A groundbreaking underwater art installation has been deployed off the coast of Miami Beach, featuring 22 life-sized concrete cars submerged several hundred feet offshore. The project, called "Concrete Coral," represents the first phase of an ambitious initiative by the nonprofit organization REEFLINE to create artificial coral reefs through underwater sculpture parks.
The marine-grade concrete vehicles were carefully lowered into the ocean over several days in late October, positioned approximately 20 feet below the water's surface and about 800 feet from the shore. These sculptures will soon be transformed into living coral habitats when crews begin seeding them with 2,200 native corals that have been cultivated in a specialized Miami laboratory.
"I think we are making history here," said Ximena Caminos, REEFLINE's founder. "It's one of a kind, it's pioneering, underwater reef that's teaming up with science, teaming up with art." Caminos developed the overall vision alongside architect Shohei Shigematsu, while artist Leandro Erlich designed the car sculptures for this inaugural phase.
The project has secured significant financial backing, including $5 million in bond funding from the city of Miami Beach. REEFLINE is actively working to raise an additional $40 million to expand the initiative into what could become an 11-phase underwater corridor stretching along Miami Beach's 7-mile coastline.
Colin Foord, who operates REEFLINE's Miami coral laboratory, will oversee the coral planting process that will create a forest of soft corals over the submerged car sculptures. "I think it really lends to the depth of the artistic message itself of having a traffic jam of cars underwater," Foord explained. "So nature's gonna take back over, and we're helping by growing the soft corals."
The corals chosen for this project are particularly resilient, having been grown from survivors of the devastating 2023 bleaching event. During that marine heatwave, massive amounts of Florida's coral populations were killed, making the selection of hardy, native gorgonian corals crucial for the project's success. Foord expressed confidence that these survivor corals will thrive in their new underwater home.
Future phases of the project promise even more spectacular installations. Plans include Petroc Sesti's "Heart of Okeanos," which will be modeled after a giant blue whale heart, and "The Miami Reef Star" by Carlos Betancourt and Alberto Latorre, featuring starfish shapes arranged in a larger star pattern. "What that's going to do is accelerate the formation of a coral reef ecosystem," Foord said. "It's going to attract a lot more life and add biodiversity and really kind of push the envelope of artificial reef-building here in Florida."
Beyond its artistic and environmental significance, the underwater sculpture park is expected to generate substantial economic benefits for the local community. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner anticipates the project will create jobs through ecotourism activities, including snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and paddleboard tours. The installation will serve as both an attraction for visitors and a testing ground for innovative coral transplantation techniques and hybrid reef development.
"Miami Beach is a global model for so many different issues, and now we're doing it for REEFLINE," Mayor Meiner said during a beachside ceremony last month. "I'm so proud to be working together with the private market to make sure that this continues right here in Miami Beach to be the blueprint for other cities to utilize."
The nonprofit organization extends its mission beyond the underwater installations through comprehensive community education programs. Volunteers have the opportunity to work alongside scientists in coral planting activities, while a floating marine learning center provides participants with hands-on experience in coral conservation on a monthly basis.
While Caminos acknowledges that the installation cannot solve all environmental challenges facing coastal ecosystems, including climate change and sea level rise, she believes it can serve as an important catalyst for broader conversations about environmental protection. "We can show how creatively, collaboratively and interdisciplinarily we can all tackle a man-made problem with man-made solutions," Caminos said, emphasizing the project's potential to inspire similar initiatives in other coastal communities worldwide.
