Hugh Broughton Architects set to extend Australian Antarctic research base

UK studio Hugh Broughton Architects has unveiled its design for a bright yellow addition to the Australian government's research base in Antarctica.

Antarctic specialists Hugh Broughton Architects has designed a vehicle workshop as part of a range of upgrades planned for the Davis station in Antarctica.

Set to be built from 2026, the workshop was designed to function within the harsh Antarctic climate. It will have an aerodynamic form and be placed in line with prevailing wind to reduce wind pressure, and be covered in a highly insulated skin.

The workshop on the ground floor will be accessed through a trio of large doors for the varied vehicles that operate at the base. Alongside this double-height space will be a vehicle parts store and powerhouse.

Above the store, an engineering office accessed by a staircase in the workshop will overlook the main space and have views out across the base.

The building will be constructed from a modular set of parts, which the studio envisions could be used for further buildings on the Davis base.

Working with contractor Bouygues Construction, engineering studio Mott MacDonald and architecture studio Stantec, Hugh Broughton Architects will also overhaul water production systems, remove asbestos from existing buildings and decommission legacy infrastructure at the base.

The upgrades are being funded by the Australian government's Antarctic Infrastructure Renewal Program.

"The Antarctic infrastructure program demonstrates Australia's commitment to Antarctic science through an innovative and sustainable approach, which will provide a benchmark for efficient, modular construction," said Hugh Broughton Architects founder Hugh Broughton.

"We are thrilled to be working with the alliance to develop designs at Davis Station, which will upgrade critical infrastructure, and look forward to a highly collaborative process to meet the challenges of the most extreme environment on the planet."

Founded by Broughton in 1996, Hugh Broughton Architects has designed several buildings in Antartica, including the mobile Halley VI Antarctic Research Station and the planned Discovery Building for the British Antarctic Survey.

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