Racing to beat the arrival of the Antarctic winter, contractors have completed a major milestone in constructing a new two-story science and operations building at British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station that is designed to withstand polar conditions while being eco-friendly and energy efficient.

Antarctica is about as hostile an environment as you’re likely to come across on Earth. This is especially true when it comes to buildings that have to cope with extreme cold, high winds, snow, and shifting glaciers on a continent that is never very easy to reach.

The new Discovery Building at Rothera Research Station has been under construction for four years as 54 contractors race to complete major construction milestones before they have to leave as the Antarctic winter descends in the next few weeks.

The purpose of Discovery is to replace a number of older buildings with one large 4,500 m² (48,400 ft²) building with an expected service life of half a century. The new structure has now been sheathed in blue metal cladding and an operations tower has been installed that will allow staff to monitor the wharf, base operations, and the airfield.

Keep reading on newatlas.com

• 
•