Pylon Design 16pp Booklet

8/4/2019 Pylon Design 16pp Booklet

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A showcase ofsix shortlisteddesigns


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There are more than 88,000

pylons in the UK, including

22,000 on National Grids main

transmission network in England

and Wales but the amiliar

steel lattice tower has barely

changed since the 1920s. Thiscompetition (run by the Royal

Institute o British Architects

(RIBA) or the Department o

Energy and Climate Change

(DECC) and National Grid) called

or designs or a new generation

o pylon; setting a challenge

to design a pylon that has the

potential to deliver or uture

generations, whilst balancing

the needs o local communities

and preserving the beauty o the

countryside.

Architects, designers,

engineers and students

of these disciplines have

been challenged to rethink

one of the most crucial but

controversial features of

modern Britain: the electricitypylon.

INTRODUCTION

PYLON DESIGN COMPETITION SHORTLIST

Shortlisted designs:

Plexus

AL_A

Arup

T-Pylon

Bystrup Architecture, Design

& Engineering

Y Pylon

Knight ArchitectsRoughan & ODonovan

ESB International in

association with MEGA

Silhouette

Ian Ritchie Architects

Jane Wernick Associates

Flower Tower

Gustason Porter

Atelier One

Psterer

Totem

New Town Studio

Structure Workshop


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Plexus creates a poetic

dialogue between structure and

landscape. Its shape responds to

changes in topography, striding

across the horizon in sequence

with a lightness and grace.

Although seemingly ligree in

nature, these pylons have been

designed or resilience, adapting

to dierent site conditions by

expansion and contraction o the

arced orm. The pylons fuctuate

in size and prole, visibly

mapping the terrain.

What the judges liked:

Tension and lightnessare emphasized by thissophisticated design. Itsdesign is very much ofits time and the paneladmired the grace ofthis visually dynamicproposal.

Introduction

PLEXUS

Team:

AL_A

Arup

Materials:

Steel or Composites



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The T-pylon is designed as a

slender and compact tower.

The reduced visual impact

makes it t well into dierent

settings as a no-nonsense icon.

The conductors are arranged

in a triangular conguration

that minimizes the extent o

the circuits and the magnetic

elds. To adapt to the changing

character and colours o the

landscape as well as the

aggressiveness o the local

atmosphere the pylon is available

as painted, hot dip galvanized, inCorten or stainless steel.


This proposal postulates simple vertical andhorizontal members. It has a classic appearanceand elegance, yet its starting point is a pureengineering response.

Introduction

T-PYLON

Team:

Bystrup Architecture, Design

& Engineering

Materials:

Hot dip galvanized steel with a

paint nish and as alternatives

Cor-Ten steel, stainless steel,

and hot dip galvanized without

paint.



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Introduction

The Y composition observes

the geometric rules governing

the sae spacing o conductive

elements however a step change

in design is achieved through theintegration o modern insulating

materials within the primary

structure.

The use o twin silicon rubber

sheathed FRP arms allows

signicant reductions in overall

tower height and in visual

clutter. The result is a clean

aesthetic which is distinctive,

contemporary and elegant - an

ecient new design or the 21stCentury.

Y PYLON


An extremely simple yet sophisticated idea, with ahigh degree of engineering innovation integratedinto a coherent design.

Team:

Knight Architects

Roughan & ODonovan

ESB International in association

with MEGA

Materials:

Carbon Steel

Fibre Reinorced Polymer (FRP)Silicon Rubber



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This proposal is for the pylon as a sculpturalobject within the landscape. The overall effectand sophistication of the expression made thisentry stand out aesthetically particularly whenconsidered in silhouette against the horizon.

Producing a dynamic silhouette,

the pylon exaggerates its reach

to the sky, sometimes appearing

as a ull black lance and other

times as a thin sliver, like a single

brushstroke on a canvas. The

pylon becomes an animated

character in the landscape

part o a series or pattern

while the convex exterior skin

refects its surroundings. The

landscape exists within the pylon

as the pylon exists within the

landscape.

SILHOUETTE

Team:

Ian Ritchie Architects

Jane Wernick Associates

Materials:

Base: Exposed concrete

Structure: Mild Steel hot dip

galvanized and painted

Exterior nish: Stainless CladSteel plate (2mm thick)



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Flower Tower expresses the

transmission o energy through

orms associated with nature.

In elevation, the Flower Tower

reads like a bouquet o fowers

or leaves. The bunching together

o several stems creates

structural stiness at the base.

These stems are tied together by

connecting plates and horizontal

bridges which allow access to

maintain the cables. Arcs dened

by the cable clearance swings

generate curving leaves, which

splay out rom the stem. The

earth wire is held by a spike orfower at the top o the tower.


The panel were impressed by the elegance of thissubmission which had been well developed into acontemporary, sculptural - yet technically inventiveand feasible - option.

Introduction

FLOWER TOWER

Team:

Gustason Porter

Atelier One

Psterer

Materials:

Painted Galvanised Steel



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The existing lattice pylon is

our inspiration. The deerence

to landscape and sky look

through me, not at me. The

lightness, eciency and

ingenuity. Could the lattice

become more open, more

transparent as it rose? Could the

orm be simpler, more modest, a

post rather than the bestriding

giant o Betjemans Inexpensive

Progress? One can imagine

this pylon seen alone in a eld,

diaphanous and calm, or as a

whirr seen rom a ast moving

train.


The panel enjoyed the simplicity yet sophistication of this idea. Thedecreasing density of structure as the pylon ascended to the sky was bothlogical and enjoyable, the whole effect was one of disappearance andpermeability.

TOTEM

Team:

New Town Studio

Structure Workshop

Materials:

Tower: Steel Painted

Arms: Electrically insulating

composite material, painted to

match tower


Pylon Design 16pp Booklet

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