Download Pylon Design Competition Winner Press Notice

Winner of the Pylon Design competition announced
Bystrup’s innovative T-Pylon design has been unanimously agreed by the judging panel as
the winner of the Pylon Design competition run by the Department of Energy & Climate
Change, National Grid, and the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Following a very high quality field with 250 entries and 6 excellent finalists, which were
featured at the London Design Festival, the judges were overwhelmed by the huge public
interest in the competition.
As a result of this contest National Grid will now work with Bystrup to develop their T-Pylon
design further. National Grid have also said they want to do further work with Ian Ritchie
Associates on their Silhouette design, and New Town Studio’s Totem design. The winner will
receive £5000 prize money and the 5 other finalists will each receive £1000.
You can find high resolution images of the designs here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deccgovuk/6146818235/in/set-72157627544769507
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne said:
“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.
“This competition has been a great success in bringing forward new and creative
approaches to a pylon model which has not changed since the 1920s.We are going to need
a lot more pylons over the next few years to connect new energy to our homes and
businesses and it is important that we do this is in the most beautiful way possible.”
Nick Winser, executive director, National Grid said
“In the T-Pylon we have a design that has the potential to be a real improvement on the steel
lattice tower. It’s shorter, lighter and the simplicity of the design means it would fit into the
landscape more easily. In addition, the design of the electrical components is genuinely
innovative and exciting.
“However, the Totem and Silhouette designs are worthy of further consideration – both of
them have strong visual appeal and characteristics that could work well in different
landscapes.
“We are genuinely delighted at the prospect of working with all three companies to develop
some real options for the future."
Ruth Reed, RIBA Immediate Past President said:
“The potential to reduce the size and height of pylons and consequently their impact on the
landscape and the amount of materials in their construction, made this scheme a clear
winner for me. The radical design of a single suspension arm carrying three conductors is
simple and understated. Whilst there should still be the opportunity for statement designs
where they are appropriate this radical solution is a quantum leap forward for the design of
the thousands of pylons needed in the years to come.”
The judging panel was made up of Chris Huhne, Nicholas Winser; Master of St Cross
College Oxford and former Director of the V&A, Sir Mark Jones; architects Sir Nicholas
Grimshaw and Bill Taylor; engineer Chris Wise; the journalist Jonathan Glancey, landscape
architect Andrew Grant, Scottish Power’s Jim Sutherland and Ruth Reed, former President
of RIBA.
Notes for editors
1. The Pylon Design competition was launched on the 23rd May and the six finalists
were unveiled on the 14 September at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
2. 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 over
thousands of kilometres of some of the most exposed, weather-beaten parts of
Britain. But the familiar steel lattice tower has barely changed since the 1920s.
3. You can find out more about the competition at http://www.ribapylondesign.com
4. If you would like further information you can contact Jonathan Farr from DECC press
office on 030 0068 5220 or 07768 555 750. If you would like to speak to National
Grid press office you can call Chris Mostyn on 0207 004 3149.
5. If you would like to speak to the winners – Bystrup Architecture, design & engineering
you can contact them through:
Rasmus Jessing
Tel: +45 26 79 83 34
Tel: +45 39 27 00 85
Email: [email protected]
BYSTRUP
Architecture, design & engineering
Vermundsgade 40
2100 Copenhagen
Denmark