Halley VI - Antarctica
On the Brunt Ice Shelf, Caird Coast of Antarctica, there is a red and blue train-like structure that sits on stilts. The British Antarctic Survey Halley VI Research Station stands out amid the white background of the cold desert region. The research station is an important research station that observes earth, atmospheric, and space weather. It functions as a base for scientists to study pressing global climate issues. The ozone hole was first discovered in 1985 at one of the older Halley research stations. An initial design competition for the Halley VI started in August 2004 for the Halley VI, and the station was officially launched in February 2013.
Halley VI Antarctic Research Station - view from North East - Hugh Broughton Architects - Creative Commons License
Operating in extreme conditions comes with immense operational challenges. Since inauguration, there have been power outages and equipment failures. Simple tasks like starting a snow mobile for research outside can be a challenge in extreme temperatures. The summer months allow for researchers and supplies to travel to and from the remote base.
The warmest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 19.8 degrees Celsius. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -89.2 degrees Celsius. This combined with extreme winds, snowfall that accumulates every year, and limited times to ship materials to the continent makes this one of the most challenging types of buildings to construct.
A team used to be stationed at the facility in the winter, but in 2017, a crack was discovered in the Brunt Ice Shelf. As a safety precaution, the decision was made to not house a winter team in the station. Automation projects have made it possible for instruments to continue to collect data in the wintertime.
The facility is comprised of eight individual modules, each with different functions such as accommodation, research, equipment storage, meals and socializing. One of the most striking features of the structure is its modular design and its ski-fitted hydraulic legs. The station can be pulled in sections to a new area, and raised or lowered in the case of snow accumulation. The innovative design was completed by Hugh Broughton Architects and AECOM.
The Halley VI is a good example of resilient design for a changing climate. As existing cities are subjected to greater swings in temperatures and weather events, we can begin to see the benefit of resilient designs. Large temperature swings can have a great impact of the thermal performance of a building, and design for cold climates is notoriously difficult. The Halley VI is just one of many extreme cold climate projects that Hugh Broughton Architects has been involved in. Their other projects include:
New Zealand’s Scott Base Redevelopment
Australia’s Davis Station
British Antarctic Survey’s largest research station, The Discovery Building
Juan Carlos 1 Spanish Antarctic Base
Atmospheric Watch Observatory in Greenaland,
Jang Bogo Korean Antarctic Research Station
Comandante Ferraz Brazilian Research Station
Fewer windows are common among these sub-zero buildings, which is necessary given the insulation requirements. The architect worked closely with a colour psychologist during the design phase in order to make the structure as welcoming as possible, while adding a sense of warmth and spaciousness.
Although the structure is modular, it is not a cookie-cutter design. The design was based on first-principles. This is a term commonly found in the course notes of an engineering or architecture class. First-principles is similar to a ground-up approach. You begin with the most fundamental pieces of a puzzle and build from there. Once the designers were awarded the project, one of the first things they did was travel to Antarctica to complete some field tests in order to see how much weight could be pulled across the terrain. Previous “rules of thumb” suggested 20 tonnes was the limit, but the teams tests showed hauling loads of 200 tonnes was possible. Had the designers accepted this rule of thumb, the research station as we see it today may never have been built.
Many designers will never get the chance to complete projects in such extreme climates, but the Halley VI shows that innovative design requires challenging the boundaries of possibility.
For more info on the Halley VI research station, check out the British Antarctic Survey website.
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