Re-Imagining Coral Reefs

Re-imagining Coral Reefs is a virtual reality (VR) experience aimed at communicating the climate science of coral reef research to a wider audience.

Visitors to the event venue are invited to try on VR headsets and experience healthy, degraded and re-imagined coral reefs from both human and non-human perspectives. Their virtual experiences are project in real-time in the event space, which also contains 3D printed models of the virtual corals they're experiencing.

Coral reefs are vital ecosystems that sustain 30% of all ocean species. Their degradation is a visceral example of the Climate Crisis. Research into and restoration of these rich habitats constitute a critical enterprise that bring together the scientific community, local citizens, designers, governments, and NGOs, towards the common goal of preserving our biodiversity.

Created via a range of digital tools typically deployed in spatial and game design, and utilising the audio and 3D photogrammetry data collected from the field in Indonesia, the installation is a collaborative creation between design students, marine biologists, and architects.