About Reef Cells

Reef Cells is a one-of-a-kind organization working with leading reef scientists, engineers and artists to design, develop and build artificial reefs that more closely mimic natural reef structures in form and function. Unlike other engineered reef structures, we create natural looking reef modules with interstitial spaces, critical micro and macro habitat, complex surface rugosity and ocean friendly material intended to improve water quality and encourage settlement by marine organisms. This helps promote fish biodiversity, by creating complex surfaces and spaces that provide habitat for a variety of marine organisms during multiple stages of their life cycle. Surface texture, mineral content and a variety of substrate angles relative to sunlight and water flow provide triggers that promote settlement and colonization by attaching marine organisms.

Additionally, Reef Cells works with leading scientists to develop and create devices products used for cultivating and mechanically attaching cultured corals to our reef modules. Our line of Coral Lok fragmentation plugs, Coral Lok receivers, Coral Lok grow/transport platforms, Coral Guard predator deterrents and Coral Anchor underwater adhesive are becoming the standard for efficient coral propagation and restoration among scientists and researchers.

Art has a unique place in artificial reef development. It does not provide significant amounts of habitat or trigger settlement by attaching organisms. So why is it important? Submerged art inspires and intrigues people. It calls attention to the ocean in general and coral reefs in particular. It attracts divers who may otherwise be visiting nearby fragile natural reefs and it helps local economies benefit from additional tourist dollars.

History

Reef Cells was founded in 1990 as Bio-Marine Technologies to develop materials and methods for protecting, enhancing and creating marine ecosystems. Emphasis on the development of artificial reef modules with interconnected cellular interior habitat spaces prompted the renaming of the organization to Reef Cells. Though the name changed, the goal remains the same, to design, develop, build and deploy artificial reef structure to enhance marine environments, build organism habitat, support coral restoration, protect coastlines, and use art to attract divers away from fragile natural reefs.

Reef Cells primarily specializes in designing innovative and adaptive materials, devices and methods to enhance the marine environment by uniting with other research institutions, experts, partners, stakeholders and organizations. Our primary goal is to design and construct structures that mimic natural reef habitat and use submerged artwork to lure divers away from fragile natural reefs. We sincerely believe marine habitat loss can be mitigated and even reversed through restoration practices including building new artificial habitat reefs, supporting coral settlement techniques, coral cultivation, out-planting and using art to lure divers away from recovering fragile natural reefs.

Founder

Christopher Xavier O'Hare is an American artist, with extensive interests in engineering and marine biology. Since 1988 his architectural sculpture works have been commissioned by over twenty-four thousand architects on over two hundred and fifty thousand projects throughout the entire United States and as far off as Japan and the Middle East. Specializing in the medium of cast stone, he has developed a thorough understanding of limestone cement and the latest technologies in concrete and stone fabrication. He brings that knowledge to creating state-of-the-art artificial reef modules.

O’Hare’s understanding of biological systems, engineering, art and industrial processing gives him a unique ability to develop, design and build the many reef modules, habitats and restoration devices offered by Reef Cells. He holds numerous patents in the field of marine restoration and enhancement.

Originally trained as an Architect/Engineer and later a Landscape Architect, O'Hare switched careers after years of designing commercial and private gardens to devote his full attention to architectural art. After years of studying art throughout Europe, South America and Asia, he founded Pineapple Grove Designs in Delray Beach Florida in 1988 and offered his work to architects and clients throughout the world. O'Hare's body of work includes commissions by most departments and agencies of the Federal Government in addition to State, Municipal and Institutional clients. More recently, his work has expanded to include sculptural elements intended to be submerged as part of artificial reefs – see CXOART.com

O'Hare's concern for environmental issues led him to a parallel career in bio-marine enhancement. He founded Reef Cells and later, 1000 Mermaids and Ocean Rescue Alliance. The later two were divested to other people so O’Hare could focus solely on Reef Cells.

O’Hare continues to work with scientists and other stakeholders in the marine restoration field to develop new devices and methods to protect, preserve, restore and create marine ecosystems.