Miami Beach sinks 22 concrete cars underwater to create a coral habitat

In 2025, Miami Beach launched one of the most ambitious underwater art and conservation projects in the world. According to a report by the Miami Herald, the city sank 22 concrete cars 20 feet beneath the ocean surface, creating a surreal traffic jam designed to support 2,200 corals and marine life. The installation, part of the REEFLINE project, was conceived as a unique blend of art, tourism and climate resilience. The sculptures by individual artists were intended to draw snorkelers, provide habitat for fish, host coral restoration efforts and help protect the city’s beachfront from storm surge. Now, roughly a year later, the project stands as a testament to the power of creative thinking in the face of environmental challenges.A symbol of transformationThe cars, which sit in 20 feet of water in a line to represent traffic jams that are all too routine in South Florida, allude to both our car-centric culture and the risks of climate change, said Ximena Caminos, founder and artistic director of REEFLINE. “To me it’s a symbol from transportation to transformation...Transportation has created such harm to the environment, and this is transforming that, or using it, if you want, as ...