"Zaha Hadid Architects' design for a digitally fabricated marine habitat in the North Lantau Marine Park conservation zone in Hong Kong was recently presented at the World Design Congress exhibition in London. The event took place at the Barbican Centre between September 9 and 10, one of the world's most recognized examples of Brutalist architecture. Its theme, "Design for Planet," called on designers and commissioners of design to take on their most critical brief to date: to design a regenerative future in the face of climate change and to examine design's role as a tool for environmental action."
"Focusing on the regeneration of food resources, Nereid was conceived to encourage the growth of phytoplankton and filter-feeding shellfish, which form the foundation of the marine ecosystem's food chain. The project was developed in collaboration with marine physiologist and toxicologist James Fang of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, whose research promotes ocean health and seafood sustainability. Nereid is presented as a prototype response to biodiversity loss caused by climate change, urbanisation, land reclamation, and marine pollution, which are increasingly affecting coastal environments worldwide."
"The prototype uses pH-neutral materials in a low-carbon concrete paste shaped into biomimetic forms that replicate reef-like textures and porosity, allowing deployment across diverse coastal zones. Optimised for marine applications, the structure emulates the geometries of benthic systems such as kelp forests, imitating natural complexity. Its shape also acts as a barrier against harmful practices such as bottom trawling."
Zaha Hadid Architects designed Nereid, a digitally fabricated marine habitat for the North Lantau Marine Park conservation zone in Hong Kong. The prototype was developed with D-Shape's advanced 3D printing and in collaboration with marine physiologist and toxicologist James Fang of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Nereid encourages growth of phytoplankton and filter-feeding shellfish to rebuild foundational food webs and address biodiversity loss from climate change, urbanisation, land reclamation, and marine pollution. The structure uses pH-neutral, low-carbon concrete paste shaped into biomimetic reef-like textures and porosity, emulates benthic geometries such as kelp forests, and functions as a barrier against bottom trawling while being deployable across diverse coastal zones.
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