HDA: pylons of the future

‘pylons of the future’ by hugh dutton associates

french firm hugh dutton associates (HDA) have won the ‘pylons of the future’ international competition for italian energy supplier terna spa.

the design refers to the form of the first tender shoots of a young plant. it combines this image with the application of the most contemporary construction and design technologies. the first shoots grow out of the ground and are stabilized by a system of tension cables at their tips according to the concepts of tensegrity as invented by fuller. the very idea of tensegrity itself is a symbiosis of tension and compression. like a real tree, which is stabilized by the prestress of its bark exerting a tensile force on the heart of the trunk itself that resists this force with a corresponding compressive one. this gives the tree an elastic strength to resist wind forces and retain an optimal elegance.

at a detailed level, the sectional profile of the branches and trunk are faces of triangular and lozenge sections respectively, that are inclined to reflect the light applied to them appearing as singular and elegant surfaces with minimal shadow maximizing their luminosity.

in the design phase, parametric processes are used for design calculations and form determination, the simple profile can be easily adapted to the specific constraints it has to respond to. further, non linear analysis optimises the calculation method, taking advantage of the prestress elasticity.

in the construction phase the pylons are fabricated from flat steel plate cut to individual shapes using numerically controlled tools, where the shape is automatically transferred to the cutting tool one by one. the flat sheet cut-out shapes are assembled together onto simple jigs and welded using automatic continuous welding machines.