Illuminating Antarctic Architectural Interventions: adaptations of Halley VI station to mitigate natural daylighting challenges

• Main Author: Hudson, Katelyn
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: Antarctic; Brunt Ice Shelf; Antarc*; British Antarctic Survey; Ice Shelf
• Online Access: https://research.bond.edu.au/en/publications/5cb9bd3f-9679-4dc0-a25f-a113875b9e07

Early habitation of the Brunt Ice Shelf often meant an existence devoid of natural daylight. The most recent of the Halley stations endeavors to circumvent issues inherent with this and take advantage of some of the opportunities it affords. Located 75°35’ South is a string of futuristic pods that forms the sixth iteration of the British Antarctic Survey’s architectural occupation, which became operational in 2013. The site frequently faces high winds, drifting snow, constantly moving ice shelf for a substrate, as well as prolonged summer light and seemingly perpetual winter dark. During the winters the inhabitants face the challenge of potentially over a hundred days of complete darkness while being completely cut off from outside support. Advances in technology, in addition to a shift in the conception of what constitutes an “Antarctic Station”, allowing Hugh Broughton Architects to develop a concept for a station which prioritized the wellbeing of the human occupants, beyond simply designing a shell to fill the basic need for survival. The British architectural firm won the design competition conducted by the British Antarctic Survey in 2004 utilizing techniques similar to the elements outlined in Stephen Kellert’s concept of biophilic design; accommodating inherent human affinity towards nature within the built environment. These embrace both the surrounding endemic features as well as applying characteristics that are more attuned to the inhabitants’ natural habitats. Much of Broughton’s efforts were around combating the confined lifestyle and darkness which winter brings.