Kuryłowicz + Architects' Arctowski Station: A Timber 'Home at the End of the World' in Antarctica
Kuryłowicz + Architects has released images of the nearly finished Arctowski Station, a timber facility located on King George Island, Antarctica, commissioned by the Polish Academy of Sciences. This research station, designed with three wings, features a prefabricated timber framework adorned with insulated golden panels, accommodating 28 researchers. A communal area includes a library, gym, and sauna. Architect Piotr Kuczynski highlighted the vision of crafting a 'home at the end of the world.' Elevated on steel stilts, the station is built to endure winds of up to 160 km/h and temperatures dropping below -20°C. Constructed in three months from 113 shipping containers, it utilizes Polish timber and contemporary metal. Contributors include Kuryłowicz + Architects, Buro Happold, and contractors Betpref, Andrewex Consortium, and Dekpol Budownictwo.
Key facts
- Kuryłowicz + Architects designed the Arctowski Station on King George Island, Antarctica.
- The station is nearing completion and will house 28 researchers.
- It features a prefabricated timber structure clad in insulated golden panels.
- The design includes a central communal hub with library, gym, and sauna.
- The structure is raised on steel stilts to withstand winds up to 160 km/h and temperatures below -20°C.
- It was shipped in 113 shipping containers and assembled within three months.
- The interior uses wood from Polish forests, and the metal skin represents technology.
- The project is for the Polish Academy of Sciences, with Buro Happold involved in concept design.
Entities
Artists
- Ewa Kuryłowicz
- Piotr Kuczyński
- Karolina Czumaj
- Aleksander Krauze
- Bartosz Świniarski
Institutions
- Kuryłowicz + Architects
- Polish Academy of Sciences
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences
- Buro Happold
- Demiurg
- Home of Houses
- Betpref
- Andrewex Consortium
- Dekpol Budownictwo
- Project Management
- Dezeen
- Hugh Broughton Architects
- NORR
- Estúdio 41
Locations
- Antarctica
- King George Island
Sources
- Dezeen —