Crystal Palace
Although destroyed by a fire in 1936, the Crystal Palace remains to be one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces, however tragic it may be.
Crystal Palace
The cast-iron, plate glass building was originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England to serve as a venue for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition showcased the newest modern technology of the time and glorified all the new success of the Industrial Revolution. The building itself, however, was a significant specticle on its own due to its need for no indoor lighting and complete structure of windows. Playwright Douglas Jerrold originally created the idea in his satirical magazine Punch when referencing the Great Exhibition. The architects who were at the heart of the selection of the design submissions were Charles Barry, Thomas Leverton Donaldson, the Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl of Ellesmere, and William Cubitt. Joseph Paxton was the biggest contributor to the design, which was innovative and ground-breaking. It was built with perfectly accurate geometry, and most of the building was covered by a flat roof, save the the center that was topped with a wide barrel vault. The structure was moved and rebuilt in Sydenham Hill and slightly redesigned.
A fire that was started by a small explosion in the women’s cloak room got out of control and tragically burned the Crystal Palace down.
Wainwright Building
Although it seems pretty short and sad to us cultured, city folk, the Wainwright building was the first example of a skyscraper. The building was the first built of steel, steel of which is structured with uninterupted lines of support and framing. This skeletal framing had gothic influences, but the architecure is mostly due to the Beax-arts tradition.
The reason this building was so special was that it aimed to be taller than it did wide, which hadn’t really been explored yet.
Wainwright Building
It was meant to be a prototype for modern office buildings. The symmetrric, geometric motifs stemmed from the Palazzo style, even down to the rows of windows. PBS even included the Wainwright in their “10 Buildings that Changed America,”
The Crystal Palace and the Wainwright building have two completely opposite purposes. While the palace was designed specifically as a venue and for viewing pleasure, the Wainwright building was designed and built for experimental, yet utilitarian purposes. The buildings have two different origins, two different purposes, two different architectural styles, and two totally different aesthetics, yet both influenced the country and architecture of the area significantly, moving them toward the future.
Help Received: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wainwright_Building ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Palace ; google docs ; google images
Sarah Elizabeth Lemon
