REEF — Marina Park Redevelopment is a collaborative proposal to transform the Virginia Key Miami Seaquarium site into an immersive marine park inspired by coral reef ecosystems. The project combines architecture, landscape, and sustainable transportation to create a public space that connects Miami’s cultural history with its fragile coastal environment
Architecture · Urban Design · Environmental Systems
2025 DASH Competition
Team
Christiane Berthin
Elena Correa
Lola Diaz-Suarez
Eliana Steiger
Research & Site Analysis
Our research focused on four main layers:
(1) Cultural history of Virginia Key, including its Indigenous roots and its role as a historically Black beach during segregation, informing the park’s role as a place of memory, resistance, and community.
(2) Environmental conditions, such as rising sea levels, man-made land, boat noise pollution, and the need for mangrove restoration and artificial coral reefs to support marine life and coastal protection.
(3) Social and demographic data, including population and public transportation use in Miami-Dade, revealing equity issues and motivating the proposal for sustainable, accessible transit connections.
(4) Circulation and movement systems, mapping pedestrian paths, bike routes, water access, and the Seaquarium context to understand how people and ecosystems currently move through the site
Current - Connection to Miami
A hybrid-powered aerial metro connects Virginia Key to the Miami mainland, making the park easy to reach without relying on cars. The system is powered by solar panels along the bike paths and kinetic energy from movement, turning transportation into part of the park’s sustainability story
Reef Park Experience
Spaces are organized around History, Culture, and Ecology each functioning independently while forming a continuous experiential journey
HydroCycle - Movement through the Park
Inside the park, visitors move through the water on pedal-powered hydrocycles. This slower, hands-on experience lets people feel connected to the environment while also helping generate clean energy for the park