HOME / Takenaka's Works / Antarctic Journal

Antarctic Journal

The challenge of the unknown Antarctic Journal. The story of Takenaka Corporation's Construction of Showa Antarctic Station.

In 1955, Takenaka was a key contributor, from the planning stages onward, to the construction of Japan's Showa Antarctic Station in the hostile and little understood environment of Antarctica. The fruits of the research Takenaka conducted during this project provided a critical first step toward a new age of productivity in the construction industry.

Scenery of Antarctica

After a 40-year tour of duty,
a building used by the first Antarctic survey team returns to Japan.

In its 40-year history serving Japan's survey efforts in Antarctica, many team members have used the initial survey building at Showa Antarctic Station to perform a wide range of valuable research. Today, after 40 years enduring the bitter cold, wind and snows of Antarctica, that building has returned to Japan. As the first Japanese prefabricated dwelling used in the Antarctic, and a foundation for industrial-scale housing production, this building symbolizes the challenge of the unknown. Now the unknown story of countless hardships and priceless knowledge held by this building can at last be told.

Building for the first Antarctic survey team

<The following persons cooperated in the production of these pages or provided important materials and information>

  • Zenkichi Hirayama： Director, Kanto Branch of the Japan Academy of Architecture; Professor of Engineering, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Japan
  • Masashi Sano： Director, Survey and Cooperation Bureau, Operations Department, National Center for Polar Research
  • Naoto Hida： Member of Takenaka Corporation Chikuriku Society, formerly Technical Adviser to Antarctic Survey Planning Committee and Professor of Engineering

pagetop