Landsnet hf., founded on the basis of The Electricity Act, is preparing a general competition on ideas for the design of high-voltage transmission line towers.

The goal of the competition is to get ideas on the type and appearance of a tower or towers for a 220 kV high-voltage transmission line. Landsnet emphasizes that the visual impact of the towers (for the line) shall be specifically examined in this competition, and that the competitors present proposals on the detailing of towers, taking this into account as much as possible, and this means towers (for the line) both near urban areas and in unsettled areas.

The competition is a general competition on ideas. Landsnet is primarily requesting basic ideas on the type and appearance of towers, but the detailing or construction of towers after the competition does not necessarily have to be thought out.

Authors of a proposal shall describe its ideology. The idea’s look and selection of materials shall also be explained. The appearance of a tower/towers shall be simply explained. The tenderer (Landsnet hf) acquires usage rights for award-winning and recognized proposals, with the limitations set by The Copyright Act.

It is up to the competitors whether
- all towers shall have a new look
- individual towers in a selected environment shall have a new/changed look
- the look of known types of towers will be changed one way or another
- the tower/s shall blend well into the landscape and urban areas
- the tower/s shall be prominent in specified locations

The main goals of the competition are
- to evoke ideas for a new type or types of towers
- to bring forth an idea for the total overall look of the line routes
- to bring forth a proposal for a tower/towers that can be further developed with respect to environmental impact, electromagnetic field, selection of material, lifetime and costs.

The languages of the competition are Icelandic and English. All competition documents are in both languages.

All participants’ documents, such as inquiries, reports and the text on drawings can be in either Icelandic or English.

Eligibility
Participation is open to all except those on the Selection Committee, the Selection Committee secretary, the confidant and consultants of the Selection Committee, along with those running a drafting firm with these parties, working on projects with them or being closely linked with them.

Delivery of Competition Documents. Registration Fee
This competition specification can be found at www.ai.is/samkeppnir/Landsnet. Competitors can obtain other competition documents on the webpage of the Association of Icelandic Architects after paying a registration fee of 10 Euros, which is nonrefundable. Competitors will receive a CD with the competition documents and a receipt for the registration fee.

Submission
Competitors shall submit the following documents:
- 1 A1 drawing showing the appearance of the tower/towers, scale 1:50.
- A report describing the proposal’s main substance, chief assumptions and goals as well as an explanation of the main quantities, structure and use of materials. The report shall be stated on proposal drawings, but it shall also be submitted in six copies on A3 paper. The report shall not exceed 500 words. Reduced copies of drawings shall be included in the A3-sized report.
- Submission of other explanatory figures is optional, such as models of land, video pictures, etc.
- Models will not be accepted, but pictures of a model may be submitted.
- Perspective and 3-D drawings are permitted but not required.
- Documents submitted in computer-readable form on a CD.
Documents shall be submitted so that anonymity will be preserved. A drawing shall be on A1 paper that is opaque or glued on cardboard.

All text shall be written mechanically. The number of proposal pages, including the report, may not exceed 1, cf. par. 1 above. Documents exceeding what is requested will not be accepted for evaluation.

Delivery 
- Proposals shall be delivered to the confidant, at the office of the Association of Icelandic Architects at Engjateigur 9, 2nd floor, 105 Reykjavík, no later than 28 March 2008, 17:00 Icelandic time. The confidant receives proposals from 14:00 to 17:00. Those wishing to submit proposals before this time shall consult with the confidant. Upon delivery of a proposal to the confidant, the competitor receives a receipt marked with an identifying number for the proposal.
- It is sufficient for proposals to be mailed or delivered for air service before the deadline, provided a certificate about this from the relevant service person is sent to the confidant. In addition to the above, a competitor shall immediately notify the confidant by e-mail that the proposal has been sent. The e-mail shall state the proposal’s identifying number. Proposals
will not be accepted more than five days after the deadline. Sent proposals shall be sent to the confidant’s address.
- All proposal documents shall be identified with a five-digit number in a 2 x 5 cm box in the lower-right corner. An opaque envelope, marked with the same number and a “name label” shall accompany the proposal. The envelope shall contain a label with the name, address and telephone number of the author or authors and co-workers. Proposals shall be delivered unfolded in flat packaging. Proposal packaging shall be marked in the same manner as the proposal, and the number of pages in the proposal shall be written on them. Drawings in frames or glass will not be accepted.
- It is an absolute condition for acceptance and judging of a proposal that it be submitted at the correct time, and that anonymity be preserved in accordance with the competition rules of the Association of Icelandic Architects.
- The tenderer is responsible for the proposals while they are in the custody of the Selection Committee.

Project Specification
Landscape 
The form of the competition is a competition on ideas. Landsnet has therefore decided to propose an imagined high-voltage line area as the basis for the competition. Landsnet proposes different areas for designers to work with:
- near urban areas 
- in unsettled areas
- in areas with lava
- on heaths
- In addition, competitors may choose areas where they wish to show their proposal.

Technical Specification
The intended high-voltage transmission line is a three-phase 220 kV line. The towers support three conductors and can also support one or two ground wires for lightning protection. The arrangement of the lines can be horizontal, vertical or in a triangle, for the arrangement affects the electromagnetic field around the lines.

Support towers that have been built for 220 kV lines in Iceland the last 30 years are stayed or guyed portal towers. They stand on two legs, with two (or four) stay wires in front and two (or four) behind. The legs are either steel-frame columns or steel tubes with various cross-sections. A crossarm or bridge is made of a steel frame or tube, like the legs. The towers stand on concrete foundations, and the stay wires are fastened to either rock bolts or poured concrete anchor plates buried in the earth in front of and behind the tower.

Evaluation
In evaluating solutions in the competition, the Selection Committee will attempt to evaluate proposals, based on the following:
- Visual impact
- Type and appearance of the towers
- Development possibilities of proposals
- Environmental impact
- Electromagnetic field
- Feasibility

Jury
- Thórdur Gudmundsson (President of Landsnet, Chairman of the Selection Committee)
- Árni Stefánsson (Technical and Asset Manager of Landsnet)
- Rolv Geir Knudsen (Former Vice-president of Statnett's Technical Division)
- Jes Einar Thorsteinsson (Architect, FAÍ)
- Örn Thór Halldórsson (Architect, FAÍ)
- Sigrídur Sigurdardóttir (Architect, Línuhönnun hf., Secretary of the Selection Committee)  

Consultants
- Árni Björn Jónasson (Línuhönnun hf)
- Jón Bergmundsson (Verkfrædistofan Afl)
- The Selection Committee reserves the right to call on other consultants. 

Submission Deadline: 28 March 2008
Winners Announced: 18 April 2008

Prizes
Prizes will be awarded in the total amount of 30.000 Euros.The plan is to award three prizes, first, second and third prize. First Prize will not be less than 15.000 Euros. In addition, the Selection Committee may award recognition to proposals for up to 5.000 Euros.

Exhibition
An exhibition on all competition proposals fulfilling the conditions of the competition will be held at the first opportunity after the Selection Committee has completed its work. The proposals will be exhibited under the authors’ names. After the end of the competition, Landsnet will publish a monograph with the award-winning proposals and those receiving honourable mention. The authors will appear there along with the Selection Committee’s opinion on all of the proposals received for the competition.