hundreds of vertical untreated steel rebars shape maetherea's kinetic installation in the UK

Iron Reef: A Submerged Mythology Emerges in Norfolk

Iron Reef is a permanent site-specific installation by Maetherea, the London-based studio led by Cristina Morbi, commissioned by Norfolk County Council for the Norfolk Way Art Trail. Located along the banks of the River Yare near the historic Reedham Ferry in Norfolk, UK, the project engages with the landscape through a kinetic, participatory structure shaped by environmental rhythms and local history.

The design draws from the chain-driven mechanism of the ferry, translating its industrial movement into a flexible field of hundreds of vertical untreated steel rebars. These rebars sway in the wind, recalling the movement of reeds, and establish a direct visual and material dialogue with Reedham’s industrial and nautical traditions. Visitors can move through the sculpture, where their presence influences subtle shifts in movement and sound.

image by Cristina Morbi

Maetherea’s design embraces natural and non-human forces

The work operates within Studio Maetherea’s concept of Design Phenology, a design approach that recognises time, weather, and non-human forces as active components of a work’s evolution. In Iron Reef, these forces are incorporated rather than resisted. Seasonal flooding submerges the lower sections of the structure, and over time, oxidation, patina, and microbial growth form a living surface. The piece becomes both a sculptural object and a habitat, linking biological processes with industrial form.

Integrated within the installation is a phosphorescent pathway, designed to absorb daylight and emit a soft glow at dusk. This feature guides visitors toward the water’s edge while maintaining a low visual impact. Like the surrounding reedbeds, the sculpture’s appearance shifts with the seasons, green in spring and summer, and golden or skeletal in autumn and winter.

permanent site-specific installation by Maetherea on the River Yare | image by Cristina Morbi

Iron Reef provides a space for observation and reflection

Through its open geometry and slow material transformation, Iron Reef provides a space for observation and reflection. It functions as an environmental and social interface, positioned at the intersection of art, ecology, and local infrastructure.

The project was supported by Broadland District Council, Reedham Parish Council, Reedham Ferry Inn + Campsite, the Broads Authority, and coordinated by Creative Giants. It contributes to the Norfolk Way Art Trail as both a sculptural landmark and a responsive structure that evolves alongside its setting, registering the passage of time and the changing conditions of the Broads.

minimal and raw, the materials are left exposed to the elements | image by Kristina Chan

hundreds of untreated steel rebars shape the sculpture | image by Cristina Morbi

oxidation and patina create a living surface over time | image by Kristina Chan

the work links biological processes with industrial form | image by Kristina Chan

Iron Reef serves as an observation device and amphibious structure | image by Kristina Chan

untreated steel rebars sway gently with the breeze, echoing the rhythm of reedbeds and ferry chains | image by Kristina Chan

open geometry invites observation and reflection | image by Kristina Chan

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positioned at the intersection of art, ecology, and infrastructure | image by Kristina Chan

a responsive landmark evolving with the Broads landscape | image by Cristina Morbi

colors shift with the seasons, green in summer, golden in autumn | image by Kristina Chan

the pathway softly emerges at twilight, guiding visitors toward the water’s edge | image by Kristina Chan

the luminescent path creates an atmospheric encounter between landscape, light, and body | image by Kristina Chan

registers the passage of time through changing materials and light | image by Kristina Chan

monthly timeline - daily timeline | image by Cristina Morbi

patina through time | image by Cristina Morbi

project info:

name: Iron Reef
designer: Maetherea | @maetherea

location: Reedham Ferry, Norfolk, UK

lead designer: Cristina Morbi

client: Norfolk County Council

fabrication: Other People’s Sculpture

engineering: Price & Myers

client’s agent: Creative Giants

project management: Aurora Destro

assistant: Cristina Brena

community engagement: Liz McGowan

partner: Broadland District Council, Reedham Parish Council

stakeholders: Reedham Ferry Inn + Campsite, Archer family, Broads Authority

photographer: Kristina Chan | @kristina_chan_, Cristina Morbi

part of: Norfolk Way Art Trail

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom