Dawn Geddes finds out what it takes to design a research base at the South Pole.
ARCHITECT Hugh Broughton has enjoyed a long career that has seen him design everything from libraries and galleries to a mock-up of a Martian house.
But despite this variety, over the years he has developed one speciality: creating research facilities in the Antarctic.
He founded Hugh Broughton Architects in 1996, showcasing British contemporary architecture.
“I came into architecture by chance,” he says. “As a child, I loved drawing.
“I used to love drawing little stick people doing stick activities and my mum said to me, ‘You should become an architect’.
“There was no tradition of architecture in the family whatsoever.”
Apparently, Hugh’s work in the Antarctic was the result of another moment of pure chance.
“I was listening to the ‘Today’ programme,” he recounts, “and there was an interview on with the head of the British Antarctic Survey and the head of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
“They were going to launch a competition for designing Britain’s most southerly research station in Antarctica. I listened along and it was pretty fascinating stuff.
“They were talking about the criteria that they were looking for to design this research station.
“There were five different things that they wanted,” he explains. “You had to be a big international company with lots of experience in sustainable design.
“You had to have lots of experience of working in remote locations, and be really experienced in designing for science.
“And they also wanted you to be very good on prefabricated buildings, too.
“I remember listening to all of the criteria and putting a big cross next to each and every one of the requirements!”
Hugh told his colleagues about what he’d learned, and they encouraged him to go to an information session to find out more.
“They said: go along anyway,” Hugh says. “There will be a slideshow with pictures of Antarctica and penguins and stuff!
“I went along, and it was true – there was an amazing slideshow!
“All the well-known faces of British architecture turned up,” Hugh recounts. “I was thinking, ‘I’d better just leave quietly’ but as I was going I saw a structural engineer who I’d worked with before.
“He
