Name: Behind the underwater sculpture park transforming into a coral reef
Uploaded: 2025-11-01T00:42:04.468Z
Duration: 2 min 36 s
Description: According to a recent report, the world has reached its first climate change tipping point. Scientists point to the widespread bleaching of coral reefs due to rising ocean temperatures.

According to a recent report, the world has reached its first climate change tipping point. Scientists point to the widespread bleaching of coral reefs due to rising ocean temperatures.

Miami Beach

Miami Beach has launched the Reef Line, a seven-mile-long underwater sculpture park featuring 22 concrete car sculptures. The project, initiated by artist Leandro Erlich and curator Jimena Caminos, uses marine-grade concrete to create installations that will serve as both public art and artificial coral reefs.

Marine biologist Colin Ford, the scientific director and co-founder, is overseeing the transplantation of 2,000 corals that survived Florida's 2023 marine heat wave onto the sculptures. The goal is for the sculptures to support coral growth and attract marine life, while also helping to protect the coastline during storms.

Behind the underwater sculpture park transforming into a coral reef

What does it take to build Miami's first underwater sculpture park? As it turns out, the process begins 50 miles south at this cement factory in Homestead, Florida, where marine-grade concrete is being poured into reusable molds to make 22 car sculptures, each weighing up to 15 tons. We gotta make sure that the concrete is clean, that there's no toxicity in it or any chances for rusting. The cars make up the first installation in a seven-mile-long artistic project known as the Reef Line, where eventually people will snorkel and dive around the artwork, which will also serve as an artificial coral reef that helps protect the Florida coastline during storms. From the cement factory, the cars are loaded onto a barge near Miami Beach. That's where we met Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich. We are creating something not just for the sake of the aesthetics, but we are creating something that is to be played with nature. Eventually coral will overtake all the cars like this. Erlich first came up with the concept in 2019, when he created a traffic jam of cars made of sand for Art Basel. They were displayed on South Miami Beach. And that was a moment in which Jimena Caminos brought to me this idea of the Reef Line. And see the cars? You see them there? This is Jimena Caminos, co-founder and curator. We were there as she launched the first car. Oh my God. Placed on the ocean floor. First one in! We did it! Watch that first car go into the ocean. What was that like? I'm going to give a very motherly metaphor. You can be pregnant for a long time, but until you don't see your child, there's a whole new dimension that you were missing. Marine biologist Colin Ford is the scientific director and co-founder of the Reef Line. And so when we're putting them on the cars, it literally is that easy. Ford has been growing the 2,000 corals that will make up the Reef Line from fragments of corals that were able to withstand Florida's 2023 marine heat wave. A lot of the corals that we've been growing and transplanting just weren't resilient enough to survive these types of heat waves. The hope is that along with other art installations, marine life will also join this underwater traffic jam. Cristian Benavides, CBS News, Miami Beach.

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