In the freezing wastelands of Antarctica, winter temperatures average -60 degrees celsius and winds as fierce as 300kph have been recorded.
The extreme conditions haven't deterred scientists, however.
Meteorites from the very early days of our solar system have been discovered there and the secrets of Earth's ancient climate are being investigated by drilling ice cores.
Most recently, thousands of living organisms were discovered in Lake Vostok, trapped thousands of metres below the surface.
But not only do research stations need to protect their inhabitants the violent Antarctic weather, they also need to be cleverly designed to stay standing in the first place.
The incredible innovation and aesthetics of Antarctic architecture is celebrated for the first time in an exhibition opening on 26 July in Glasgow.
Called "Ice Lab: New Architecture and Science in Antarctica", the exhibition is commissioned by the British Council, curated by Arts Catalyst and hosted by Architecture and Design Scotland at The Lighthouse until 2 October. "There's creative freedom [in Antarctic architecture] because there's no built context," Vicky Richardson, Director of Architecture, Design and Fashion at the British Council, told Wired.co.uk. "Buildings in the past have been little more than huts
[...] but now architects are grappling with how you express the symbolic value of Antarctic buildings in a way that goes beyond purely functional needs".
Halley VI, the British Antarctic Survey's research station, is featured in the exhibition. Built on skis, the station is the first fully moveable Antarctic station and is the result of decades of experience with the Antarctic weather.
Halleys I-IV were all unable to withstand the Antarctic's onslaught, being buried and then crushed by snow. Halley V was built on stilts, but as the ice shifted it grew closer and closer to the ice edge.
Other stations featured in the exhition include the International Polar Foundation's Princess Elisabeth Antarctica (Belgium), India's Bharati Research Station, Korea's Jang Bogo station, and the conceptual, Iceberg Living Station, which would be carved from the ice of an iceberg and therefore be sailable.
Explore Wired.co.uk's gallery to see the stations and find out more.
Ice Lab: New Architecture and Science in Antarctica is at Architecture and Design Scotland at The Lighthouse, 26 July to 2 October and then at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) as part of Manchester Science Festival, 21 October to 6 January before touring internationally
Updated 25/07/2013: Quote added from Vicky Richardson
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
