Singapore (TAN): Many great airports of the world are marvellous architectural feats but rarely is one promoted as a tourist destination. But when visiting this city-state, keep time aside to explore the mind-boggling Changi Airport.
The latest attraction at the airport, which is voted ‘best airport’ by several rating agencies around the world every year, is called Jewel Changi Airport, a multi-use space that connects Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Opened in April 2019, Jewel houses, among other spectacular attractions, the world’s largest indoor waterfall.
Inspired by the blockbuster Hollywood movie Avatar, Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie oversaw the building of the SGD 1.7 billion 22,000-square-metre Jewel over five years. The glass and steel structure houses 120 species of plants (2,000 trees and palms and over 100,000 shrubs) and more than 280 retail shops.
Soumajit Saha from India, who was visiting Singapore, told TAN: “It’s nothing like I have seen before. It’s an engineering marvel!”
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Named the HSBC Rain Vortex, the indoor waterfall is 40 metres high with 38,000 litres of water falling through the oculus each minute. During rain, rainwater also falls through the oculus as part of the waterfall.
Among the other attractions at Jewel include sky nets, canopy mazes, a ‘forest valley’, and ‘foggy bowls’ that give visitors the experience of walking through clouds.
