Living Seawalls is an initiative by Melbourne-based studio Reef Design Lab and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. When marine infrastructure, such as seawalls, is implemented along the coastline, this typically results in a loss of biodiversity due to the replacement of natural shoreline habitats. The Living Seawalls program is thus exploring innovative ways to ‘green’ seawalls and reintroduce marine biodiversity via ecologically-friendly design.

SVC was commissioned to produce hundreds of concrete seawall modules for the Living Seawalls program, which have since been installed in two locations in Sydney Harbour. The bespoke modules incorporate detailed surface textures and geometric forms that mimic the naturally-occurring shapes in rocky shores and reefs.

Learn more about the process behind the Living Seawalls initiative.

Project images supplied by Alex Goad, Reef Design Lab, Leah Wood and Maria Vozzo, Sydney Institute of Marine Science.