Coastruction

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With Coastruction we take action. We use the freedom of shape and material enabled by our technology to create multip

Our 3D printer allows us to create artificial reefs, designed for species based on their location and for their site-specific conditions.

08/10/2026

🪸 How is our material better than conventional concrete?

We recently tested our reef material against traditional Portland cement concrete at to see how marine life responds.

After just 5 weeks, the results were clear:
🌱 68% more species
Our material supported significantly higher biodiversity than conventional Portland cement.

🦪 More life on the surface
We recorded 10 different species on Coastruction material, compared to just 5-7 species on Portland concrete.

💧 A more marine-friendly environment
Our material maintained a lower and stable pH of around 10, while Portland concrete remained at 11.9. A lower, stable pH creates more favourable conditions for marine settlement.

🧱 Greater porosity
With 15.9% porosity versus 5.4% for Portland concrete, our material provides more space and shelter for early colonising organisms.

These early results show that infrastructure can do more than serve people. It can actively support marine biodiversity too.

A big thank you to NIOZ and Tycho Dings for helping us better understand how our material performs in a real marine environment.

🌊 Nature and infrastructure don't have to be separate. We can design them to work together.

Stay tuned for the 1-year results.

24/09/2026

𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦, 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐝 ✏️🌊

At Coastruction, every reef we make is custom-built.

From ecological function all the way to how each module is packaged and transported.

Nothing is standard, because nature isn’t standard.

This week we’ve been finishing production for the Reef Grazer Research project in Saba: reef structures designed to support the struggling urchin population and create extra substrate for coral transplantation.

And yes… it starts with the basics:
a pen, a notebook, and measuring stick ✏️📓

Every module was measured by hand by our engineer Andries so it fits perfectly into bespoke crates. It’s a small step, but it saves costs, materials, and prevents damage during transport.

When you work with nature‑inclusive designs, there’s no one‑size‑fits‑all, not even for the packaging. Our logistics have to be just as tailored as our reefs.

🛠️Designs: Carlos Rego & Sam van den Oever, 2026

16/09/2026

It’s a family business at heart 💙

Our office gets plenty of visitors, but last week two very special little humans came to check out the printer 👀🧱
The kids of our Founder, Nadia Fani, gave their official approval after a very serious reef‑inspection session 🐚✨

Weekend printing might sound like a hassle, but for us it’s a chance to show our family what we’re building. The kids are honorary team members, sandcastle engineers included 🏗️🏖️

Innovation doesn’t always look like labs and installations.
Sometimes it looks like a founder explaining reef designs to her kids while the printer hums in the background 🌊💡

Moments like these remind us why we do what we do at Coastruction:
So our children can keep discovering the wonders we’ve seen, and build on them 🌍💙

Seeing our work through their eyes makes our mission feel even more real ✨

10/09/2026

Coastruction is on CNN!

We’re incredibly proud to see our 3D‑printed reef work featured on CNN 💙

In the video, our founder Nadia Fani shares how Coastruction began and why every reef we design has a clear ecological purpose. We always start with the local community, they know their waters best.

That’s how we teamed up with Reef Grazer Research on Saba and the addenvereniging in the Netherlands. Their reefs, designed for their unique ecosystems, are highlighted in the video.

Seeing our mission reach a global audience is a huge milestone for nature‑inclusive restoration 🌍✨

🎥 Watch the CNN video in our bio

18/08/2026

Wait, how on earth did it get there?

You may have seen our last installation at the SEA LIFE in Blankenberge, Belgium.

But you may have wondered, how on earth did it get there? A structure of 180kg was not an easy feat to deploy!

Let’s start with the design:
When we create a design at Coastruction we not build for the future inhabitants, but also for the convenience of transportation and installation.

That’s the whole magic of a 3D printer ✨

For each project we ask our clients and partners, how do we want to lower this structure into the water? The answer determines what extra lifting interfaces we add to the design:
🔹Handles and sturdy ledges for handling
🔹Tunnels and loops for lifting straps
🔹A shape that stays upright when dropped

This was exactly what was done with the reef for Sealife to ensure the most smooth transition from land to water without disturbing any of the local creatures.

Even the local turtle, Cracker, came to say hi!

