POLARCAP

a mobile, foldable research-lab situated in the antarctic region

Spindler Katrin
Entwurf, 2012
Architektur | Urbanistik

Arbeit im Rahmen des Projektes ´minus g´

THE ANTARCTIC CONTINENT
The Antarctica is the southernmost continent as well as the coldest area in the world. It is covered by ice sheets, featuring average heights of 2000 to 2500 meters. The temperatures range from 0°Celcius in summer and -80°Celcius in some areas in winter.
The employees of research-stations are the only population on the nearly 14 Mio squarekilometres big continent. This temporary population occupies amongst others with geoscience, glaciology or atmospheric physics, as well as other forms of research.
Some nations, like Australia and Britain, are still claiming on regions of the continent, although these claims had been „frozen“ in 1960, when signing the agreements of a peaceful use.

AUTARKY
An autarkic way of life in the Antarctica is quite impossible due to the supremely protection, as the continent has been declareted to be a protective area in 1960. Killing, hurting or trapping mammals and birds is still forbidden - even sledge dogs are not allowed to be taken to Antarctica. Almost all groceries for the temporary population needs to be taken from the rest of the world, in order to keep the environmental protection.
Energy recovery by using solar-panels does only work in summer, as sun never sets from april to july. In winter, solar-energy doesn’t work at all. As there are strong breezes in the Antarctica, using wind energy is a good way of producing power. The Polarcap is drawing its energy from portable wind turbines, using head wind while riding the snowmobile and storing it in batteries.

THE POLARCAP
The Polarcap is a portable and foldable science-lab for the antarctic regions. By carrying it on a snowmobile, the light construction can easily be taken over ice and snow. It is designed for accommodating two scientists, travelling between two research-stations in order to collect climate data or any samples. The Polarcap enables the scientists to stay at a place for a few days, while raising the research or waiting for a storm to be over.
The construction is built up of a foldable quatered base containing a storage battery, which is charged by wind turbines. The five squaremeters are being heated through this battery, triggering a comfortable warmth. The bottom even contains the whole furniture as well,  consisting of two seats and desks, and an easy toilet-system. In this way, all of the furnishing can be stored in the base within seconds.
The Polarcap ist coated by a high insulated cap of folded triangulars, being stucked together, creating kind of a dome. While carrying, it is folded and put on the base of the construction.