## 2 Method  
In this section, we propose a method capable of developing new pylon designs that, besides functional and regulatory, focuses also on people's visual perceptions of these human artefacts. Specifically, if we could divide a certain geographical landscape into various areas such that each of them can be represented by a certain geometry or shape, the pylon design could recall the representative shape of that area. With respect to the proposed literature review, this method can add a potential missing piece in the wider field of the design for improving the visual impact mitigation. Therefore, in this section we define a method to systematically support the designer of pylons (or similar tower-like structures) through an original design strategy based on the following steps:  
1. Identification of requirements due to safety conditions imposed by the relevant legislation, safety, enhancing of the visual quality, and analysis of citizens' needs.
2. Definition of a landscape subdivision criterion and identification of symbols or shapes that highly represent the areas where the pylons will be placed. Different criteria may be identified, but the most relevant are geographical elements, natural elements (such as the vegetation) or, more generally, items of interest (such as symbolic shapes for the location). Each criterion requires firstly to divide the region into areas and, then, to identify symbols or shapes capable to be representative as well as consistent with each area. This operation requires a deep knowledge of the territory, from different point of views (history, local culture, geography, nature, etc.), which can be achieved by the involvement of a multidisciplinary team as well as citizens from the region. After a first brainstorming collection phase of symbol and shape proposals, in the case of more than one candidate for each area, the designer needs to select only one symbol/shape. An approach based on the elicitation of the citizens' preferences in accordance with [26] can be proposed.
3. Development of conceptual solutions for the new pylon, starting from a representative shape of the installation site, but considering all the functional requirements of electricity transmission and distribution lines. The main substep is the 3D modelling of the starting shape (input for the TO), which can be achieved by means of direct Computer-Aided Design (CAD) modelling, reverse modelling or their integration [27; 28; 29; 30; 31].
4. TO of each promising shape to define a geometry that is structurally efficient and respectful of the constraints imposed by the requirements. The main substeps are: - The definition of the design space. - The definition of load conditions.  
* The first weight reduction and the analysis of results.
* The final weight reduction and the analysis of results.
* The structure embodiment into a feasible layout.  
The last two substeps mean materials and weight reduction starting from the early design phases [32; 33; 34] but represents also the chance for the designer to improve the design quality [35].
* Definition of a feasible layout and its final embodiment into a real structure in order to obtain an industrial product that can be implemented and installed but that still retains the characteristic traits of the original form.
* Assessment of the final design of the pylon: a survey among citizens of the region where the pylons will be placed may be carried out with the support of renders, scenario, etc. (as in [26]).  
The method follows the workflow shown in Figure 2 and is structured in accordance with the main phases of the systematic design approach [36].  
In this way, the systematic design method advantageously exploits the inevitable impact of pylons on the landscape while maintaining all the functional requirements in the distribution of electricity energy.  
Figure 2: Flow-chart of the proposed method.