Bystrup wins UK Pylon Design Competition with T-Pylon

The Department of Energy & Climate Change, National Grid and the Royal Institute of British Architects ran the competition from May this year, which received more than 250 applications.

Henrik Skouboe, Bystrup chief executive officer, told The Engineer: ‘The steel lattice pylons currently in use across the UK have a height of approximately 55m, whereas the T-Pylon has a height of about 32m, which results in a less significant visual impact.’

The T-Pylon is expected to weigh between 20–25 tonnes, which is approximately the same as the lattice towers. However, the T-Pylon is said to incorporate modern design and production techniques, which makes them cheaper to manufacture according to Skouboe.

Installation of the T-Pylon is thought to be much simpler as it consists of only four or five parts, compared with the lattice tower.

There are more than 88,000 pylons in the UK, carrying up to 400,000 volts of electricity over thousands of miles.

Energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne, said in a statement: ‘This is an innovative design that is simple, classical and practical.

‘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.’

Bystrup will develop its T-Pylon design with National Grid and receive £5,000 in prize money. The five other finalists will receive £1,000 prize money.

Nick Winser, executive director for National Grid, said in a statement: ‘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.’

National Grid has also said it wants to do further work with Ian Ritchie Associates on its Silhouette design, and New Town Studio’s Totem design.