Competition winners for Antarctica base announced

The competition to design the Halley VI Research Station in Antarctica has been won by Faber Maunsell and Hugh Broughton Architects. The new prefabricated modular research station features a central social and recreational module (red in this graphic). The station is designed to adapt to the changing external conditions and future science needs of BAS. Peter Ayres, project director with Faber Maunsell, tells us that the design pays particular attention to the needs for a sustainable, energy-efficient solution that complies in full with the Antarctic Treaty Protocol. ‘Minimising environmental impact during construction and lifespan has been a big issue for our design. Each highly insulated module incorporates low-energy and sustainable principles to help reduce the station’s environmental impact. ‘When it comes to eventual decommissioning, the station can be easily moved and taken apart. We consider Halley VI to be a visitor to Antarctica, not a resident.’