A skyscraper in Guiyang, China, has attracted headlines thanks to a daring water feature built into its facade. On one side, the 121-meter (397-foot) tall Liebian Building in Guiyang, China, features a spectacular waterfall, providing a dramatic spectacle from the plaza below. At 108-meters (350-feet), the waterfall is among the tallest artificial waterfalls in the world—and easily the largest artificial waterfall located in an urban area, with other record breakers being artificial additions to river and canal networks.
Planned as a new tourist attraction for the city's central business district, the skyscraper has certainly caught the media's attention, however it has also attracted its fair share of controversy. According to the Times, when the waterfall was first switched on, some local residents called local newspapers to report a catastrophic water leak.
Other citizens have raised concerns over the wastefulness of the waterfall, with reports claiming that the water feature's running costs are up to 800 yuan, or around $118 USD, every hour. However, according to Kanka News, the building's owners have responded by explaining that the water used is recycled rainwater and tap water, and that the waterfall isn't intended to be used all the time, only on special occasions.
News via: Fortune, The Times, Kanka News.
