The Crystal Palace and its Place in Structural History

Abstract

Completed in 1851 to house the Exhibition of All Nations in London, the Crystal Palace was the first large public building that departed completely from traditional construction materials and methods. It was the first major building to be conceived by its design engineers, William Barlow and Charles Fox, as a rigid-jointed iron frame and one of the earliest to use horizontal and vertical cross-bracing to carry wind loads. Working closely with the contractor John Henderson, the designers also applied their knowledge of modern production engineering methods to ensure the building was constructed in the incredibly short time of 190 days. Within twenty years the iron frame, supporting thin walls of masonry, would become established as a viable alternative to load-bearing masonry walls for large buildings.