British Antarctic Survey (BAS) workers have arrived at Rothera, the UK’s largest research station on the continent, ready to remove the accumulated snow and begin the summer construction season.
Those present include staff from BAM, Ramboll, Sweco, GA Barnies, Turner & Townsend and Hugh Broughton Architects. Their main focus will be the completion of the Discovery Building, a purpose-built 90m-by-30m support and operations facility.
The team will work on the interior of the building, which already has its windows and solar panels. When complete, it will contain offices, a clinic and a plant room. There will also be a preparation area to streamline logistics, a central warehouse with digital records and recreational areas.
A building management system will be installed to reduce emissions.
At the King Edward Point and Rothera docks, the wharves will be extended to accommodate the 129m-long RRS Sir David Attenborough, which is currently travelling south.
Johannes Smit, a construction manager with BAM, said: “We’ve made significant progress in the Antarctic to bring the Discovery Building to completion.
“Our dedicated team even worked through the winter season to prepare for commissioning, and we’re now focused on connecting and fine-tuning all systems. This hub will drive safe, efficient and sustainable operations as the heart of the wider facilities at Rothera.”
The building will be handed over to the BAS in April.
- Subscribe here to get stories about construction around the world in your inbox three times a week
Further Reading:
