Polar Field Tent Shelters and Well-Being of Users

• Main Authors: Potter, James, Yan, X. Winston, Krug, Nathan S., Kuivinen, Karl C., England, Marijane E.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 1998
• Subjects: Architecture; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/arch_facultyschol/15; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/arch_facultyschol/article/1015/viewcontent/Potter_EB_1998_Polar_field_tent__DC_VERSION.pdf

Polar research teams often spend extended periods of time away from base stations, living and working in remote field camps of portable tent shelters. This article reports on a study of the design and use of portable field tent shelters being deployed in Antarctica and other circumpolar areas. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of the shelters on health and well-being of their users from an environment-behavior perspective. Preliminary analysis indicates that although the design and use of field tent shelters were generally satisfactory, there are areas in which the shelters had some adverse bearing on health and well-being of a considerable number of shelter users. This article concludes with suggestions that can be used for future design and manufacture of portable field tent shelters.