Scott Base

New Zealand's Antarctic efforts are centred at Scott Base, at the southern end of Ross Island, neighboured by not much other than Mt Erebus and the USA's McMurdo Station.

Scott Base was established during the summer of 1956–57 for the International Geophysical Year. and to support the Trans-Antarctic Expedition .

A party of 23 men, under the leadership ofSir Edmund Hillary, wintered over, including five scientists.

In 2019, the New Zealand Government's commitment to maintaining a presence on the ice gained a shape, with the presentation of the visuals for the redevelopment of Scott Base. It is space-age for the ice-age. Gone will be the old huts and in with three wildly futuristic rectangular pods, clad in metal, and connected by walkway tubes.

The changes will represent a significant upgrade for the 300 or so personnel that visit and work at the base during the summer and those hardy souls who maintain it over winter. The old huts have been there since the 1980s and though they were also heated and connected by walkways, there are 20 of them, so the efficiencies in the new system are immediately evident.

Of the three buildings, one is designated for accommodation, dining and welfare, the second for science and management and the third for engineering and storage. Though it looks like an entirely new build, clever design actually recycles some of the old facilities within the new. The intention of the raised pile look is an adaptation of the Queenslander on stilts in a flood zone, it is to reduce the banking and buildup of swirling snow flurries around the base. The impact of regular winds stronger than 'Wellington on a bad day' will be somewhat ameliorated by the curvature and smooth lines.

Science is the main business of the base and the design option was chosen due to it's capacity for increasing scientific programmes in coming years. Scientific investigations conducted in the Antarctic are providing insights into global temperature changes over the centuries and the likely impacts of global warming.
The social and design elements of the project are clearly evident too, with the Antarctic Heritage Trust and Maori included in the planning. The chosen green cladding is already super-synonymous with Scott Base, and the provision of the largest building for accommodation being a nod to the workers.

There will be more revisions before this becomes a reality and NZPlaces looks forward to it. Meantime, if you have been to the ice or have any images of Scott Base, please send them in.

Over the years Antarctica has been host to creative New Zealanders inspiring them to create images and words of this 'other' world.