Terra Projects 3d printing self-sufficient camps for polar regions
Scientists and Researchers are working in the most remote places on earth. In the extreme environment such as the polar regions, life can be incredibly difficult. Winter temperatures can reach deep into the negatives, and the winter night can last for months. But still, several thousand scientists and support staff periodically inhabit the area in the pursuit of research.
In order to develop solutions for making their life easier and their explorations more bountiful, the Terra Projects is established aiming to develop new methods on how to build scientific housing in the extreme environment using 3D printing.
ounded by Architect Dave Irwin in 2010, the Terra Projects will utilize 3D-printing for fabrication, coupled with diligent supply-chain analysis for architecture to be created in the extreme environment.
"In the extreme environment you have to be self-sufficient & 3D-Printing is how we will achieve this." says Irwin.
The units which will be set up in greenland and antarctica in the near future, are rapidly deployable habitation that aims at allowing for an entirely autonomous living camp from Fabrication-to-Usage. The interior of the structure will be 3D printed in small segments. And 3D Printing and other autonomous fabrication techniques will be used to make new components as necessary, on-site.
"3D printing keeps the cost down, when you need something in these places you can just print it." explains Irwin.
This project has been reviewed by the Antarctic Support Contact; equal parts Lockheed-Martin & United States Antarctic Program; the Danish Consulate of New York and NASA/NSF funded CReSIS (Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets).
"It is set to change the way we think about creating architecture in remote regions on our planet." notes the project. Watch the video below that Dave Irwin explans the Terra Projects at 3D PrintShow 2014.