During Miami Art Week 2024, Miami Reef Star, an innovative eco-art project by artist Carlos Betancourt and architect Alberto Latorre, debuted on the Mid-Beach coastline. The installation features 46 illuminated, star-shaped modules arranged in a larger star design, offering visitors a striking visual experience before its eventual placement underwater.
Part of the larger ReefLine initiative—a 15-acre underwater sculpture park spearheaded by OMA and ReefLine founder Ximena Caminos—the project is designed to combat marine biodiversity loss caused by climate change. The ReefLine will consist of environmentally functional artworks, placed 15-20 feet underwater, that serve as hybrid coral reefs. Betancourt’s stars, which range in size and mimic natural forms like starfish and flowers, aim to regenerate marine ecosystems.
The modules, fabricated at the University of New Hampshire, feature a sustainable material called CarbonXinc, which incorporates mineralized carbon dioxide to capture and store carbon. Additionally, they are designed to utilize Coral Lok technology, a method for cultivating and planting coral in natural environments.
Photography by ILAI BELAUSTEGUI
