MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Punta Arenas planning International Antarctic Centre

Magallanes Region mayor Liliana Kusanovic

Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile and seat of the country’s Antarctic Institute will have a new complex that will include the Institute’s offices, research laboratories and a museum dedicated to Chile’s strong and long presence in Antarctica.

“The complex, the International Antarctic Centre will be a world milestone and is part of the city’s urban development with clear environmental sustainability”, said Magallanes Region mayor Liliana Kusanovic on announcing the project that has been included in the region’s budget.

“This is most important for Punta Arenas: it will become an icon of the city and it will identify us as the gateway to Antarctica and as an Antarctic city. Only five cities in the world can boast the condition of Antarctic city”, added Ms Kusanovic.

The project with an estimated cost of 30 million US dollars will have different financing sources and should be ready for its construction in 2014 when all the blueprints are expected to be completed and approved.

The building is programmed to be energy sustainable.

“This is one of the most ambitious projects in Punta Arenas history”, added Ms Kusanovic.