rrreefs’ Post

Celebrating 4 years of El Castillo 🧱🪸 Four years ago, we completed the construction of El Castillo, our first modular reef structure built from 228 3D-printed clay bricks off the coast of San Andrés Island, Colombia. This prototype reef was assembled in just 10 days with the support of 11 workshop participants, our local partner Corales de Paz - Buceo con Propósito, and dedicated community members who believed in the vision of regenerating life beneath the surface. Since then, El Castillo has become more than a structure, it’s a living example of reef regeneration in action. Over the past four years, our scientific monitoring has followed baby corals growth, schools of fish returning, and nature slowly reclaiming what was once lost. Like many reefs around the world, El Castillo faced challenges during the 2023 marine heatwave, which caused widespread coral bleaching and mortality across the Caribbean. Yet, when we returned this year, we were met with an incredible sight: new coral recruits thriving inside the structure, and an abundance of marine life 🐠🐙🦐 This milestone is not only a celebration of four years of El Castillo, but also a testament to nature’s resilience, and to what’s possible when innovation, collaboration, and hope come together beneath the waves 🌊 A heartfelt thank you to our partners, volunteers, and the community of San Andrés for their ongoing dedication. Together, we’re proving that regeneration is possible, one reef at a time. rrreefs #rrreefs #3Dprinting #coralreef #marineconservation #marinelife #biodiversity #sustainability #Oceandecade