Dalian Donggang Musical Fountain

Dalian Donggang Musical Fountain

Classical music, folk music, the sounds of water, music, and waves blend seamlessly with ever-changing laser lights. At times, seagulls spread their wings; at others, lotus flowers bloom... On the evening of the 6th, amid great anticipation, the Donggang Musical Fountain—covering an area of 9,000 square meters and ranking as the second largest fountain in China—unveiled its mystique to the public.

The Donggang Business District Musical Fountain Square is bordered by the Dalian Port Pier to the west and the International Yacht Harbor to the east, forming a visual counterpoint with the Dalian International Conference Center. It serves as a landmark square for both the Donggang Business District and the city of Dalian. Designed conceptually by the Austrian firm Blue Sky, and with construction drawings by the Dalian Municipal Design and Research Institute, the square features a 2.3-kilometer coastline and covers an area of 20 hectares, providing residents with a large-scale space for culture, leisure, activities, and entertainment.

Viewed from above, the overall outline of the square resembles a soaring seagull—a shape inspired by the design of the Dalian International Conference Center by Blue Sky. This design fully showcases a romantic and enterprising maritime culture, the rich and colorful coastal scenery, and the theme of green, modern development. The underground portion of the square consists of three main components: 2 million cubic meters of earth and stone backfill, 143 large cylindrical revetments, and a 12,000-block tetrapod breakwater. The above-ground section includes four main elements: stone paving, the musical fountain, a “ribbon-style” landscaped belt, and viewing platforms.

The Donggang Musical Fountain covers an area of 9,000 square meters, making it the second largest fountain in China. The seven major fountains in China are located in Xi’an, Nanchang, Tianjin, Xinjiang, Luoyang, Harbin, and Yichun. Together with Dalian’s musical fountain, they form a national distribution of eight major fountains. The fountain was primarily designed by the Dalian Municipal Design and Research Institute, with major construction carried out by two companies from Dalian and Tianjin. Construction began in March 2013 and was completed by the end of August this year.

The entire fountain uses the sea and tides as its backdrop, complementing the dazzling Dalian International Conference Center and reflecting each other to showcase the charm of the sea and the rhythm of the tides. Ten high-mast floodlights with a range of 30 meters are installed around the square, while 16 stone column lamps surround the fountain pool. Inside, there are 688 three-dimensional nozzles and 2,772 underwater colored lights, forming 10 independent water patterns divided into four chapters: Spring Rhyme, Summer Night, Autumn Sentiment, and Winter Dream. Each chapter’s variable-frequency arrays include various forms such as Blooming Lotuses, Vast Sea of Clouds, Seagulls Spreading Wings, Flowers in Prosperous Times, Water-Fire-Fog, and Butterflies in Love with Flowers. The highest water jet can reach up to 80 meters, adding to the fountain’s breathtaking presence. Four sets of oversized speakers are installed around the fountain, playing background music in three categories: classical, folk, and songs. A high-fidelity, long-range professional sound system ensures the seamless integration of the fountain’s sound, light, water, and color. As night falls, the sounds of water, music, and waves blend with the ever-changing laser lights, creating a majestic spectacle that feels like a heavenly paradise.

It is understood that the fountain pool functions as a musical fountain during spring, summer, and autumn, but transforms into a large ice-skating rink in winter, offering residents a vast snowy world for entertainment and fitness. This creative concept is being used in China for the first time.

The stone paving area of the square spans 200,000 square meters and was constructed simultaneously across four sections, day and night. All stones were sourced from high-quality stone factories in Fujian. Using a pattern of interlocking black and white stones, the paving creates a flowing, wavy effect that vividly illustrates the smooth transition between the urban grid and the waterfront edge. The paving project began on June 23 and was completed on August 28, 2013. In just 60 days, the 200,000-square-meter stone paving task was completed with guaranteed quality and quantity, marking another miracle in the construction of Donggang.

Another highlight of the Musical Fountain Square is the “ribbon”-shaped landscaped belt on the western side of the square. Covering an area of 9,120 square meters, it is entirely planted with greenery except for two ecological walking paths. The entire green space follows the texture of the square’s paving and echoes the architectural form of the International Conference Center, enhancing the ecological environment while bringing vitality to the square. The greenbelt includes 23 tall trees such as Chinese honey locust and apricot, 36 evergreen spruce trees, and a variety of colorful seasonal flowers, creating a richly layered and highly effective green space.

The highest point of the Musical Fountain Square is a large mound-shaped green area on the eastern side, covering approximately 20,000 square meters. Resembling a small island within the square, it complements the iconic buildings, paving textures, musical fountain, and ribbon greenery to embody the ocean-themed design concept of the entire square. The mound has a relative height of 5.5 meters, and standing at its highest point offers a panoramic view of the entire bay and square landscape.

A leisure viewing platform covering 1,300 square meters is set atop the mound, featuring plastic wood railings and accommodating about 500 visitors, providing an optimal spot for sightseeing and relaxation. A 230-meter-long circular leisure walking path surrounds the platform. The granite pathway leading from the square to the platform is 165 meters long and covers 1,710 square meters, with the rest planted with greenery. The lawn area spans 15,990 square meters, and the mound is planted with 45 tall evergreen cedar trees and 61 deciduous ginkgo trees, ensuring scenic views in all seasons.

The public restroom has a total floor area of 429.55 square meters and is designed to accommodate 80,000 users. To the west of the International Conference Center, a landscape-style parking lot covering approximately 32,000 square meters has been built, with a total of over 600 parking spaces. These include 17 bus spaces, 422 car spaces, 10 electric vehicle spaces, and 115 bicycle spaces. The facility not only meets the needs during the Davos Conference but will also provide convenience for the general public and tourists after the event.

Scenic Area Address: Gangpu Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province

Transportation: Within Dalian City, you can take buses such as No. 708, 11, 7, 201, and 31 to reach the site.