First Showa Station building to be shipped to Japan for preservation
The first prefabricated building erected at Antarctica’s Showa Station by the initial Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition will be dismantled and shipped back to Japan for permanent preservation, yomiuri.co.jp reported.
Showa Station’s Original Building Bound for Japan
The structure targeted for repatriation is the former main building, which served as the expedition's dining hall and covers a floor area of 40 square meters. Researchers aim to bring the materials back to Japan in 2029 for reconstruction and exhibition on the institute's grounds in Tachikawa, Tokyo.
November 8 marks 70 years since the 53-member first expedition departed Japan aboard the Antarctic observation ship Soya from Tokyo's Harumi pier. Hirayama contributed directly to the design and preparation phases of the expedition.
Engineering Against Extreme Antarctic Conditions
Design parameters required building materials that could withstand winds of 60 meters per second and temperatures plunging to minus 60 degrees Celsius, while remaining light enough to be transported manually by expedition members. The team ultimately selected a prefabricated approach. Panels composed of wood, including cypress, enclosing insulation material were manufactured to weigh roughly 100 kilograms each. Workers assembled the panels like matchboxes, securing them with metal brackets. Crews painted the exterior walls bright orange to ensure the structures remained visible during whiteouts, preventing members from becoming lost outdoors.
Construction of four buildings, including a tent-style structure, took roughly two weeks to complete. During the first night spent inside the new quarters, a fierce gale battered the camp, prompting fellow members to worry the structure would blow away. Hirayama recalled feeling secretly anxious, yet the building held firm without a single rattle. Once the weather cleared, dozens of penguins formed a line to inspect the new arrivals.
Survival Through Subsequent Expeditions
Hirayama was selected for the second and third expeditions as well. The second team encountered severe weather that prevented the ship from docking, forcing them to return to Japan while leaving behind Sakhalin huskies trained for sledding. When the team returned the following year, Hirayama expected the buildings might have been swept away by spring snowmelt. Instead, the structures remained intact, welcoming the researchers alongside the surviving huskies, Taro and Jiro.
The prefabricated building techniques pioneered during these early missions later influenced the construction of high-insulation housing across Japan. Hirayama pursued an academic career in architecture, eventually participating in the construction of a majority of the 61 buildings that now comprise Showa Station. While the modern station features diverse shapes and functions, including large steel-frame structures, the original main building is the sole survivor among the initial four shelters.
Hirayama expressed eagerness to witness the building's return, noting that while he would love to visit the Antarctic station once more, seeing the structure back in Japan will be a welcome sight.
Institute Solicits Donations to Bring Structure Home
The institute is currently soliciting donations to cover the expenses of bringing the historic structure home.