Architecture During The Industrial Revolution

During the 18th and 19th centuries, architectural styles were heavily influenced by the social and political aspects of the time. Due to the Industrial Revolution and the many social consequences that it brought along with it, architecture went through many phases and styles in a short period of time. One of these architectural styles sought to turn back time to follow the medieval ideas of social values and the beauty of architecture, while another was attempting to break into a new era of architecture, with its use of non-traditional materials and concepts. Other styles introduced by Neo-Classicism, Romanticism, and the Arts & Crafts movement were all in complement to another, playing a huge role in moving the times forward, or backward, depending on your perspective. Even though these styles are in complement to each other, most view Neo-Classicism and Romanticism as a complete antithesis to each other, citing their many differences. The Industrial Revolution brought with it, to the table of architecture, the capability to do what was once thought impossible, while another movement, known as Art Nouveau, sought to go against the tide of industrialism, giving a breath of much needed

It became a symbol of future architecture, due primarily to its lightweight, skeletal, and transparent construction, carving the path for many 20th century architects to follow. For a structure with such high accolade, it only became possible to achieve such a humongous structure in such a quick fashion and with a heavy budget restriction because of its revolutionary use of prefabricated, mass-produced parts that were only possible due to the Industrial Revolution. The Crystal Palace garnered the attention of many and was universally acclaimed for its vast, airy interior space, eventually leading to it to being named the Crystal