Aug 17, 2010
Land of Giants | Choi+Shine Architects
Image©Choi+Shine Architects, Background image supplied by Associate of Icelandic Architects
Choi+Shine Architects has sent us “Land of Giants” the honorable mention award from Icelandic High-Voltage Electrical Pylon International Design Competition as well as Award Winner of 2010 Boston Society of Architects Unbuilt Architecture
About The Design
The project was initially submitted for a 2008 competition held by the Icelandic power transmission company, Landsnet, in conjunction with the Association of Icelandic Architects. The submitted design consisted of a single male pylon-figure as shown in the images and description on the file “Choi+Shine – pylon competition document (small)” and on the submitted board “Choi+Shine – pylon comp board (press)”.
Image©Choi+Shine Architects
The Icelandic jury awarded the design an honorable mention. At the award ceremony Landsnet asked Choi+Shine to submit the design of the female pylon-figure, which was shown as a sketch on the competition board. Landsnet expressed interest in building the male and female pylon-figures as functioning monuments at the gateway to Reykjavik. Perhaps due to Iceland’s unfortunate economic crisis, the pylon-figures have not (yet) been constructed. The male and female pylon-figures were sent to Landsnet in 2009. A patent was granted for the design submitted to the Iceland competition. In June of this year, the male and female pylon-figures won one of the Boston Architects Unbuilt Architecture Awards (http://www.architects.org/design_awards_programs/index.cfm?doc_id=274). The description and details of the project can be seen on “Choi+Shine – Project Description 2″. Choi+Shine is still hopeful that the pylon-figures may be built.
Description of the Design
Making only minor alterations to well established steel-framed tower design, Choi+Shine has created a series of towers that are powerful, solemn and variable. 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.
Image©Choi+Shine Architects
The pylon-figures can be configured to respond to their environment with appropriate gestures. As the carried electrical lines ascend a hill, the pylon-figures change posture,imitating a climbing person. Over long spans, the pylon-figure stretches to gain increased height, crouches for increased strength or strains under the weight of the wires. In addition, the pylon-figures can also be arranged to create a sense of place through deliberate expression. Subtle alterations in the hands and head combined with
repositioning of the main body parts in the x, y and z-axis, allow for a rich variety of expressions. The pylon-figures can be placed in pairs, walking in the same direction or opposite directions, glancing at each other as they pass by or kneeling respectively, head bowed at a town.
Image©Choi+Shine Architects,Background image © Thomas Ormston used under the cc license.
Despite the large number of possible forms, each pylon-figure is made from the same major assembled parts (torso, fore arm, upper leg, hand etc.) and uses a library of pre-assembled joints between these parts to create the pylon-figures’ appearance. This design allows for many variations in form and height while the pylon-figures’ cost is kept low through identical production, simple assembly and construction. The pylon-figures are designed to provide supports for the conductors, ground wires and other cables all within required clearances. These clearances are maintained in the various shown positions. The towers are largely self-supporting, sitting on concrete footings, perhaps with the addition of guy wires, depending on requirements of the loading wires.
Image©Choi+Shine Architects
Like the statues of Easter Island, it is envisioned that these one hundred and fifty foot tall, modern caryatids will take on a quiet authority, belonging to their landscape yet serving the people, silently transporting electricity across all terrain, day and night, sunshine or snow.
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