Where seawalls protect and ecosystems thrive
A new kind of seawall is coming to Fort Lauderdale. Engineered to filter water, support marine life, and inspire a cleaner future, the Living Seawall at The Church by the Sea redefines what coastal infrastructure can be.
Watch the story behind the Living Seawall
The Living Seawall at The Church by the Sea
The Living Seawall at The Church by the Sea is transforming 860 feet of aging infrastructure into the world’s first fully integrated vertical reef seawall. Built in partnership with KindDesigns, this 3D-printed seawall will help clean over 1 million gallons of water a day once colonized by oysters —showing what’s possible when faith, science, and community work together.
Project impact by the numbers
860 linear feet
of reef-enhancing seawall
5,160 square feet
of sculpted marine habitat
1M+ gallons of water
filtered daily through oyster colonization
Target completion
February 2027
First of its kind
fully integrated vertical reef in an urban canal system
Stay informed as the project takes shape
Voices of the Canal: Mark Conroy
Voices of the Canal: Mark Conroy As a longtime member of Church by the Sea and an early supporter of the Living Seawall, Mark Conroy brings both personal perspective and deep community roots to the project. A veteran of the luxury travel and hospitality industry and a champion for cleaner waterways, he shares what inspired…
Bringing our canals back to life: The science behind the living seawall
Bringing our canals back to life: The science behind the living seawall Just beyond the garden at The Church by the Sea in Fort Lauderdale, a quiet but powerful transformation is underway. The seawall, which has long served as a static concrete barrier between land and water, is being reimagined into something entirely new: a…
The Living Seawall Launches Today
A major environmental breakthrough is launching today in Fort Lauderdale.
Sponsor a seawall that purifies and protects.
Your gift helps restore marine life, clean Fort Lauderdale’s waterways, and create a replicable model for climate resilience. Whether you give $100 or $1,500, every contribution helps build a cleaner, smarter future.