Antarctica – A Masterclass in Collaboration
By Alan Cox
Antarctica – A Masterclass in Collaboration
At the start of this year, I stood at what felt like the edge of the earth — Antarctica. Here, BAM is building new infrastructure at the Rothera Research Station, for the British Antarctic Survey.
I spent three incredible weeks immersed in one of the most remote, beautiful and challenging environments imaginable.
What I saw redefined my understanding of collaboration. And it made me reflect: if we can achieve this level of unity at the end of the earth, why does it remain elusive across parts of our industry back in the UK?
Collaboration Redefined
As someone who has worked at BAM for almost 40 years, collaboration is in my blood. I have worked on many contracts where collaboration was the key to our success.
We have long championed the power of collaboration at BAM, not as a trend, but as a fundamental way of doing business. It is one of our five core values and central to our mission to build a sustainable tomorrow.
I thought that during my time in the industry, I had already seen, felt and benefitted from the very best of collaborative working on the countless rail, school, bridge, hospital and energy projects we have delivered, but what I saw in Antarctica can only be described as a masterclass, something on a different level.
The Antarctic Mindset
I arrived in Antarctica towards the end of the Antarctic summer, when temperatures hit a balmy -3 degrees and darkness only falls for an hour or two each night. However, this is nothing compared to the conditions the overwintering team experiences when it drops to -27 degrees and the station sits in 24/7 darkness.
BAM has been building at the Rothera research station for seven years, with up to 100 construction specialists deployed during that period - living, eating, cleaning and working alongside the scientists, tower radio operators, pilots and aircraft engineers of the British Antarctic Survey.
The project to modernise Rothera research station, the UK’s largest polar research station, will help to keep Britain at the forefront of world-leading research in the polar regions.
The construction staff - from engineers to electricians - head out each season to build the Discovery Building and improve the station's infrastructure and facilities. And just like me, everyone who visits this special place feels a mixture of awe and respect for this precious, unique environment.
In this place, in the most challenging of environments, I witnessed the purest form of teamwork. Teamwork that transcended job titles, companies and contracts. Engineers unloaded boats. Clients fixed the electrics. Contractors cooked meals and cleaned the station. Everyone did what needed doing, everyone had to be productive, because in Antarctica, you’re all in it together.
There is no hierarchy. No hiding behind scopes or responsibilities. Just shared purpose, mutual respect and a total commitment to the outcome. You can't buy that kind of culture - it has to be built on trust, effort and the genuine will to help each other.
Why This Matters Back Home
Antarctica showed me what’s possible when people truly come together. And it begs the question: how do we truly bring people together on all our projects? How do we create one harmonious team, no longer separated by the boundaries of the different organisations they work for?
Too often, we hesitate at the threshold of innovation. We say we want change, but when it arrives, we ask: "Who carries the risk?" True collaboration means backing ourselves - and each other - to succeed.
True Partnerships to Tackle our Biggest Challenges
The mistake we often make in our industry is to compartmentalise our problems. Skills shortages are seen separately from sustainability. Innovation is discussed in one room, procurement in another. But what if these challenges could collaborate too?
The partnerships we’re developing in Green Energy Infrastructure, for example, are really pushing the boundaries here. Our clients are asking for faster delivery, better value, more community benefits and greener outcomes - all while facing serious capacity issues.
The solution? Modern Methods of Construction, supported by skilled local labour.
Through this approach - a single strategic change to offsite manufacturing – we tackle all of our challenges at once:
- We lower onsite labour requirements
- We shorten project timelines
- We reduce carbon emissions
- We enhance value per person
If Antarctica has taught me anything, it’s that when people come together with a shared vision and a willingness to help one another, even the most hostile environment can become a place of extraordinary achievement from which we have so much to learn.
About the author
Alan Cox
Managing Director - Regions and Transport
Alan is BAM UK & Ireland’s Managing Director for Regions and Transport in the Civils business. He’s a passionate Yorkshire native, originating from Leeds and with strong ties to the area still.
Alan holds a wealth of experience in the construction industry and has been with BAM for over 35 years. His career started in the Rail sector, before he progressed through a series of senior roles across Pre-construction, Transport, Regions and into his current director role.
Alan is also the Chair for CECA (Civil Engineering Contractor’s Association) Southern.
