Is it true that power transmission poles in the form of human figures were installed in Iceland?

Photos of unusual structures against the backdrop of harsh northern landscapes are popular on social networks. We have verified their authenticity.

Numerous VKontakte public pages talk about openwork power line supports in the form of human bodies, which were allegedly installed in Iceland. Among them "Survivalist", "Such a planet", "Interesting from the world", "Dead Pages", "The Juice", "Mad World", "Interesting Facts" And “Book of Records | Shock" — each of these public pages is subscribed to from several hundred thousand to several million people. Users of other social networks also dedicated their publications to the project, for example Facebook And Twitter.

The concept of unusual supports for power lines developed in 2008 by the design bureau Choi+Shine Architects. According to the authors’ idea, such structures up to 40 m high will be able to decorate Icelandic landscapes, the views of which destroy the functional but unaesthetic usual pillars. The bureau proposed making the towers in the form of a kind of construction kit, so that the supports could be given different shapes and thus fit the structure into a particular landscape as successfully as possible. As an example, the designers presented layouts against the background of landscapes of other countries - Norway and South Korea. Also Choi+Shine Architects created mockup of supports for wind turbines, developed on the same principle.

The project from Choi+Shine Architects participated in a competition organized by Landsnet, an Icelandic company that manages local electrical distribution system. Jumping Jury especially noted unusual design, but the idea of ​​supports in the form of people was not included among the winners and prize-winners. However, its authors received recognition in many countries of the world - for example, in 2010 they became laureates of the Boston Society of Architects, and the models they created were exhibited in museums in the UK and Canada.

In subsequent years, apparently, the idea was not realized - at least at the end of 2015, Landsnet Marketing Director reported Icelandic publication The Reykjavík Grapevine that the company did not make such decisions. At the same time, employees of Choi+Shine Architects told to our colleagues from the fact-checking project Snopes, who expect the implementation of their project in 2017, but have minimal influence on the process. We were unable to find reports that unusual power line supports were installed in Iceland or another country. Representatives of the design bureau in May 2021, when asked about the implementation of the project, still stated: “We hope soon.”

Cover photo: © Choi+Shine Architects

Not true

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. Choi+Shine Architects. The Land of Giants
2. Choi+Shine Architects. The Giants of the Wind
3. The Reykjavík Grapevine. These Human Shaped Pylons Were Never Built, But They Might Be
4. Snopes. Land of Giants