Holt Watters Field Camp Phases I and II | 2022-23

The Antarctic Ecosystems Research Division of NOAA Fisheries conducts scientific research on the population dynamics, behavior, diet, and survival of Antarctic seabirds and pinnipeds on Livingston Island in Antarctica. After 25 years in the harsh Antarctic climate, their modest research facility fell into disrepair and required replacement.

The 2000 sq. ft. Holt Watters Field Camp was conceived to replace the deteriorating structures. Three buildings comprise the main campus; the fourth, a remote penguin research facility, is a short one-mile hike away. The first two buildings, the dining hall and sleeping quarters were designed and pre-fabricated in Denver by students during the 2022 spring semester. The following year, a new cohort of students designed and pre-fabricated the scientific labs and remote penguin research facility. At the end of the semester, the students disassembled the buildings and packed them to ship to Antarctica.

The remoteness of the field station, which is only accessible by zodiac, required a pre-fabricated, lightweight, highly insulated, and nearly maintenance-free building solution that could be pre-fabricated offsite and reassembled in less than two months during Antarctica’s austral summer. The flat-packed building components were required to be no larger than 1’x4’x16’ to fit on zodiacs and light enough to be lifted by no more than four people.

The offset gable roof forms of the two main buildings take their shape to collect rainfall, the only source of water for the scientists. The long, thin building behind the two main structures acts as a wind fence, keeping snow from accumulating in the courtyard. The long building also houses the photovoltaic (P.V.) array, which provides the only source of power for the camp.

Functionally, the light-interfering color, stainless steel cladding, and stainless roofing help create a maintenance-free facade over a structurally insulated panel core fitted with triple pane windows. Water-resistant Meranti plywood clads the interior.