A T-shaped design from a Danish engineering firm has scooped a £5,000 prize in a competition to find the next generation of electricity pylons.
Bystrup beat 250 rivals to win the Royal Institute of British Architects contest, set to unearth alternatives to the traditional 50m-tall triangular lattice structures, which have been used since the 1920s.
Although there is no commitment to build to the prize-winning blueprint, an increasing number of pylons are expected to be needed to connect new wind, nuclear and hydroelectric plants.
And while excellent at resisting high winds, the current design has been branded an eyesore in some quarters.
Six entries shortlisted in the competition, organised in colllaboration the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the National Grid, have been on show in London's Victoria and Albert Museum. The five runners-up received £1,000 each. The jury included energy Secretary Chris Huhne, leading architects and energy officials.
It considered design quality and technical viability – competition organisers had said they were looking for entries "both grounded in reality and beautiful".
Mr Huhne said: "The idea was to... see whether we could produce something which was more attractive, less obtrusive in the landscape, easier to live with, easier on the eye.
“This is an innovative design which is simple, classical and practical. Its ingenious structure also means that it will be much shorter and smaller than existing pylons and therefore less intrusive.”
National Grid will now work with Bystrup to develop their T-Pylon design further. National Grid has also said it wants to do further work with Ian Ritchie Associates on their Silhouette design, and New Town Studio’s Totem design.
“We are genuinely delighted at the prospect of working with all three companies to develop some real options for the future," a spokesman said. See all the shortlisted designs here.
There are more than 88,000 pylons in the UK, including 22,000 on National Grid’s main transmission network in England and Wales. These stand some 50 metres high, weigh around 30 tonnes and carry up to 400,000 volts of electricity.
Could the structures become a common countryside sight? Let us know your views using the feedback function below.
- geoff collier - 23/10/2011
Can we have camouflaged ones please (Green/browns etc)The new look seems much better but I would like to see an actual one in position somewhere first
- James M Rogers - 21/10/2011
Much improved on the old type. I think they will blend in well.
- Harry Sear - 19/10/2011
Liked the design a lot. unobtrusive and a pleasure to the eye. A great improvement on the present pylons.