Project transforms used cars into a showcase of the ocean’s power

Intertidal has been created through Sea for Yourself, a collaborative cultural programme involving the University
Created by acclaimed installation artist David Cotterrell, Intertidal is a new public artwork that has transformed four ageing Ford Fiestas into tidal instruments

Project transforms used cars into a showcase of the ocean’s power

Intertidal has been created through Sea for Yourself, a collaborative cultural programme involving the University
The University of Plymouth is supporting an eye-catching project which has seen four second-hand cars transformed into a representation of the tidal patterns of the ocean.
Created by acclaimed installation artist David Cotterrell, Intertidal is a new public artwork that has transformed four ageing Ford Fiestas into tidal instruments.
Hidden reservoirs, pumps, sensors, filtration systems, batteries and digital controls fitted within the vehicles will see water levels inside them rise and fall in response to the tide in Plymouth Sound.
Intertidal is the first major commission to be revealed through Sea for Yourself, a cultural programme led by Plymouth Culture in partnership with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and Plymouth City Council, and supported by various city organisations.
The University is a strategic partner in the Sea for Yourself initiative, and has worked with other project partners to shape its programme of events and activities.
That work has also included coordinating workshops and discussion forums uniting the creative and marine science sectors, as well as hosting four research studentships linked to the programme, working with partners including The Box, Real Ideas and Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.
That builds on earlier University-led work to shape the strategic framework and digital creative engagement approach for the National Marine Park’s Digital Park
Professor Chris Bennewith, Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education & Student Experience and Executive Dean of Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business, is a board member of both Plymouth Culture and the Sea for Yourself project.

Plymouth Sound National Marine Park represents a shared ambition to bring the sea into the life of the whole city – not only for those who already feel connected to it, but for everyone.

That means creating new ways for people to experience Plymouth Sound, to understand why it matters, and to develop their own relationship with it. Intertidal does that in a wonderfully unexpected way, taking the rhythm of the tide into neighbourhoods across Plymouth and bringing art, science and engineering together to make something we often overlook visible. It is exactly the kind of project that can spark curiosity, conversation and a deeper connection with the sea. As a long-term partner in the National Marine Park, the University is proud to support that ambition and help connect our research, creative expertise and civic role around it.

Chris BennewithProfessor Chris Bennewith
Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education & Student Experience & Executive Dean

The launch of Intertidal is the result of an extensive collaboration between artists, engineers, fabricators, programmers, and marine scientists.
It follows Connecting with the sea: digital marine citizenship, a project led by the University to explore and share ways digital technologies can foster stronger connections with our coastal and marine environments, and other initiatives designed to bridge any gaps between society and the sea.

The overall ambition of Sea for Yourself is to use creative digital projects to help connect and reconnect residents to the sea. This first commission is extremely ambitious in scale and also because it works across so many subject areas from art and digital to science and engineering. The aim of the project is to build curiosity by bringing the sea into the city so we can start conversations about the tide, helping people build a deeper relationship to Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.

Hannah Harris
CEO of Plymouth Culture 
Created by acclaimed installation artist David Cotterrell, Intertidal is a new public artwork that has transformed four ageing Ford Fiestas into tidal instruments
The cars created through the Intertidal project will travel between different communities and landscapes during the project, allowing the same tide to be encountered in different parts of Plymouth. Visitors can follow the latest locations, discover a range of complementary activities, and explore learning resources through the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park website.
  • Sea for Yourself is a programme led by Plymouth Culture in partnership with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and Plymouth City Council. Programme development and delivery is supported by The Box, Real Ideas, University of Plymouth, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Arts University Plymouth. Sea for Yourself is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England Place Partnership Fund.
 
Person taking photo of the sea
Connecting with the sea: digital marine citizenship
Digital park in the sea
Digital Seascapes
Aerial view of crowd connected by lines
Centre for Place