CorpComms Magazine

What's all this about a pylon competition?

A competition called Pylon of the Future was launched back in May to design a new electricity pylon.

Well it's about time our 1920s design gets a re-think! Who launched the competition?

The Department of Energy and Climate Change, the National Grid and the Royal Institute of British Architects..

And what was the idea behind the competition?

Well to meet our energy needs, we are going to need a lot more electricity pylons. And if we are going to have pylons scattered throughout the British countryside, it makes sense to make them a bit more fetching.

And what is the prize?

A whopping £5,000!

And you only tell me about this now! Have I missed my chance?

I'm afraid so. The winner has already been decided. Danish engineering firm Bystrup.

How many people entered?

There were 200 submissions sent from around the globe, which resulted in five finalists.

What is the winning design like? Is it something really fun?

Unfortunately not. It is as plain as plain can be. It is a T-shaped pylon, which has been described as 'simple, classical and practical'.

Well you can't argue with that. So will it be as tall as the existing pylons?

No the new design is much shorter and smaller, so it is hoped that they will be less of an eyesore.

Can the designs be seen anywhere?

Three pylon designs and three runner-up designs have been on display at the V&A museum for public viewing.

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