Halley VI Halley Research Station

1 halley vi

1.1 design competition
1.2 design elements
1.3 relocation

halley vi

built: on 4 summers, first operational data 28 february 2012, officially opened 2013.
structure: modular
cost: approximately £26 million

it structure which, halley v, jacked on hydraulic legs keep above accumulation of snow. unlike halley v, there retractable giant skis on bottom of these legs, allow building relocated periodically.

it string of 8 modules, each on stilts skis.

the drewry summer accommodation building , garage halley v dragged halley vi location , continue used. workshop , storage platform (wasp) provides storage field equipment , workshop technical services. there 6 external science cabooses house scientific equipment each experiment spread across site , clean air sector laboratory (caslab) 1km station.

design competition

an architectural design competition launched riba competitions , british antarctic survey in june 2004 provide new design halley vi. competition entered number of architectural , engineering firms. winning design, faber maunsell , hugh broughton architects chosen in july 2005.

halley vi built in cape town, south africa south african consortium. 26 modular accommodation pods added in total, installed in 8 modules, provides serviced accommodation 32 people. first sections shipped antarctica in december 2007. assembled next halley v, dragged one-by-one 15 km , reconnected.

halley vi station officially opened in antarctica on 5 february 2013. kirk watson, filmmaker scotland, recorded building of space age station on 4-year period. trailer further information can seen @ links below. description of engineering challenges , creation of consortium provided adam rutherford coincide exhibition in glasgow.

design elements

a focus of new architecture desire improve living conditions of scientists , staff on station. solutions included consulting color psychologist create special color palette offset more 100 days of darkness each year, daylight simulation lamp alarm clocks address biorhythm issues, use of special wood veneers imbue scent of nature , address lack of green growth, lighting design , space planning address social interaction needs , issues of living , working in isolation.

another priority of structure construction have least environmental impact on ice possible.

relocation

the british antarctic survey announced intended move halley vi new site in summer 2016-2017. large crack had been propagating through ice , threatened cut station off main body of ice shelf, prompting decision move. planned move see station shifted 23 kilometres (14 mi) previous site , first time station had been moved since became operational in 2012.

whilst station being relocated, concerns new crack had been discovered on 31 october 2016 (dubbed halloween crack ) led bas announce withdraw staff base in march 2017. bas completed relocation of base in february 2017. plan staff return once antarctic winter over, in november 2017.

horizon, long-running bbc documentary series, sent film-maker natalie hewit antartica 3 months document move.