WET has created the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at Changi Airport (Jewel), the newest addition to Changi Airport in Singapore. Jewel is an architectural marvel; a ten-story glass toroid full of trees and natural light that surrounds the Rain Vortex, a shimmering column of falling water.

The architects of Jewel, Safdie Architects, contacted WET to design a waterfall that utilizes Singapore’s plentiful rainfall. By funneling rain from the roof through a central oculus, WET has sculpted a constantly flowing centerpiece. Water falls over 40 meters down, from the oculus, and is then funneled down thick aquarium glass to Basement 2, where it is recycled back to the roof. This recreation of the precipitation cycle is seamlessly integrated into Jewel, framing natural rainwater as the centerpiece.

The sound of water display fills the interior of Jewel and enriches the experience of the Shiseido Forest Valley, a tranquil indoor garden of trees and flowers that carpet the central core of the entire building. This verdant sanctuary provides a relaxing break from the bustling airport complex and a chance to apprehend the timeless display of falling water. As sunlight sparkles off the cascading water it showers the surrounding garden and visitors in a warm dappled glow.

At sunset, the Rain Vortex comes alive in a wash of dancing light. Powerful cinematic projectors, hidden throughout the Shiseido forest valley, flood the rain with an otherworldly display. What appears at first to be lights illuminating the water begin to diverge from the water display’s perpetual fall.