The waterfall is the winning proposal for the XYZ Convocatória d'Instal∙laciones a emplaçaments singulares a les Terres de l'Ebre. The resulting installation was inspired by the curtain of fireworks that take place on the suspension bridge of Amposta during the towns annual festival. Instead of fireworks the proposal harnesses the water of the river Ebro, turning it into the protagonist and primary material for an ephemeral waterfall. The waterfall makes reference to the constant movement of the river and at the same time creates a visual spectacle and generates a new connection between the riverbanks and the bridge. The sound of the falling water transforms the bridge into a space of transition, an audible threshold between two worlds: the urban and the natural.
The installation was a low-cost technical challenge with a construction period of 15 days that generated zero waste by recycling 100% of the materials used. The design consists of four circuits of polyethylene tubes connected to four 2CV submergible pumps that elevate the water from the river to the bridges walkway. Each circuit feeds seventeen 32mm spouts with a capacity of 500 l/min. When the system is fully functioning it cycles 2.000 l/min of water resulting in a 12m high by 30m wide curtain of water.
The location of the waterfall was placed on the northern side of the bridge to allow viewers to gather in the archaeological remains of the Castle of Amposta. This placement intended to reactivate an underused public space in the city as well as offer different viewpoints of the installation.
The waterfall is not a painting with a static point of view. The project can be contemplated from various points of view: from above on the bridge, from below in the river, from the castle, from the town, etc... The installation changes depending on the external agents such as: wind, rain, and changing lighting conditions. During the day the waterfall is very subtle almost imperceptible, with the sound of the falling water marking its presence. As the sun sets, the waterfall begins to become more visible, culminating at night. In the darkness, the streams of water materialize in the artificial illumination that is trapped in the curtain of water. The installation never has a final state, instead it is in a state of permanent change.
