Reefline, originally called Underline (a clear reference to the High Line Flyover Park), was conceived by curator and entrepreneur Jimena Caminos as a cultural, environmental and tourism project at the same time. It will form the basis for the restoration of the marine ecosystem off the coast of Florida, bring to life the works of public art and attract tourists who are invited to explore the park with scuba diving or simply with a mask.
OMA architects, led by Shohei Shigematsu, head of the bureau's New York office, have developed a masterplan for this seven-mile project, which also includes a route for boats with marinas from where anyone can dive.
But the main thing in it remains an artificial reef, which also plays the role of a breakwater: a relatively permeable structure of concrete modules. Researchers from the University of Miami believe that artificial reefs may well become a catalyst for the development of marine life, which does not thrive off the shores and beaches of the Miami metropolitan area.
Obviously, it is more difficult to find funds to save animals and plants than for a project in the field of contemporary art, so the reef will receive a series of art objects. The first stage includes two sculptures. The first is the "traffic jam" of the Argentine artist Leandro Ehrlich, a repetition of his
the famous "sand" work on the theme of global warming, and the second - "fancy pavilion" by Shigematsu, composed of stairs and playing on the theme of underwater "weightlessness".
The opening of the first stage of Reefline is scheduled for December 2021.
