The Dubai Mall, the city’s newest shopping and leisure destination, has opened The Waterfall, a spectacular water feature that offers a vantage meeting point for visitors to the mall.

Adjacent to The Grove, a key component of The Dubai Mall, The Waterfall opens to views of Burj Dubai, the Dubai Fountain on the 30-acre Burj Dubai Lake and The Address, Downtown Burj Dubai.

The Waterfall runs through the entire height of the mall, traversing all four levels, and is adorned with art sculptures of human divers made of fiberglass to create a dynamic visual spectrum that complements the rhythmic flow of water.

The waterfall comprises two cylindrical structures, 30 metres in diameter and 24 metres high, with an overhead reservoir feeding the recycled water.

Well-lit in the night and reflecting sunlight by day, the cascading water feature also offers a unique branding platform for retailers.

Yousif Al Ali, general manager, The Dubai Mall, said: “As the flagship mall development of Emaar Malls Group, The Dubai Mall has evolved as a sought-after shopping and leisure destination.

'The Waterfall in the mall is a perfect complement to the Dubai Fountain, which is currently being developed on the adjacent Burj Dubai Lake. These highlight the historic preference of the region for aesthetic water features, and add to the appeal of the mall as a family destination,' he explained.

Al Ali pointed out that the Waterfall has been specifically designed to give visitors significant extras that enhance the lifestyle experience.

'Along with Dubai Aquarium & Discovery Centre – one of the most popular leisure attractions in the mall – The Waterfall is poised to become a meeting point for families,' he remarked.

A choice of coffee shops and retail kiosks overlook The Waterfall, giving visitors a relaxing ambience to meet.

Several palm trees are also set up to replicate the ambience of a desert oasis, and various in-mall activities will be held around The Waterfall to sustain visitor interest.

The Dubai Mall already features two fountains at the Food Court area, which is a popular attraction. The Waterfall will further add to water-themed attractions that are particularly appealing for the visitors, he added.

The Grove, the first of its kind shopping precinct with a fully retractable roof offering both indoor and outdoor options that suit ambient weather conditions, is closest to The Waterfall, and will offer several cafes and retail outlets.

Designed by Singapore-based DPA Architects, The Waterfall will be a gateway for several waterfront restaurants that are being planned along the Burj Dubai Lake, which will feature the Dubai Fountain, a world-class water, light and music spectacle, 900 ft (275 metres) in length, and about 25 per cent larger than The Bellagio Fountain in Las Vegas in area.

The Dubai Mall opened in November 2008 to strong visitor turnout, with Dubai Aquarium & Discovery Centre and Dubai Ice-Rink being crowd favourites.

The mall will feature over 1,200 retail and 160 F&B outlets, most of which have already opened.

Sprawling over 12 million sq ft, with an internal floor area of 5.9 million sq ft and a gross leasable area of 3.77 million sq ft, The Dubai Mall will shortly also open the Fashion Avenue, a dedicated haute couture precinct with 70 signature stores.

These include KidZania, an 80,000 sq ft innovative children’s ‘edu-tainment’ concept; Sega Republic, a 76,000 sq ft high adrenaline indoor theme park; and a 22-screen cineplex, the largest in Dubai.-TradeArabia News Service