Kiwis to decide new colour of Scott Base in Antarctica

NZ Herald

18 May, 2022 08:59 PM2 mins to read

Kiwis are being offered the chance to vote for the colour of Scott Base in Antarctica. Photo / Supplied

Kiwis are being offered the chance to vote for the colour of Scott Base in Antarctica.

The Scott Base redevelopment will replace the ageing buildings with a fit-for-purpose base powered by 97 per cent renewable energy. It means the building is expected to last at least another 50 years.

The choices of colours are blue, orange or green.

They represent the blue of the glaciers, the green of the Southern Aurora and the orange cheeks of emperor penguins.

Redevelopment project director Jon Ager said the colours evoke landscapes both in Antarctica and New Zealand.

"You would be forgiven if you thought that Antarctica is simply white. While snow and ice cover the continent, there is a rich palette of colour if you know where to look - connections to land, sky and water really stand out.

"With so many wonderful colours available, we needed to be practical, so we have worked with our architect, Hugh Broughton, to narrow down the choices."

Ager said he is personally in favour of orange because of its historic connection to the 1957 Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

Antarctica New Zealand chief executive Sarah Williamson said Scott Base has had a special place in our history ever since Sir Edmund Hillary and his team built the first of its buildings on Ross Island in 1957.

The original base was a mixture of orange, red and yellow. In 1965 the base was re-painted green, to remind people of New Zealand.

"Helping us choose the colour is a way to feel connected to our Antarctic legacy, understand the important science that happens at Scott Base, and to shape the next chapter of its history.

"As we've seen with the recent sea-level rise projections, what happens in Antarctica affects us here. It influences our atmosphere, oceans, weather patterns and temperatures."