Pylons, those giant metal structures which funnel electricity lines between power stations and the places where people live, are not the most glamorous of structures. They’re purely functional: usually a tapered tower with three sets of arms to hold onto the wires.
One architecture firm, though, thinks it doesn’t have to be that way. “Land of Giants”, a project from US architecture firm Choi + Shine, reimagines pylons as giant, steel-latticed people, holding the wires in thir upheld hands. The project proposes that the pylons should be installed in Iceland, though there’s sadly no sign of uptake from the Icelandic government (yet).
From the project’s website:
These iconic pylon-figures will become monuments in the landscape. Seeing the pylon-figures will become an unforgettable experience, elevating the towers to something more than merely a functional design of necessity.
The idea may well have been inspired by the fact that normal pylons do look a little like people – if people had three sets of arms, that is. These would keep the basics the same – a metal latticed structure on two legs – and introduce a head and body to produce the humanoid structures:
Some of the designs feature people walking, holding up the wires proudly, or crouching under their weight:
The firm has also designed some similar wind turbines:
Let’s hope these make it off the drawing board, not least for the environment’s sake – it’d be hard for anti-wind power campaigners to claim that they’re ugly.
All images: Choi + Shine.
