A British artist by the name of Jason deCaires Taylor is using his love for sculpting to support the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. What the artist has done is create what he calls a “Coral Greenhouse”, which has been sunken to the seabed so its cement and steel frame can be a habitat for marine life.
Positioned in an inlet of the natural reef, the Coral Greenhouse is full of sculptures of trees and people. Instead of glass, water fills the space between the ribs of the underwater architecture.
DeCaires Taylor created sculptures of workbenches filled with gardening tools inside the sunken pavilion, which are each designed to be a refuge for different species of wildlife. Small fish can escape predators by hiding in the gaps of gridded elements, and there are niches for octopus and sea urchins to hide in. Above, the beams of the Coral Greenhouse are designed to be a convenient place for fish and crustaceans to feed or congregate about in shoals.
Stainless steel, pH-neutral cement, and zinc were chosen as materials that will encourage coral to grow in and around the structure. Planters filled with real coral, propagated for the artwork, surround the Coral Greenhouse. Divers and snorkelers can access the sculpture garden easily by swimming down and using the three entrance points to the sunken pavilion.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to see thriving marine life and stunning sculptures beneath the waves?
