Halley VI
Issue Date: 22 December 2005









THE COMPETITION

In June 2004 British Antarctic Survey (BAS, a component of the Natural Environment Research Council) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) launched an international competition to design a new Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Of the 86 multidisciplinary teams who expressed an interest, six were selected to submit concept ideas and, in October 2004, the three shown on this (stamp) issue were commissioned by BAS to develop their concepts.

The results were outstanding and after a very close-run contest a design by Faber Maunsell/Hugh Broughton Architects/Colour Affects/DMJM was chosen as the winner in July 2005.

Located 10,000 miles from the UK on a 150m thick ice shelf that floats on the Weddell sea, the new complex will replace the current Halley V Research Station. As the name suggests, Halley V is the fifth to be built on the Brunt Ice Shelf. There are normally 16 people working there during the Antarctic winter, increasing to 52 science and support staff in the summer.

The first Halley was established for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957-58 and named after the astronomer Edmond Halley. Scientific studies into ozone depletion, atmospheric pollution, solar storms, sea level rise and climate change have continued uninterrupted since then. This is a crucial location for understanding global environmental issues and how the Earth works.

THE CHALLENGE

Designing buildings that will cope with the extreme environment at Halley requires innovation and creativity in design, engineering and technology. Average temperatures at Halley are -5 C in midsummer and -30 C in winter, dropping to extreme lows of -55 C. Blowing snow drifts for approximately 180 days each year accumulate to average annual depths of 1.5m. Gales blow for 40 days per year with extreme gust speeds of 41m/s. During the austral summer (Dec - Feb) the sun never sets allowing external construction and maintenance work to be done. During the austral winter there are 55 days of total darkness and for 100 days the sun never appears above the horizon.

The Brunt Ice Shelf upon which the station is situated, flows at a rate of 0.4 km per year northwest from Coats Land towards the sea. It is fed by the Antarctic Ice Sheet, a huge mass of ice covering Antarctica's bedrock that flows from the centre of the continent towards the coast. The edge of the shelf calves small icebergs throughout the year but approximately every 50 to 60 years the Brunt Ice Shelf becomes so large that it undergoes a massive calving event. There is now a growing risk that the current Halley V research station could be lost due to such an event in the next decade. The replacement station must therefore be developed, built and occupied by 2008/9.

The short-listed design teams worked closely with BAS to create concept design solutions that:

  • Minimize environmental impact and comply with the Antarctic Treaty Environmental Protocol
  • Is functionally efficient
  • Is aesthetically stimulating
  • Represents best Value for Money over its full expected design life (20 years minimum)
  • Has a lifetime maintenance strategy that takes into account the remoteness of the station and the limitations of logistic supply


    • The new modular station designed by Faber Maunsell and Hugh Broughton Architects is elevated on ski-based jackable legs to avoid burial by snow and can be towed across the ice. The modules are simple to construct and can be re-arranged or relocated inland periodically as the ice shelf flows towards the sea. A central module packed with stimulating areas for recreation and relaxation is flanked by a series of modules designed to suit the changing needs of the science programmes. It features renewable energy sources and new environmental strategies for fuel, waste and material handling.

    The two other competing teams were ;

    Buro Happold Ltd/Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands/Garrad Hassan & Partners Ltd/SLR Consulting Ltd/Human Engineering. This team designed three robust yet delicate fabric-covered craft that apparently 'hover' on legs above the ice. Glowing translucent skin encloses generously-proportioned interiors defined by specially-fabricated walls of integral furniture; these can be reconfigured to create a flexible, stimulating environment for scientific research and a welcoming, low-maintenance home that enhances the science and support team's wellbeing. Hopkins Architects/Expedition Engineering/Atelier Ten/Davis & Langdon created two aerodynamic, elevated 'walking' buildings that minimise effort of raising, snow-management and relocation. External walls, surrounded with a 'puffer jacket' of structural fabric pillows, streamline the building and provide additional insulation. The team believe the quality of architecture is crucial to the wellbeing, morale and productivity of science and support staff living and working at Halley.

    The timetable for constructing the new design is as follows;

  • Jan 04 to Oct 06 - Project Planning, Design, Fabrication & Trials
  • 06/07 Season - Construction Year 1
  • 07/08 Season - Construction Year 2
  • 08/09 Season - Transfer from Halley V to Halley VI
  • Mar 09 - Halley VI fully operational
  • 09/10 Season - Decommission & remove Halley V
    •



    Copyright: FI Philatelic Bureau Created and Maintained by: Cyberpoint Limited