Coastal Connections, World Monuments Fund

Our cultural heritage finds itself in a unique and challenging time; the urgency of the climate crisis and the need to mitigate the damaging effects to our built environment presents an existential threat to the longevity of sites of historic and cultural significance.

The Coastal Connections program is a joint initiative between World Monuments Fund (WMF) and English Heritage that aims to form a global network of coastal heritage sites by bringing together communities and organisations to share their knowledge and expertise.

I was invited by the World Monuments Fund to bring the project to life by curating an exhibition that celebrated the work of the network. The exhibition launched at the London Design Biennale in June 2025 at Somerset House, London. Featuring world leading design innovation, creativity and research from participants across the globe, the Biennale champions the importance and universal relevance of design in contemporary life and culture.

The exhibition emphasised the wider global connectivity of the project while allowing for a deeper exploration of selected sites chosen to represent particular issues faced by our coastal heritage. Seven site were selected to allow for a deeper exploration of the challenges faced by the sites and the positive work happening on the ground.

Cape Coast Castle, Ghana
Fort Berkeley, Antigua
Hurst Castle, UK
Ocracoke Light Station, North Carolina
Old Customs House, Zanzibar
Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile
Scott’s Huts, Antarctica

Local participation at these sites produced short films in response to three questions:
Why does this place matter?
What are the challenges you face?
What does the future look like to you?

The immersive installation featured a map that encouraged visitors to see the world from a different perspective. The oceanographic projection created by Athelstan Spilhaus shows how the world’s coasts – including their people, places and heritage – are interconnected.

Design Team

Curator
Vanessa Norwood

Pavilion Design & Fabrication
Install Archive

Graphic Design
John McGill

Cartography
Alex Kent