Overview
At its heart, this book is an examination of how a new structural material – mass-produced steel – came to be first applied to the buildings of one of the world’s great cities. The focus is evolution and change in London’s buildings and architecture in the late Victorian and early Edwardian period; its emphasis is unashamedly constructional. A great deal has been written about the shape, style and ornament of metropolitan buildings of the period, but comparatively little on their structural anatomy and physiology. The first part examines the technological developments and economic forces that brought structural steel into being. Central to this was the invention of the Bessemer and Siemens-Martin processes which revolutionised steelmaking and enabled the mass production of a metal which outmatched both cast and wrought iron. Steel became the pillar of a new phase of industrialisation and urbanisation throughout the world, and London, where Henry Bessemer had conducted his initial steelmaking experiments, was one of the first cities to make use of it. The second part of the book is an examination of how structural steel was exploited in different types of London building before 1910. As steel construction developed, and buildings became larger and more complex, structure was forced back onto the architectural agenda. Techniques of framing evolved to make buildings more open, better lit, more stable, or to give them stronger floors or wider roofs.
Full Product Details
Author: Jonathan Clarke
Publisher: Historic England
Imprint: Historic England
Dimensions:
Width: 21.90cm
, Height: 3.00cm
, Length: 27.60cm
Weight: 1.942kg
ISBN: 9781848021037
ISBN 10: 1848021038
Pages: 408
Publication Date: 15 February 2014
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
It is one of the most important books to be published on the history of structures in the last 50 years, filling an enormous gap in the literature. Institute of Civil Engineers Newsletter, May 2014 This is a fascinating story which he tells and illustrates superbly. ... this book will undoubtedly remain the key text on its subject, for both historians and anyone concerned with the structure of existing buildings. -- Robert Thorne The Structural Engineer, June 2014 There is an abundance of photographs and drawings, mostly in colour, that make browsing a pleasure but also complement the narrative. ... It is no exaggeration to say that this book is a ground-breaking study that encourages us to look at many London buildings in a different way. -- Michael Bussell GLIAS Newsletter, 272, June 2014
It is one of the most important books to be published on the history of structures in the last 50 years, filling an enormous gap in the literature. Institute of Civil Engineers Newsletter, May 2014 This is a fascinating story which he tells and illustrates superbly. ... this book will undoubtedly remain the key text on its subject, for both historians and anyone concerned with the structure of existing buildings. -- Robert Thorne The Structural Engineer, June 2014 There is an abundance of photographs and drawings, mostly in colour, that make browsing a pleasure but also complement the narrative. ... It is no exaggeration to say that this book is a ground-breaking study that encourages us to look at many London buildings in a different way. -- Michael Bussell GLIAS Newsletter, 272, June 2014 ... this book contains material to delight anyone with a more than passing interest in theatre design and construction. ... Read the full story in Jonathan Clarke's splendidly illustrated, delightfully readable pages. -- John Earl Theatres Magazine, Autumn 2014 The detailed and yet very readable text is supported by over 350 excellent illustrations in black and white and colour. This valuable book fills an important gap in our understanding of Victorian and Edwardian design and construction. -- Ken Moth Context 137, November 2014 Another sumptuous book from the English Heritage stable! ... We must therefore be thankful to Jonathan Clarke for assembling and illustrating such a comprehensive selection of significant steel buildings. -- Keith Falconer Industrial Archaeology Review, 36, 2, 141-147, November 2014 ... The quality of production is excellent throughout. ... this book ... deals thoroughly and very readably with a subject that has not hitherto received the attention it deserves. -- Michael Bussell International Journal for the History of Engineering and Technology, 85, 1, January 2015 159-66
