Supervisor:
Søren S. Sørensen
Antarctica is a unique continent with extreme conditions which requires a lot of research before actual design process when it comes to architecture.
This project explores the strategic and scientific importance of Ukraine’s continued presence on the continent through Research Base Vernadsky. This is a rare example of an inherited Antarctic infrastructure that requires reevaluation after decades of use.
Diploma work relies significantly on research methods such as archival analysis and interviews with scientists, engineers, historians, and polar writers.
Developed proposal shows strategy of modernization of existing scientific complex during next 5-,10- and 20 years and serves as the foundation for a realistic and practical architectural project.
The proposed solution aims to analyze the lifespan of Ukrainian Antarctic Research Base and prolong it as much as possible to avoid interruption or losing of vital research work.
The answer for Ukraine is to remain on the continent and establish modern and sustainable extension of scientific complex to stand out as responsible polar nation on international arena.
Detailed description
Aim of this project is to show importance of Ukraine as a country being present on the Antarctic continent considering geopolitical and scientific purposes. Using Ukrainian Research Base Vernadsky as a case study to represent what can happen with old Antarctic bases throughout decades and what we as architects can do within this unique and limited framework.
Ukraine has only one research base on Antarctic peninsula which was transferred by UK in 1996. After USSR collapsed, russia took over all soviet stations and refused to transfer any of them to Ukraine despite big number of specialists, research facilities and existing knowledge and experience.
Ukrainians have a long trace of presence in Antarctic explorations starting from Scott expedition (1910-1913) establishing multiple generations of researches and Antarctic workers up to present time.
Vernadsky is an all year active research base accommodated for 12-14 people for a yearly work and ca.30 people during summer research season.
Last major intervention on Vernadsky(ex Faraday) station was done in 1980s and due to no possibility to visit the site and limited information about buildings, research was used as the main tool to define needs and critical points of the complex and consists of archival data, interviews with researchers, engineers, writers and historians. Overall research takes about half of the project scope to find concrete answers for proposal to keep it as realistic as possible. Additionally, BIM technology is used during design process to get better overview of all elements and possible construction process.
Original idea was to preserve and prolong the lifespan of existing building, but after multiple rounds of interviews it turned out that the station is in worse condition than expected. Radical decision was made to develop completely new main block with step-by-step extension to safe ongoing vital research work and Ukrainian presence in region.
Construction process is limited by weather conditions and usually executed only during Antarctic summers so design approach is explained by 3 masterplans which show the amount of work executed in 5, 10 and 20 years(Antarctic summers).
Also, all construction vehicles have obligatory disinfection and multiple levels of check and cleaning.
5 years plan shows first round of interventions which includes use of all existing facilities and building of new research block, water treatment plant and residential block for maximum capacity of 24 people since accommodation is one of the current needs and issues.
10 years plan shows second round of interventions which includes gradual transfer of all activities and accommodation from Adelie house to new developed building.
According to interviews and pictures from site in aproximately 10 years’ time main station building condition becoming critical and is recommended to execute conservation for maintaining facilities as a museum in the future.
In 10 seasons time new building is going to consist of 2 residential, 2 scientific blocks and common areas for socializing, sport and rest on the ground level. Maximum capacity is 48 people. This is the main developed proposal to represent construction sequence and logic of designed structure.
Taking into account drawings and old photos provided by British Antarctic Survey Archive design of the new station building has traces of original project on the site
In 20 years is possible to extend structure using same method by adding 1 more residential and scientific block increasing amount of people to 74.
Often, in 20 years’ time sustainability requirements are changing and countries need to develop new ways of maintaining and reconstructing of Antarctic stations so in developed design there is a room for upgrade.
Antarctic base building is a unique facility in a way that not many buildings in the world are going through the process of assembling, disassembling, transportation and assembling again with possibility to easy demolition in the future.
Contact
Olena Perepadia / perepadiaolenaa@gmail.com / +47 923 70 499
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