Power lines rarely attract attention unless they interrupt a scenic view or stretch across an open field. They serve their purpose, but few people find them appealing. In Austria, where design often meets precision, engineers and artists are teaming up to change that perception. The project combines practicality with creativity and reshapes how infrastructure fits into its surroundings.
Austrian Power Grid worked with GP designpartners and BauCon to develop the Austrian Power Giants, a concept that turns ordinary pylons into towering animal figures. Each design reflects one of Austria’s nine federal states and connects modern infrastructure to the wildlife and cultural identity of its region.
Art On The Grid
Two prototypes, that’s a stork and a stag, lead the project. Each figure reflects the natural life of its region. The stork is for Burgenland, famous for its annual migration, and the stag is for Lower Austria, where deer roam the alpine foothills. Both designs have already undergone high-voltage and safety testing to confirm their durability and performance.
Plans include adding more animal-shaped towers throughout the remaining states—Carinthia, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, and Vienna. Designers hope that turning pylons into regional landmarks will help communities feel more connected to the grid. These sculptures also aim to make it something people can appreciate, as expanding electrical infrastructure often meets resistance because of its industrial appearance.
This project, by blending function with visual storytelling, gives power lines a new purpose beyond energy transmission. Each structure highlights Austria’s regional identity while serving as a reminder that technology can work in harmony with nature. Austrian Power Grid calls it “nature-friendly infrastructure,” designed to promote sustainability and local tourism while keeping the grid reliable.
Recognition has already come for the project, as it earned a 2025 Red Dot Design Award for Electrification and Decarbonization. Plus, scaled models of the animal towers are now showcased at the Red Dot Museum in Singapore, and will continue through October 2026.
Engineers have confirmed that prototypes meet structural and high-voltage performance criteria in preliminary testing, paving the way for future full-scale evaluation.
The Public Reaction
Reactions across Austria have ranged from excitement to disbelief. Many residents are only now hearing about the project, while others see it as clever. Online discussions show curiosity about whether such designs can truly reshape public attitudes toward power infrastructure.
Supporters believe the concept could make transmission towers a source of local pride. Instead of being overlooked or disliked, these animal structures might turn into familiar landmarks. If the Austrian Power Giants reach full-scale production, they could redefine what power lines mean to the public.