A BIOROCK GARDEN
FIELD STUDY ON
ARTIFICIAL REEFS
During a research stay on the island of Curaçao, I investigated the ecological and material possibilities of building artificial reefs using the Biorock method, developed by Wolf Hilbertz and Tom Goreau (1970). In my ethnographic design studies, I followed diver Mike Duss (Curaçao Divers) as he interacts with his self-installed bioreef, six years after its construction. My research tests new materials for underwater mineral accretion and looks at marine practices of care as a form of coral gardening. The preliminary study forms the basis for developing an underwater design methodology and acquiring the technical skills for my practice-based PhD thesis "SymbiOcean".
CREDITS: rasaweber.com. Photo: Rasa Weber. Diver: Mike Duss. Location: Curaçao (ANT) 2022.
Credits
Design & Research: Rasa Weber
Camera: Rasa Weber
Date: February 2022
Location: Sun Reef & Pier II Curaçao
Interview: Mike Duss (CEO Curaçao Divers)
Ricardo Steelwork Construction
Biorock technique: Thomas Goreau
Wolf Hilbertz (1970)
Collaborators: Zurich University of the Arts
Linz University of Art and Design
Matters of Activity -
Cluster of Excellence
(Humboldt University of Berlin)
Curaçao Divers
Global Coral Reef Alliance
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SYMBIOCEAN
DESIGN & RESEARCH Rasa Weber
HOSTING UNIVERSITY Zurich University of the Arts &
University of Art and Design Linz
SUPERVISORS Karmen Franinović (Interaction Design) &
Karin Harrasser (Cultural Studies)
RESEARCH ASSOC. Matters of Activity. Cluster of Excellence I Humboldt University of Berlin
COLLABORATORS Jordan Lab I Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour
STARESO: Station de Recherche Océanographiques et sous-marines I Calvi (FR)
TBA 21: Thyssen-Bornemisza Contemporary
BLUE: Multispecies Ethnographies for Oceans in Crisis (Aarhus University)
EXTENDED
COLLABORATORS Polynesian Institute for Biomimicry (FR) I François Briant
Paraiso Dive Center (COL) I José Uparela
Curaçao Divers (ANT) I Mike Duss
Global Coral Reef Alliance I Prof. Dr. Thomas Goreau
Andry Carrasquilla - design (COL)
Ofelia & Jaime Torres - artisanal craft (COL)
Anja Wegner - marine biology (DE)
RESEARCH PROJECT INTERFACING THE OCEAN - Swiss National Science Fund
Zurich University of the Arts I
Interaction
Design
interactiondesign.zhdk.ch/projekte/interfacing-the-ocean/
RESEARCH PERIOD Since 2022 ongoing.
For lectures & collaborations please contact info@rasaweber.com.