Case Study: Coral Collective
Empowering Ocean Stewardship Through Immersive Storytelling and Community-Centered XR Design

Background

Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse and vulnerable ecosystems on Earth—but for many people, especially those far from coastal regions, their fragility remains out of sight and out of mind. With climate change accelerating reef degradation, creative interventions are needed to engage the public, spark empathy, and inspire action.

AI Bot Influencer Personas Represent Endangered Coral. Coral Collective, Meta Horizon Worlds.

The Challenge

How can we make the crisis of coral reef loss emotionally resonant for people who may never see the ocean?
How can digital tools be used not just to simulate nature, but to cultivate stewardship, collaboration, and innovation?

The Solution: Coral Collective

Launched by Women in Horizon, a social group and initiative of Better World Museum, Coral Collective is a series of immersive virtual environments designed to reimagine coral care through art, science, and storytelling.

Created in Meta’s Horizon Worlds with a team of community collaborators—including artist Sara “Tink” Mappelli and creative/executive director Paige Dansinger (both alumni of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design)—Coral Collective offers accessible, emotionally compelling spaces where participants engage with ocean sustainability through design and play.

Paige and Tink, who first met over 30 years ago in art school, sparked their creative collaboration in XR. They recently co-created Space Coral, a virtual public art installation for the Metaverse Chamber of Commerce in Horizon Worlds.

Space Coral, TinksPlayground and MetaversePaige, Public Art Installation at the Metaverse Chamber of Commerce, in Horizon Worlds

Key Features

Four interconnected immersive worlds:
- Coral Collective
- Deep Reef
- Coral Reef
- Coral Cove Learning Center
  Each world offers different levels of interaction, storytelling, and educational engagement.
Integration with blockchain/NFTs:
Eight animated NFTs serve as digital artifacts and QR portals into the virtual spaces.
AI Coral Reef Influencers:
We are piloting AI bots as coral reef influencers and edu-tainment agents. These AI guides engage users with science-based knowledge, ocean facts, and interactive missions to inspire care and action.
Community storytelling and education:
Participants learn how to build immersive worlds, co-create coral environments, and explore the cultural and ecological meanings of ocean care.

Outcomes & Impact

Global Exhibition at UN Ocean Day (June 2025)
In partnership with BitBasel, Coral Collective will be featured during the United Nations’ Ocean Day at their NYC headquarters.
Educational Use
Coral Cove Learning Center introduces immersive design tools to new users while teaching ecological principles.
Expanded community engagement
The project evolved from the earlier Spill2Sparkle XR experience presented at Miami Art Week and MIT Reality Hack 2025, deepening its reach and relevance.

What We Learned

Immersive empathy works: When users help build coral structures themselves, they feel more connected and inspired to protect them.
Participation drives passion: Involving underrepresented creators—especially women and youth—leads to more culturally meaningful designs.
Accessible platforms matter: Horizon Worlds allows wide access across devices, reducing technical barriers to participation.

TinksPlayground and MetaversePaige, Coral Collective, Meta Horizon Worlds

Next Steps

Develop Coral Collective as a toolkit for other museums, educators, and XR groups.
Translate the experience into WebXR and mobile AR for broader access.
Continue partnerships with ocean researchers and regenerative design educators to enhance impact.

Conclusion

Coral Collective shows that XR can do more than simulate ecosystems—it can regenerate care.
By turning users into co-creators of virtual reefs, we turn apathy into empathy—and vision into action.

Community Collaborators include:

Yolanda Williams, Tanya Perez, Rhonda Taylor, Pat Dooley, Laurie ONeill, Celeste Lear, Seth Gibson, Sara Tink Mapelli, [your name here!]

Want to Collaborate?

We’re seeking partners in:
🧪 Ocean science & education
🎮 Game/world building
🦨 Cultural storytelling
🌐 XR for Good & sustainability

Contact: Paige Dansinger
📧 betterworldmuseum.com
🌐 www.betterworldmuseum.com

Case Study: Coral Collective Empowering Ocean Stewardship Through XR