👉 Get in touch with us now for your next installation project

📐 Design: Carlos Rego, 2026
🎥 Media: SEA LIFE Blankenberge

10/08/2026

Look below, look above⬇️⬆️

The first time we saw a tiny fish exploring a habitat we designed just for them… unforgettable. 🐟💙

And honestly? Every time after that too. 🫶🌊

Last year, SEA LIFE Blankenberge gave us a challenge:
🔹 Create safe shelter for the smaller fish
🔹 Make sure Cracker the turtle doesn’t knock it over

So we listened, designed, iterated… and delivered. 🛠️✨

For our first aquarium installation at SEA LIFE Blankenberge, every opening, ledge and surface was shaped around real reef behaviour:
🐠 Overhangs and sheltered pockets for small fish to hide from bigger ones
🐢 A structure strong enough for Cracker (their rescued, dis‑boyant sea turtle) to rest on without tipping it over

Our priority is always the same: build habitats that genuinely improve aquatic life, wherever they’re placed. 🌍💧

The challenge? Translating natural reef functions into engineered structures that perform even better.

This new installation is also helping us understand how marine life uses the habitats we create, so we can build even better reefs for supporting life within and beyond aquarium walls🪸🌱🌊

Want a unique structure for your aquarium too? Get in touch!

📐 Design: Carlos Rego, 2026
🎥 Media: SEA LIFE Blankenberge

03/08/2026

A milestone we'll never forget. 💙🌊

Our very first aquarium installation is officially in the water! 🐠

In 2025 we were approached with the opportunity to feature our 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦-𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘦𝘧𝘴 at SEA LIFE Blankenberge, an aquarium that also functions as marine rescue and rehabilitation center, especially for seals along the Belgian coast.

Together with the team at Blankenberge, we’ve designed and installed two custom reef structures for their newly refurbished Ocean Tank.

This collaboration is about so much more than placing a feature in an aquarium, it’s about supporting marine life wherever it exists, ocean, river, lake, aquarium, pond. It is about building something in response to a specific need and improving quality of life.

It also creates an opportunity to educate about the importance of artificial reefs in marine ecosystems, why we sometimes need them and how they can help. Aquariums are an important step in not only our journey but also of the entire younger generation who will become marine scientists, politicians, consultants and representatives of our one Blue Planet. 🌍✨

A huge thank you to the divers and the entire team at Sea Life Blankenberge for trusting us with this project, and for creating this beautiful installation video.

Keep an eye on our page to see how our reefs are doing 🐢🐟

Want a unique structure for your aquarium too? Get in touch!

📐 Design: Carlos Rego, 2026
🎥 Media: SEA LIFE Blankenberge

13/07/2026

Our reefs don't just belong in the ocean.

Last month, Coastruction was part of Rotterdam Architecture Month, one of Europe's leading platforms where design, urbanism, and innovation collide.

Seeing our purpose-built reefs exhibited alongside some of the boldest architecture was a reminder that reef design is, at its core, a design discipline. Every surface texture, every cavity, and every curve is a deliberate decision engineered around biology but shaped with intention.

Thank you to the Rotterdam Architecture Month team for including us. The conversations we had over the past few days confirmed what we believe: the future of coastal infrastructure is both functional and alive.

🐟 Purpose-built reefs are designed where engineering meets ecology

02/07/2026

To understand why building a reef in the Wadden Sea is hard, you first need to understand what makes it extraordinary. 🌊

The world's largest tidal flat system. 500km across the Netherlands, Germany & Denmark. UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tidal flats that breathe twice a day move 15 km³ of water in and out every 12 hours.
🐟 140 fish species, including herring, plaice, sole & sea bass, all depend on these waters to grow.
🦅 10–12 million migratory birds pass through every year.
🦐 10,000+ species. One of the most productive ecosystems on Earth.

Then, in 1932, the Afsluitdijk was built severing the fish migration routes that made this ecosystem thrive. Underwater habitat: lost. The ecosystem has never fully recovered.

That's the challenge we're building for. 🪸

24/06/2026

One year. Brainstorming, designing, testing. Yesterday, it was unveiled. 🌊

Our reef element for the Wadden Sea is now on public display at the Afsluitdijk Wadden Centre, and we couldn't be prouder.

The Wadden Sea is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strong currents. Tidal extremes. A unique mix of species found nowhere else. Building a Purpose-Built Reef here meant starting from scratch with the biology first. 🐟🦐🌿

We researched every fish, shellfish, and algae species that calls this area home. Then we translated that into a 3D-printed structure made from local materials, zero toxic additives and zero waste.

Because the Afsluitdijk changed this coastline forever. Our reef is designed to help nature recover it.

In-water testing: before the end of 2026. This is just the beginning. 🪸

📍 Go see it at the Afsluitdijk Wadden Centre

Adres

Scheepsbouwweg 8
Rotterdam
3089JW

Website

https://www.coastruction.com/coastruction

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