11.5.2025 / 5-minute read

Revolutionary Spiral Lift Stage for Hukou Waterfall – Hydraulic Alternative

Project Background

The Hukou Waterfall, one of China’s most majestic natural wonders, required a performance platform that could integrate seamlessly with the powerful landscape and adapt flexibly to different needs.

Traditional permanent stage structures would mar the natural beauty and could not cope with the river’s significant seasonal water level fluctuations.

The solution needed to be revolutionary: a stage that could remain hidden within the environment yet rise reliably to host large-scale performances.

Basic Parameters

Performance Aspect	Our Solution	Addressing Hukou’s Challenges
Environmental Resistance	316L Stainless Steel Components	Provides superior resistance to humidity, water spray, and corrosion, ensuring a long service life in a harsh environment, far outperforming standard steel or hydraulic systems.
Stealth & Space Efficiency	Modular Structure & Low Initial Height (500mm)	The stage base can be embedded into the riverbank or a specific platform. When retracted, the platform sits flush with the ground, preserving the natural view. The modular design allows for easier installation on complex terrain.
Load Capacity & Stability	Single-Point Static Load: 4000kg+ (5000kg for 350 Series)	Easily supports large casts, heavy stage sets, and even special vehicles, meeting all requirements for a grand live-action performance.
Unique Stabilizing Mechanism	Two Interlocking Steel Bands Form a Rigid Column	This is a revolutionary advantage. It eliminates the “creep” associated with hydraulic cylinders and the “stretch” of steel cables. In the vibrating environment of the waterfall, the platform has zero risk of unintended descent, ensuring precise positioning and absolute safety for performers and equipment.
Travel & Water Adaptation	Lift Height up to 12m (500 Series)	The extensive travel range effortlessly accommodates the seasonal rise and fall of the Yellow River. Regardless of water level, the stage can always be raised to the optimal and safest performance height, creating the dramatic visual effect of “rising from the river.”
Customization & Aesthetics	Fully Customizable Shape & Surface Materials	The stage can be designed in curves or irregular shapes that echo the Hukou landscape. The surface can be finished with stone, antique-style tiles, or composite materials that blend perfectly with the surroundings.
Maintenance & Reliability	Easy Installation, Low Maintenance, Integrated Access Hatches	The spiral mechanism has low mechanical wear, and the primary components are durable stainless steel. Technicians or cleaning robots can access the substructure via hatches for routine inspection and maintenance, significantly reducing operational complexity and cost.

Operating Principle

The system’s core principle—horizontal and vertical steel bands interlocking in a guide mechanism to form a rigid, spiraling column— delivers two irreplaceable benefits for the Hukou project:

Constant Load Capacity: Whether the platform is raised 500mm or 12 meters, its load-bearing capacity remains exactly the same. This allows for the highest-caliber performances to be held safely at the maximum height, a guarantee that hydraulic (dependent on external power to hold pressure) and wire rope (prone to stretch and slip) systems cannot make.
Constant Diameter: The diameter of the spiral column remains unchanged during lifting. This imposes no additional stress on the pre-built pit structure, enhancing safety and simplifying civil engineering requirements.

Application Scenarios

Dramatic Opening: As the performance begins, the massive stage rises steadily (speed controllable at 0.3-0.8 m/min for a grand effect) from the water or ground amidst the roar of the falls, creating a breathtaking “earth from heaven” visual impact.
Dynamic Scene Changes: By deploying multiple lift units in different zones, dynamic stage layouts like terraces or separate platforms can be created, enriching the performance narrative.
Finale & Concealment: After the show, the stage retracts smoothly to its original position. All mechanical components are hidden underground, restoring the site to its natural state—truly “performing with nature, returning to nature.”