owner and managing director of Fountains International, a group of companies based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, with offices in the region. The group comprises three companies:

1. Fountains International: designs and manufactures "dancing musical" fountains; it also installs these fountains and services them.

 2. Fountains 4 Rent: produces multimedia fountain shows, laser shows, water and video projection screens, 3D mapping projection, and special FX, lighting and audio services.

 3. Liquid Works: latest technologies in theatrical show designs, visualization and full show preprogramming through its "previsualization" studio in Dubai. Here is where water show effects are programmed through its fully automated show control servers.

Fountains International's largest choreographed dancing musical fountains are at the Avaza resort, 350 meters (382 yards) out into the Caspian Sea. The video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSctLkR-mxQ. "First of all," says Mr. Pashkovskiy, "this is the biggest and the world's only complete multimedia show complex this size."

On shore is the Avaza Water Park, a large (8,500 sq. meter), multi-attraction park with 26 colorful and powerful "normal" and "dry type" fountains requiring some 2,000 submersible water pumps. This view is of the same group of Water Park fountains, with the sea fountains in view in the background.

The linear span of the sea fountains is an impressive 140 meters. There are 40 fountain jets lined up horizontally to the shore, with a larger central fountain set forward of them closer to shore. Four salt-water resistant submersible 200 kW water pumps (by Grundfos) drive the powerful central fountain jet. The main jet is equipped with custom-made straightener modules and mega size nozzles (both from PEM Fountain).

Using a water manifold designed by Fountains International, the central water jet can shoot water to a height of 145 meters (158 yards) in calm weather.

The central water jet is connected to an underwater platform that produces a giant water screen 60 meters wide by 30 meters high. Two 200 kW pumps drive the water screen. The pumps, in conjunction with straightener modules and high quality water screen nozzles, make it possible to deliver an exceptional picture quality onto the water screen.

Each of the 40 fountains lined up behind the central fountain is driven by 45 kW submersible water pumps. As with the central jet, these pumps are custom made for use in salt water and also include the water straightening modules and high quality nozzles. This "chorus line" of fountains throws up a 60-meter tall water wall in calm air conditions. Each of the 40 water jets are illuminated from under the water by 4 1,000-watt narrow-beam lights (by Osram), fixed in underwater light enclosures (PEM Fountain). The main water jet is illuminated in the same manner, but requires 48 1,000-watt narrow beam lights. There is a total of 208 kW of underwater light power illuminating the sea fountains.

The row of seawater fountains are also illuminated from the front with 52 high power (4 kW each) Kolorado color changers (by Griven). Each Kolorado produces an extremely strong light output of 380,000 lumen. Total lighting output for the sea complex (underwater and side lighting) is around 100,000,000 lumen.

There is 130 km of power cable for the seawater fountains. The cabling is made for saltwater immersion and for long life in a broad temperature range.

The sea fountains were designed and built with strong, lightweight platforms of high quality composite materials. The support platforms are fixed on large size piles anchored to the seabed.

The central water jet is connected to an underwater platform that produces a water screen 60 meters wide by 30 meters high. Two 200 kW pumps create the water screen, which allows the projection of HD quality video and images via two Christie Digital 30k video projectors. Both are installed in separate waterproof housings under the back line of fountains.

FX Tech
The sea fountains require a lot of special FX technologies to create their outstanding show effects. Mr. Pashkovskiy notes the sea fountains have completely waterproof laser projectors with a unique closed loop design cooling system. This allows the laser projectors to work under tons of falling water, while delivering exceptional power of color laser light.

The sea fountains employ two 30-watt 4 color DPSS (diode-pumped solid-state) laser projectors, and four 16-watt green DPSS laser projectors. The laser show system is driven by six Lasergraph DSP laser controllers. The controllers and projectors are from Laser Animation, Germany.

To deliver HD quality video and images on the huge water screen out in the sea, the fountain designer choose two Christie Digital 30k video projectors. Both are installed in separate waterproof housings under the back line of fountains. The housings were designed and manufactured by Fountains International to deliver required cooling and protection, along with a custom glass wiping and anti-humidity system.

Mr. Pashkovskiy explains there are a lot of different systems involved in programming and show control. For programming and switching he chose devices produced by U.S.-based Gilderfluke Co., which have proved to be exceptional reliability after years of fail free operation. All show controls devices were produced by U.S.-based Alcorn McBride Co., including advanced show controllers, digital video players and control signal recorders.

The fountain designer also ran 10 km of fiber optic lines to generate reliable and high-speed control possibilities for all kind of control interfaces distributed around the project area.

The main water jet in the sea requires 48 1,000-watt narrow beam lights. There are 208 kW of underwater light power illuminating the sea fountains. The row of fountain jets are illuminated from the front with 52 high power (4 kW each) Kolorado color changers (by Griven). Each Kolorado produces an extremely strong light output of 380,000 lumen. Total lighting output for the sea complex (underwater and side lighting) is around 100,000,000 lumen.

The Waterpark
On shore is the Avaza Water Park, a large (8,500 sq. meter), multi-attraction park with 26 colorful and powerful "normal" and "dry type" fountains requiring some 2,000 submersible water pumps and "CUE' series pump starters/inverters. CUE is the name the manufacturer (Grundfos) gives to a series of external variable frequency drives especially designed for pumps (.75 to 125 hp). For the fountain designer, the landlocked fountains, while using the latest technology, did not require as much inventiveness as the sea fountains.

The Water Park required 6,000 underwater LEDs, around 500 1,000-watt lights and some 100 km of power cables to drive all system in the park. As with the sea fountains, the park has Grundfos SP series submersible pumps. The Water Park fountains required more that 1,000 water switches and more than 5,000 standard and nonstandard water nozzles (both from PEM Fountains).

The Water Park required 6,000 underwater LEDs, around 500 1,000-watt lights and some 100 km of power cables to drive all systems in the park. As with the sea fountains, the fountain designer employed Grundfos SP series submersible pumps for the Water Park. The Water Park also required more that 1,000 water switches and more than 5,000 standard and nonstandard water nozzles (all from PEM Fountains).

The fountain designer chose Burbank, Calif.-based Gilderfluke & Co. (show control systems) gear to control all fountains features, including lights, pumps and show playback.

Each of the 26 fountains has a separate underground control room. The show system and its GPS triggered controllers makes it possible to start all 26 fountains simultaneously by receiving cue time via GPS from satellites. With this option the fountain designer does not have to worry about running control cables between fountain control rooms to synchronize the fountain displays; it also avoids problems with control signal delays.

Each of the 26 Water Park fountains has a separate underground control room. The show system and its GPS triggered show controllers make it possible to start all 26 fountains simultaneously.

Along with the water fountains attractions, there's an amphitheater that accommodates 3,000 people. The stage of the amphitheater is placed in front of the main sea fountain complex, a dynamic backdrop for all the shows happenings. Space under the stage was used to build a main control room and design studios for creating the water shows and stage performances.

As seen in LASN magazine, July 2016.