Maye Pruijn

The Reef of Memories | ‘O ke kai ho’omana’o

A ritual route in which we return to the coral reefs of Ka Lae  
 

Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, yet they are vanishing at an alarming rate. Since the nineteenth century, more than half of all reefs have disappeared due to climate change, acidification and pollution. By 2050, nearly all reefs may be under threat, with profound consequences for both ocean and land: no blue, no green – no water, no life.  

Based on my connection to the ocean, I explore how design can contribute to ecological restoration and raise awareness of the fragile value of reefs. This project, situated at Ka Lae, Hawai‘i, investigates the interwoven relationship between humans, nature, ritual and memory. The landscape itself is raw and dynamic: dry grasses, lava fields, green sand beaches, black cliffs, and the vast horizon of the Pacific and an endless deep blue ocean covered with a lava seabed and a variety of marine life. Within this setting, parting and regeneration of new life are anchored in a ritual route.  

The route follows the Hawaiian movement from mauka (land) to makai (sea), guiding body and place for memory back into the cycles of nature with architectural interventions within the landscape. At its heart lies the transformation of human ashes into memorial stone: a calcareous material, composed of human remains and oceanic biological matter, designed to serve as a substrate for new coral growth. In giving this stone back to the sea, human life comes to an end, yet simultaneously returns as a gift of renewal to the living coral reefs.  

The design is inspired by the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian creation chant, in which the coral polyp is the first being, the origin of all life. Guided by this cosmology, the interventions manifest as spaces of remembrance, transition and ecological renewal. Together, they form a sacred reef where parting and new life converge, affirming that all things are deeply connected 

 
Graduation date: 10 July 2025  
Graduation committee: Ricky Rijkenberg (mentor), Sarah Engelhard, Marlies Boterman 
Additional members for the exam: Ira Koers, Rogier van den Brink