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Whenever we see something that’s cute, huge and blows our minds, we generally look to Japan as the source behind the creation. While they’ve proved they can be design innovators in oversized sushi, and the creation of fluffy giant cats, there’s one area where Japan has a lot to learn from other countries, and its something that exists around the country in abundance: power lines.

Often seen towering over rice fields, propped up on the side of mountains and jutting out beyond the high rises, wouldn’t it be significantly more amazing if the ordinary-looking transmission tower had the occasional smiley face or pair of gigantic arms like a colossal Titan? We take a look at some amazing electricity pylon designs from around the world, in the hope that one day, Japan will turn its keen design eye in their direction.

High voltage electrical towers exist all around the world in a standard A-shape frame construction. Some say the towers and their overhead power lines are a form of visual pollution, but to clever designers, they’re an untapped beacon of creative possibilities. Let’s take a look at some of the leading designs in the field, plus some very special projects that can be seen in the real world today.

▼ The deer-shaped electrical tower is a concept from Moscow-based design studio Design Depot. Their aim is to have the pylons blend into the environment as naturally as possible by using animal figures that would normally be seen on the landscape.

7Image: ojmm.net

▼ Imagine the scale of the Christmas light display with a line of these strung up in festive lights and pulling Santa’s sleigh!

8Image: ojmm.net

▼ In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a 45-metre (148-foot) tall robot pylon called Colossus has been constructed by a creative art collective called DOMA.

1Image: weburbanist.com

▼ At night, the robot’s glowing face, heart, hands and shoulder spikes light up the landscape with an animated neon display.

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Image: weburbanist.com

▼ A strangely-shaped abstract figure was spotted by a road in Holland.

4Image: www.panoramio.com

▼ And by the M5 motorway in Újhartyán, Hungary, what looks a bit like a court jester is actually a clown, installed by MAVIR, the Hungarian electricity transmission system operator. Because nothing is scarier than clowns carrying thousands of volts of electricity.

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Image: blog.livedoor.jp

The Land of Giants concept by American firm Choi + Shine Architects is getting a lot of attention in Japan due to the way their 30-metre (98-foot) human-shaped pylons look similar to the people-eating giants in popular anime Attack on Titan.

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The Land of Giants project was submitted for a 2008 competition held by Icelandic transmission company Landsnet and the Association of Icelandic Architects. Their images show the giants as they appear to “walk” through Iceland. but we think they would look equally at home in Japan.

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Each pylon would be assembled from modular parts, allowing for different poses such as crouching or climbing. If Japan was to greenlight any of these projects, this would have to be the one; the possibilities for giant, anime character-themed towers would be endless!

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▼ The concept is also able to support renewable energy projects quite literally, with these innovative wind turbine designs.

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With Japan’s continuing dependence on power and electricity, the nation’s huge transmission towers won’t be disappearing anytime soon. We can only hope they’ll pick up some of these design ideas to help spread cuteness around the landscape—wouldn’t that be a sight for sore eyes!

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Source: Naver Matome
Top Image: Choi+Shine Architects, ojmm.net (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert Images (unless otherwise stated): Choi+Shine Architects