EN 
DA Biodiverse
Community Corals
About the biodiverse community corals
In 2025, Natur & Ungdom and the partnership behind the “Biodiverse Community Corals” will install 11 “City Corals” on Refshaleøen in Copenhagen. The corals are 3D-printed sculptures upon which moss and other plants grow, providing homes for insects and even birds. The small and large moss-covered surfaces contribute to natural respiration in the city. With their unique aesthetic, the corals enliven the urban space while offering us insight and interaction with micro-biodiversity.
A city coral is a declaration of love for life – and a positive intervention in the urban space that will be seen by hundreds of thousands of people in the coming years.
Our goal with the project:
Contribute to increased biodiversity on Refshaleøen by establishing 11 urban corals, using art and design actively to raise awareness of the city’s diversity.
Increase awareness and knowledge about the importance of urban nature, nature, and biodiversity in general among locals and visitors – as well as how residents can interact with it.
Create a committed community around the corals among NOGU’s members and within the broader local community.
Development
The corals are 3D-printed in CO2-reduced concrete in Brande, Central Jutland. The company behind the production is 3DCP-Group, which 3D prints everything from houses to artificial coral reefs for the sea. The material was chosen because it can be broken down and recycled, and because its organic origin allows it to support the moss cultures that will eventually cover the corals.
The corals are mounted in a steel planting box, produced locally in Copenhagen by Metalkompagniet. Steel has long durability and can be melted down and recycled if needed. The planting boxes are also equipped with seating and tables, so the corals can serve as hosts for a rest or a conversation about biodiversity, the state of the world, and our role in it.
In connection with the installation and opening, a moss culture is applied to the corals, which will grow and attract life, thereby increasing local biodiversity. More moss culture can be added over time if needed.
10%
Increase in growth of moss development so far
12
Number of species observed since the start of the project until now
Unknown
Number of people who have seen the project
(based on estimates from Refshaleøen)
Visit us here
Experience the city corals at Refshaleøen in Copenhagen! Stop by, see the unique 3D-printed sculptures, and feel how they bring nature and biodiversity into the urban space. Find your way on the map and be part of the experience!
Become a part of the community
Would you like to help follow and take care of the City Corals? As a City Coral Steward, you assist in documenting the development, nurturing the corals, and weaving the story together.
Sign up for our Facebook group and become a part of the community. In the group, you can also see pictures and read about Walks and other activities we organize.
Partners
The city corals have been created in collaboration between:
Artist
Project management
Oleg Koefoed from Center for Livskraft og Regeneration
Co-Partners
3DCP-Group, which 3D printed the corals.
Adrian Bruun from Additive, who created the design and 3D drawings
Refshaleøen, which provides the foundation for the corals.
Thanks to the Nordea Foundation.
The project is realized with support from the Nordea Foundation’s ‘Her gror vi’ fund.
Tak til Nordea-fonden for at gøre dette projekt muligt!
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