With projects like the Halley VI Antarctic research station under its belt, Hugh Broughton Architects is no stranger to working in extreme environments. The UK firm will need this experience as it has now been commissioned to deliver a series of upgrades for Australia's Davis Station in Antarctica.
Davis is Australia's most southerly Antarctic research base. It is located near the Vestfold Hills, on the Ingrid Christensen Coast of Princess Elizabeth Land, roughly 20 km (12 miles) from the edge of the continental ice sheet.
Though the local conditions are actually somewhat less harsh by Antarctic standards, due to shelter by the rocky terrain, the environment is still brutal, with temperatures ranging from a summer high of +13 °C (55 °F) to a winter low of -40 °C (-40 °F). Additionally, during winter, staff are mostly in darkness and experience only an hour or two of twilight each day.
Hugh Broughton Architects will be carrying out several upgrades and changes at the site, with the most notable addition being a large vehicle workshop and office building, which will feature a modular construction and an insulated, aerodynamic design intended to reduce snow build-up and withstand high winds.
"The centerpiece of the project will be a new utility building containing a vehicle workshop, the main powerhouse, trades workshops, engineering offices, stores and associated plant," explains Hugh Broughton Architects. "The aerodynamic design has been developed with a 'kit-of-parts' approach, enabling future buildings to utilize similar components in a drive to increase efficiency, simplify construction and ease maintenance."
Alongside this new facility, Hugh Broughton Architects will install a new primary powerhouse and remove old decommissioned legacy infrastructure and harmful asbestos. Another focus is upgrading its water production systems with a reverse osmosis plant that produces safe drinking water from seawater, allowing the number of scientists to be stationed at the base to increase.
On-site construction is scheduled to begin in late 2026, with completion slated for mid-2032. The budget for the works is estimated at AUD 250 million (around US$162 million).
Sources: Hugh Broughton Architects, Australian Antarctic Program
