Comandante Ferraz Antartic Station

Description

A building for science. Built in a place where nature dictates all the rules. Brazil's scientific research station in Antarctica.A project designed to protect the human body from adverse environmental conditions. A building protects and shelters, like a garment that wards off the cold.On February 25th, 2012, a fire destroyed 90% of the former Brazilian station. The event triggered a series of governmental actions to construct a new research facility and the Brazilian Navy, in charge of the Antarctic operation logistics section (PROANTAR), promptly launched an international architecture competition for the new station project.Located on King George Island, between the Bransfield Strait and the Drake Passage, Estação Antártica Comandante Ferraz is situated in region that represents a major hub for scientific research facilities from several countries. Alongside topographic considerations, the linear configuration reflects two key design parameters: transportation logistics and on-site assembly – two well-known challenging factors in Antarctica. Shipping the prefabricated systems from the pre-assembly lines to Antarctica is easiest when using 6m long containers, which have the additional advantage of improving on site assembly and accelerating construction speed – both essential if one considers that construction can only be executed during Summer time.The modular construction logic based in containers cladded with a complex wrapper are supported above the ground by metallic structure anchored on shallow foundations. In morphologic terms, the building is configured as an extrusion of its cross-section based on three main design premises: thermodynamics, aerodynamics and landscape views. Mostly elevated from the soil to improve thermodynamic performance and facilitate snow sweeping by the wind, the main are cladded with an aerodynamic wrapper which reduce the horizontal forces at foundation level and on the steel structure. Given the topographic uphill, the West block is lifted in relation to the East block to address psychological well-being issues and guarantee to the transient inhabitants of the station views to the Antarctic landscape in all spaces of permanence. Dispersed on the site at a maximum distance to the main station of 3,5 Km are the Ferraz Remote Units. Due to the weather instability and the researchers’ transit in remote areas of the Keller Peninsula, two refuges are loaded with water, food and medicines. In addition to these there are: laboratories, logistic pavilions and small hardware storages.The project includes 17 laboratories with specialties such as: biosciences, bioassays, meteorology, marine biology, fungi, chemistry, atmosphere, VLF, among other scientific branches. Today the building is used by Brazilian scientists, linked to institutions, research centers and universities. Research groups face very rigorous and disputed selection processes to have the opportunity to work in such a specific and remote context. (Description provided by Estudio 41)