2 days ago
Constructing in the cold: Inside the bold build at the bottom of the world
If the producers of Grand Designs were looking for the most extreme building project ever, I think I've found it. 67 degrees south, deep in the Antarctic Circle.
On Ryder Bay, 1,000 miles from the nearest city, is the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera Research Station.
For 50 years, scientists, engineers, and adventurers have been based here, braving conditions as cold as -20°C and permanent darkness during the polar winter.
For the past six years, builders have been here too, constructing the Discovery Building.
It's a 90-meter-long, 4,500 m² facility that serves as an office, storeroom, power plant, hospital, control tower, and nerve centre of Britain's Antarctic operations.
There isn't a Screwfix or B&Q nearby, so every single tool, tile, and tin of paint has had to be shipped in – 400 containers in total.
Surprisingly, fire is a huge risk here. Antarctica is so dry that it's technically a desert. With no prospect of a quick rescue during the winter, they can't take any risks.
A massive 40,000-litre tank of water can be emptied onto flames in just 30 minutes.
All water is desalinated from the sea. 'Why don't you just melt the snow?', I asked plumber Tobias.
'Back in the day, about 30 or 40 years ago, they did, but they only had one shower per week. Today, with these systems, we can produce 10,000 litres of water a day.'
The colour scheme has raised a few eyebrows. Stairwells and offices are painted in bold floor-to-ceiling blue, green, red, or yellow.
It's the architect's attempt to counteract the dull, dark winter nights, but I get the sense that some of the scientists might prefer a more muted magnolia.
The project has cost £100 million of taxpayers' money. It's a symbol of the UK's commitment to polar science—not to mention the geopolitical importance of maintaining a physical presence on the continent.
There's plenty of snagging to do over winter. Then the not insignificant challenge of dismantling the old buildings it has replaced.
Strict environmental rules in Antarctica mean every scrap of rubbish and rubble must be shipped back home. At least they have a use for those 400 empty shipping containers!
