Miami Beach Makes History with the Launch of The REEFLINE

The City of Miami Beach is celebrating a groundbreaking milestone with the launch of The REEFLINE, a visionary project that merges art, science, and environmental innovation beneath the ocean’s surface. This first-of-its-kind underwater sculpture park and hybrid reef marks a new era in the city’s efforts to protect its coastline while inspiring global creativity and marine conservation.

The REEFLINE: An Underwater Fusion of Art, Science, and Sustainability

A beachside celebration will take place at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21, between 4th and 5th Streets, inviting residents, visitors, and art lovers to witness history as Miami Beach unveils a project destined to redefine the relationship between urban life and the natural world.

A Living Work of Art Beneath the Waves

The inaugural installation, titled Concrete Coral, is the creation of internationally acclaimed artist Leandro Erlich. The piece features 22 life-sized concrete cars, arranged as a surreal underwater traffic jam — a symbolic transformation of urban congestion into a thriving reef habitat.

Submerged 20 feet below the ocean’s surface and 780 feet offshore, the installation will be visible from the shoreline near 5th Street. Deployment will occur on October 20–21 and October 27–28, as a 159-foot construction barge carefully lowers each sculptural form into place, creating an immersive undersea landscape that is both artistic and ecological.

Art Meets Environmental Innovation

More than an artistic statement, The REEFLINE represents a critical component of Miami Beach’s long-term environmental defense strategy.

“The REEFLINE installation is more than a stunning fusion of art and science; it’s a critical long-term economic safeguard for Miami Beach,” said Mayor Steven Meiner. “Healthy reefs are our natural infrastructure, shielding our treasured beachfront and vital tourism revenue by reducing storm surge and erosion.”

Funded in part by the 2022 voter-approved Arts & Culture General Obligation Bond, The REEFLINE embodies the city’s commitment to cultural and ecological preservation, a testament to how public art can protect both people and the planet.

Once deployed, the concrete cars of Concrete Coral will be seeded with 2,200 corals cultivated at the REEFLINE’s Miami Native Coral Lab. The project will utilize Coral Lok, an advanced technology that enables fast, sustainable coral transplantation, turning the sculpture into a living, growing reef teeming with marine life.

Designers describe it as a “poetic reversal of humanity’s environmental footprint,” transforming a symbol of urban life into a beacon of ecological regeneration.

A Global Model for Coastal Cities

Conceived by cultural placemaker Ximena Caminos with a master plan by Shohei Shigematsu/OMA, The REEFLINE serves as a model for cities worldwide grappling with the impacts of climate change.

“REEFLINE shows how creativity can drive real solutions for a changing planet,” said Caminos. “We’re transforming art into an engine for marine ecosystem enhancement and education. What begins in Miami Beach, once seen as ground zero for sea level rise, can become a model for cities around the world.”

The project’s long-term vision includes 11 phases and a goal of raising $40 million to extend the underwater art and reef corridor along the entire seven-mile stretch of Miami Beach, ultimately outplanting thousands of corals and revitalizing marine ecosystems for generations to come.

A Celebration of Miami Beach’s Future

The REEFLINE stands as more than a work of art, it’s a living monument to resilience, innovation, and collaboration. Miami Beach is not only showcasing its creative spirit but also leading the way in environmental stewardship, demonstrating how art can heal, inspire, and protect.

As the waves roll over Concrete Coral, Miami BeachMore Info invites the world to look below the surface — and see a future where creativity and conservation thrive together.

The REEFLINE: Where Art Meets Ocean. Where Miami Leads the World.