Show Fountain

Bridge Han River – Seoul

Project highlights

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World record as the world's longest bridge fountain, with a total length of 1140 m
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Particularly environmentally friendly system due to the consistent use of river water
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380 proportional swivel valves with LED lighting for arcs of water in rainbow colours

The mission

Building symbolic bridges

The Banpo Bridge in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is one of the most important routes across the Han River. Initially, it only served as a purely functional structure for crossing the river. However, this was to change when a two-part park and leisure complex was planned on opposite sides of the river in the course of the "revitalisation of the Han River". The concept was that the bridge would connect the two parks not only physically but equally aesthetically and emotionally, making it an attractive highlight for the entire region.

A bridge made of waterfalls

The framework conditions were set: A water feature installed along the entire length of the bridge and supplied exclusively with river water was to achieve just that. The aim was to influence the perception of the bridge through targeted emotionalisation and to give it a new meaning as the unseen and spectacular focal point of the park complex.
 

The installation

A Moonlight Rainbow Fountain

OASE worked closely with local partners to develop the Banpo Bridge Fountain. The common idea: A colourful water curtain falling from the upper part of the double-decker bridge into the Han River. Here, the colours of the rainbow represent a positive, luminous experience in both Eastern and Western countries. In order to give the entire installation more dynamism and to create additional free space for water choreographies, movable nozzles were also used. This presented the OASE team with a technical challenge, as the nozzles had to allow for different swivelling movements and variable water heights under extremely high running loads. Very quickly, a completely new, proportional multi-way swivel valve was developed that enabled such movements.

Numbers that impress

To make the idea a reality, 380 nozzles were installed, driven by 38 high-performance water pumps that pump an impressive total of 190 tonnes of water a minute. The water then falls into the Han River, impressively staging the bridge. Countless LEDs illuminate both the individual water jets and flat areas of the water curtain, changing the mood of the bridge depending on the time of day, atmospheric conditions and special events. In order to guarantee the optimum power supply and control of the fountains over the entire length of the bridge, OASE developed its own control and communication system. OASE was responsible for the development and the local partner for the installation.

The successes

World-renowned tourist attractions

The greatest official honour for the Banpo Bridge Fountain is, of course, the world record for the world's longest bridge fountain. However, the newly acquired emotional value of the bridge is incomparably greater: Day after day, it inspires tourists from all over the world, sometimes astonishing them, sometimes putting them in a calmer, romantic mood.

Unifying element

In the spirit of "revitalising the Han River", the Banpo Bridge today does not just connect two sides of a river. Rather, it is now the living link between two parks that positively influence the quality of life of a metropolis of millions. The additional inclusion of the Han River, by using the water it carries, really blurs the boundaries of the entire park and leisure complex and gives it additional emotional depth.

Project fact sheet

Project nameBanpo Bridge
CountrySouth Korea
City/region/areaSeoul
Year of completion2009
Type of waterFresh water
LocationPublic space
BenefitsEntertainment / show
Fountain typeShow fountain
Length of installation1140 m
Fountain effectsIndividual jets, Moving effects​
RecordWorld record as the world's longest bridge fountain
ServicesDesign, 
Show and choreography, 
Project engineering, 
In collaboration withHSM Korea

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