Balgarianovinite.com With the construction of the new scientific laboratory at the Bulgarian Antarctic Base on Livingston Island, the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute (BAI) has gained a new standing in Antarctic research, said architect Penka Stancheva in an interview with BTA. Stancheva recently received the national Building of the Year Award for this lab, which was inaugurated in February 2025.
According to her, the award recognizes the efforts of the entire team – the designers, the clients and everyone else involved at various stages of the project’s realization. “The people whose thought, energy and sweat went into this project are more than just one or two – if I were to list their names, it would be a long list, and I would risk leaving someone out. This award is an acknowledgment that the efforts of the entire team have been noticed and appreciated,” said the architect.
She explained that one of the first tasks in designing the research laboratory was to consider the method of construction and logistics. “In Antarctica, with winds far stronger than those we are used to, reaching 130–170 km/h, the task of building a structure becomes more complicated. Weather conditions are a serious challenge when working on such a project and must be taken into account during the design process. The short three-month construction season, coupled with frequently changing weather, which can surprise you with alternating strong winds, rain, or both, made the implementation of the project a test of will. The fabrication of the metal structure in Bulgaria, its preliminary assembly and disassembly at the factory, transportation to Livingston Island, unloading from the ship onto the shore, lifting it to the construction site, and finally the actual construction – each of these stages would be routine elsewhere, but here they were central challenges,” said Stancheva.
She emphasized that the lab was designed primarily with the conditions and environment of Antarctica in mind, understanding the nature of the place as an experience. “For me, it was important to propose a building that is simple to execute and convenient to use, and to let go in time of my desire to ‘show off’ with this project. I believe that this is exactly why my proposal caught the attention of the competition jury and why it was chosen for realization,” she said. She noted that all design decisions were made in consideration of both the climate and the needs of the scientists. According to her, functionality was the guiding principle in the building’s design. “The simplicity of the layout ensures efficient operation. The way the building is designed also allows new modules to be added in the future, both in the residential and research wings,” said Stancheva.
She added that architecture can be a form of national presence and prestige, “but in this case, the award recognizes, above all, the determination to realize the building. And yes, the final result is important for the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute – they now hold a new place on the map of Antarctic research.”
The new research lab at the Bulgarian Antarctic Base was constructed between 2021 and 2024 and houses three specialized units for Earth sciences, biological sciences, and a general lab. Its creation is intended to allow rapid and efficient analysis of samples collected in Antarctica directly on site, significantly enhancing the efficiency and scope of scientific research. Recently Built Lab in Antarctica Has Given Bulgarian Scientists “New Standing in Polar Research” 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-12-31 15:16:28 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
