Nobody likes to see the view being spoiled by power lines, but they're often a necessary part of modern infrastructure. Perhaps if they could be turned from an eyesore into a focal point, even the staunchest opponents could accept them. Such is the thinking behind this creative project that transforms power line pylons into giant animal sculptures.

The concept, called Austrian Power Giants, comes from the Austrian Power Grid and is developed in partnership with GP design partners and Baucon. The idea is that each of Austria's nine federal states would feature its own style of pylon in the form of an animal symbolic of the region's identity.

So far, just two of the nine designs have been explored. The stork was chosen as the symbolic animal of Burgenland, reflecting the bird's well-known annual visits, while the stag represents the densely wooded Alpine foothills of Lower Austria.

Looking to the future, it's not yet clear whether they will actually be employed – plus there are obvious practical concerns such as whether it will use a lot more steel to build these things. However, the Austrian Power Grid says the design has been "statically and electrically pre-tested" to check its potential feasibility. Indeed, the idea seems to have legs and similar efforts have been considered in Iceland and elsewhere.