Miami Beach’s Innovative Underwater Art and Reef Project
Audio will be available later today.
Transforming Art into Marine Life: The Reefline Initiative
MIAMI – Inside a bustling warehouse, Colin Foord nurtures a vibrant coral nursery. His focus is on gorgonians, a type of soft coral crucial to the Caribbean and Floridian reef ecosystems.
Foord oversees over 2,000 small coral specimens thriving in expansive saltwater tanks, where snails and hermit crabs maintain cleanliness. These corals, including sea fans and sea whips, are destined for a groundbreaking project off Miami Beach’s coast.
The Vision of Reefline: Art Meets Marine Conservation
The “Reefline” project aims to create a seven-mile artificial reef, easily accessible from the shore. This initiative combines art, habitat restoration, and tourism, featuring sculptures crafted from marine-grade concrete.
Foord’s dedication to coral cultivation is a blend of science and artistry. As a co-founder of “Coral Morphologic,” he is committed to studying and showcasing coral reefs. His lab is the starting point for corals that will soon adorn the Reefline sculptures, transforming them into vibrant underwater gardens.
Collaborative Efforts and Artistic Contributions
The idea for Reefline emerged from conversations between Foord and arts curator Ximena Caminos. Caminos, known for revitalizing urban areas through art, is now channeling her expertise into this marine project.
She envisions the reef as an ecotourism hotspot, humorously describing it as luxury housing for marine life. “We’re offering them artistic underwater homes where they can flourish,” she explains.
Supported by a $5 million bond from Miami Beach, Caminos is leading efforts to secure an additional $6 million for the project’s initial phase. This phase will feature 22 concrete cars arranged in an underwater tableau, designed to support coral growth.
Reviving Miami Beach’s Coral Legacy
Artist Leandro Ehrlich, among others, is contributing to Reefline. He anticipates the corals will eventually obscure the sculptures, creating a dynamic, living artwork.
Historically, Miami Beach had a natural coral reef, which was lost to sand replenishment. Reefline aims to restore this ecological treasure using resilient, locally-sourced corals.
Caminos envisions the project, which includes an onshore marine education center, as a decade-long endeavor. She hopes the coral-covered sculptures will be visible from the air, with the Miami Reef Star potentially becoming an iconic city symbol.
