British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has been honoured at this year’s British Construction and Infrastructure Awards (BCIA), receiving recognition for its modernisation programme in Antarctica.
BAS is part of a team that has won awards in several categories and as finalist in another for the Rothera Modernisation Project, which includes the new Discovery Building – a scientific support and operations hub at Rothera Research Station.
- Winner – Best Projects – Buildings: Social Infrastructure Project award
- Winner – Best Projects – Building and infrastructure: International Project award
- Winner – Design & Delivery: Project Team Excellence award
We were also shortlisted for the award for Sustainability and Environmental Impact, reflecting the significant progress we’re making towards more sustainable infrastructure and operations in Antarctica.
The awards celebrate excellence across the UK’s construction and infrastructure sector and recognise the innovation, sustainability and collaboration required to deliver projects of national and international significance. The awards are brought by the Institution of Civil Engineers and New Civil Engineer.
Rothera Research Station, located on Adelaide Island on the Antarctic Peninsula, is BAS’s largest station. It includes science laboratories, an aquarium, boating and diving facilities, and a meteorological office.
Rothera also hosts an aircraft hangar, runway, wharf and vehicles workshop, making it a key logistics centre for accessing other Antarctic research sites, as well as supporting airborne and deep-field science. The station supports a range of scientific disciplines, from glaciology and climate studies to marine biology and atmospheric research.
The Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme is one of the UK’s largest investments in Antarctic infrastructure and is transforming the facilities that support world-leading polar science.
The programme, commissioned by UKRI-NERC is delivered by the British Antarctic Survey, working alongside partners BAM, Ramboll, Sweco, Hugh Broughton Architects, NORR, Turner & Townsend, G&A Barnie Group and a wide range of specialist contractors and suppliers.
Delivered in one of the most challenging environments on Earth, the programme has already provided major new assets including the RRS Sir David Attenborough, upgraded wharfs at Rothera and King Edward Point research stations, improvements to the runway and the award-winning Discovery Building.
Together, these investments are strengthening the UK’s ability to undertake critical research into environmental science, biodiversity, oceans and the polar environment while creating more modern, resilient and sustainable infrastructure for future generations of scientists and operational staff.
Oliver Darke, Director of Polar Operations, Engineering and Infrastructure said:
“This recognition is a testament to the extraordinary teamwork, expertise and determination that underpin everything we do in Antarctica. Delivering major infrastructure projects in one of the world’s most remote and challenging environments requires exceptional collaboration. I am proud of what BAS and our partners have achieved together. These investments will support world-leading science and the UK’s Antarctic presence for decades to come.”
The awards recognise not only engineering and construction excellence but also the long-term vision required to create the facilities needed to support scientific discovery in Antarctica well into the future.