On February 5th 2013, Halley VI Research Station was officially opened. It is located on the Brunt Ice shelf which is floating on the Weddell Sea. Construction started in 2005 at a cost of £26 million, by Faber Maunsell and Hugh Broughton Architects who provided the winning design in an architectural design competition held by British Antarctic Survey and RIBA Competitions.
The biggest challenge for engineers in the Antarctic region is perhaps that everything gets snowed under over a period of time. The Halley VI station leaps over this problem, literally. The Pods of the station are mounted on hydraulic legs based on Ski’s. This configuration allows the station to get out of snow and move to a new location and away from the ocean. And that’s not all. The biggest pod is red in color and has a bar, lounges and a pool hall for recreation. It also houses a salad garden and a climbing wall, just so the people working there (about 70 in summers) do not lose their motivation and spirit during their stay.
The Halley VI base station is a true wonder of science and clearly shows that hard work and a bit of creative imagination can go a long way. For more photos, head to the official site.
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