Landsnet is an Icelandic electric company. About 80% of the electricity produced by Landsnet comes from green sustainable sources. In 2008, Landsnet set out a high voltage pylon design competition. The winners of this competition, Choi + Shine Architects of Boston, MA , USA, were also awarded the Boston Society of Architect’s Unbuilt Architecture award late last year. Their original design helped change the way the world sees landmark structures such as electric pylons. The project was given the name “The Land of Giants”.

The ‘standing’ position of these pylons changes, as sometimes electrical lines may ascend on a hill, the pylon posture is that of a climbing person- in that way, the pressure from holding the wires is reduced. Each pylon is assembled in “kit parts”, which include; a torso, fore arm, upper leg, hand, and the materials used to build the pylon steel, glass, and concrete. These iconic structures bring with them change, and it is this sort of solutions oriented thinking that make design the powerful force that it is.

Choi and Shine Architects founders Jin Choi and Thomas Shine are both former students of the Yale University’s School of Architecture. The two joined forces in 2003 to form what they call today a company “specializing in beautiful, optimistic and thoughtful designs”.

Images courtesy of Choi+ Shine Architects