The 88,000 electrical pylons embedded across the British Isles haven't received so much as a paint job in their century-long existence, so Plexus, T-Pylon and other designs hope to replace the aging look of older transmission towers.
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), in tandem with the Department of Energy and Climate Change hope to reinvent history's biggest eyesore and inject vitality into the skyline of rural England. It makes sense that with a newer, more adaptive electrical grid, the wires that connect us all should be equally smart in design. With that goal in mind, RIBA launched a competition to find a viable concept with which to replace the country's pylons. Thus far, a short list has been whittled down from thousands of applications. Plexus and the other design nominees have managed to preserve the beauty of the countryside while preparing for the electrical needs of generations to come.
With new nuclear power stations and wind farms cropping up annually, the UK will need entire networks of pylons to be constructed, so why not make them attractive?
What's Driving This Trend
- Innovative Pylon Designs
- New pylon designs such as Plexus and T-Pylon are being developed to replace the aging look of traditional transmission towers.
- Smart Grid Infrastructure
- The development of smarter electrical grids is driving the need for equally smart and adaptable pylon designs.
- Aesthetic Integration in Infrastructure
- The push for integrating aesthetic appeal into infrastructure projects, like transmission towers, is gaining momentum.
Who This Affects Most
- Architecture
- Architects have an opportunity to contribute new designs and concepts for aesthetically pleasing transmission towers.
- Renewable Energy
- As wind farms and other renewable energy sources continue to expand, there is a growing need for visually appealing transmission towers to support the infrastructure.
- Electricity Distribution
- The development of innovative pylon designs presents an opportunity for companies in the electricity distribution industry to modernize their infrastructure and improve visual integration.
