The Engineering Behind the World's Tallest Indoor Waterfall
Reporter: Welcome, Dr. Sharma! Today, we are standing inside Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore, looking at the incredible HSBC Rain Vortex. At seven stories tall, it is the worldâs tallest indoor waterfall. Can you tell us how this amazing structure was built?
Dr. Sharma: Hello! It is wonderful to be here. The Rain Vortex is a masterpiece of engineering. The building itself has a massive, dome-shaped roof made of glass and steel. Right in the center of this roof is a giant opening called an oculus. The oculus acts like a funnel. When it rains in Singaporeâwhich happens very oftenâthe rainwater lands on the roof and flows naturally toward this central opening, pouring down into the building to create the waterfall.
Reporter: That sounds beautiful, but what happens when it doesn't rain? Does the waterfall just stop?
Dr. Sharma: Not at all! Singapore has a tropical climate with plenty of rain, but we cannot rely on the weather alone. Inside the building, we have a complex water recycling system. We collect and store the rainwater in a giant tank hidden underground. When it is dry outside, we use powerful pumps to push this stored water back up to the top of the dome. This means the waterfall can run continuously, even on sunny days.
- Oculus:
- A circular opening at the center of a dome or roof.
- Irrigate:
- To supply water to plants, crops, or trees to help them grow.
- Closed-loop system:
- A system where resources (like water) are continuously recycled and reused so that almost nothing is wasted.
- Aerodynamic:
- Having a shape that reduces drag or controls the flow of air and fluid around it.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where is the HSBC Rain Vortex located?
- 2What is the name of the giant opening in the center of the dome-shaped roof?
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About this interview / q&a passage for Upper Elementary
âThe Engineering Behind the World's Tallest Indoor Waterfallâ is a interview / q&a reading passage about Environmental Engineering and Water Recycling, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (476 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.