Proposed Reconfiguration of Housing at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Master plans continuously call for reconfiguring McMurdo Station, consolidating buildings and improving energy and operational efficiency. This analysis was conducted in Rhino and Grasshopper; 1028 iterations of the station were conducted to identify leading designs. Significant savings in station footprint and improvements in daylighting and views were realized, all of which are identified as beneficial for station occupants.

While the average area to perimeter ratio of McMurdo buildings rose slowly over its lifetime, the station operations far outpaced the capital investment and development of McMurdo. The result: a sprawling station suffering from many inefficient, poorly-maintained, and outdated structures. This reconfiguration would allow for an incremental step in the direction of consolidation and improving station facilities.