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Heaton, M.J. |
2016 |
Spolia Britannica: The Historical Use of Salvaged Building Materials in Britain. MPhil Thesis, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Bath. |
The thesis demonstrates that architectural salvage was culturally endemic throughout Britain throughout the later Middle Ages and the Early Modern period and was facilitated by sophisticated markets, distribution networks and customary non-economic ’linear exchange’. In addition to its iconographic and economic value, salvage was an important vector of technological and stylistic diffusion. As ’spolia’, salvaged architectural details were used by Catholic and other minority owners as expressions of cultural affinity and political legitimacy. |
spolia salvage catholic non-conformist britain |
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Heaton, M.J. |
2009 |
’Building Palaeopathology: Practical Applications of Archaeological Building Analysis’, Structural Survey Vol 27 No. 2, pp119-137 |
This article demonstrates how the archaeological analysis of buildings can be used in the design and management of building refurbishment projects, using case studies from the author’s professional work in southwest Britain. It was awarded ’Outstanding Paper 2010’ by the publishers. It is available as a PDF from the publishers. |
bauforschung buildings-archaeology palaeopathology |
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Beard, G. |
1981 |
Craftsmen and Interior Decoration in England 1660-1820 |
The most authoritative a definitive historical study of architectural decoration in England during the Georgian Period. 292 pages plus Glossary, Index and Bibliography |
Georgian Interiors Decorators Craftsmen |
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Manfredi, C. |
2012 |
’Comfort versus Industry: Maintenance of the Royal Palaces of Milan during the 1860s’, Nuts and Bolts of Construction, Vol 3, pp289-298 |
Paper presented at the 2012 Paris congress on Construction History concerning 19th century advances in building environmental technology and cultural resistance to their use in Milan. |
Milan, Building Services, Heating, Ventilation |
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Yeomans, D. |
1992 |
The Trussed Roof: Its History and Development |
The definitive study of the history and development of trussed roofs, with particular attention to those of Britain but drawing upon their European origins and counterparts, written by a Structural Engineer and leading academic specialising in the analysis of historic structures. |
Roof truss, truss, king post, queen post, Wren, Inigo Jones, strut, tie beam |
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Stanier, P. |
2000 |
Stone Quarry Landscapes: The Industrial Archaeology of Quarrying |
This book explains how building stone was extracted before the advent of modern machinery and then examines the history of the principle stone sources in Britain. It is well illustrated with historic photographs, prints and the authors explanatory line drawings and has an excellent bibliography. |
quarry quarrying mine stone |
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Guo, Q |
2000 |
’Tile and Brick Making in China: a Study of the Yingzao Fashi’, Construction History, Vol 16, pp3-12 |
Article examining the making of brick and tile as described in the oldest surviving published national building standard - the Yingzao Fashi of early 12th century Song China. |
brick tile Yingzao Fashi Song China standards |
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Fancelli, P. |
2008 |
De Spoliis in Fictas Ruinas, in J.F.Bernard, P.Bernardi & D. Esposito (Eds), Il Reimpiego in Architettura: Recupero, Trasformazione, Uso; Collection de L’Ecole Francaise de Rome 418 |
Paper exploring the formative use of salvaged materials - or Spolia - in ’fictitious ruins’ of the Gothik and Romantic movements in 17th - early 19th C Europe, with large number of examples from Britain. |
spolia giardini Gothik Romantic Celtic Revival |
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Carvais, R. |
2008 |
’Le Reemploi des materiaux de construction a paris sous L’Ancient Regime’, in J.F.Bernard, P.Bernardi & D. Esposito (Eds), ’Il Reimpiego in Architettura: Recupero, Trasformazione, Uso’, Collections Ecole Freancaise de Rome 418 |
Paper on the economics and logistics of the use of salvaged construction materials in Paris during the 17th and 18th centuries, drawing on a large number of historical sources including building contracts. Reveals that ’salvage’ was not always cheaper than new material, especially during times of war. |
spolia salvage ancien regime paris |
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Volmer, L., & Zimmerman, W.H. |
2012 |
Glossar zum praehistorischen und historischen Holzbau |
The definitive multi-lingual glossary for timber buildings in the principle north European and Scandinavian languages plus Czech and Polish. Well-illustrated and logically arranged by building type and building element, it also illustrates the similarities and differences between the timber building traditions of northern Europe and Scandinavia. |
glossary glossar wortbuch holzbau timber |
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McLean, W., & Silver, P. |
2015 |
Air Structures |
Air can be used in a variety of ways to make lightweight, flexible structures. It can be used to make inflatable structures, mobile structures and temporary buildings. It can also activate movable elements and act as a means of constructing buildings that would be impossible with conventional construction methods. This book looks at every facet of the subject, examining the different types of air structure: super pressure buildings, air-beam structures, buoyant structures, inflatable structures and many more. It also looks at the construction methods that use air, such as air-inflated steel, aerated concrete and blow moulding. |
Inflatable, Pneumatic, Air-Pressure |
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Faircloth, B. |
2015 |
Plastics Now: On Architecture’s Relationship to a Continuously Emerging Material |
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Plastics, Construction, Architecture, Composites |
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Dietz, A. G. H |
1969 |
Plastics for Architects and Builders |
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Plastics, Construction, Architecture, Composites |
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Price, C., & Newby, F., & Suan, R.H. |
1971 |
Air Structures: A survey |
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Inflatable, Pneumatic, Air-Pressure, Government Report |
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Quarmby, A. |
1974 |
The Plastic Architect |
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Plastics, Fabrication Technology, Materials History, Spatial Enclosures |
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Institution of Structural Engineers |
1999 |
Structural Use of Glass in Buildings |
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Structural Glass, Stairs, Floors, Bridges, Balustrades, Lamination, Adhesives |
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Silver, P., McLean, W., & Veglio, S. |
2006 |
Fabrication: The Designer’s Guide |
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Fabrication Processes, Metal Spinning, Metal Casting, Terrazzo, Glass Reinforced Polymer |
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Bini, D. |
2014 |
Building With Air |
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Binidome, Binishell, Binix, Fabric-formed Concrete |
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Silver, P., McLean, W., & Evans, P. |
2013 |
Structural Engineering for Architects: A Handbook |
This book provides an understanding of the fundamental theories and practice behind the creation of architectural structures. It aids the development of an intuitive understanding of structural engineering, bringing together technical and design issues. The book is divided into four sections: ’Structures in nature’ looks at structural principles found in natural objects. ’Theory’ covers general structural theory as well as explaining the main forces in engineering. ’Structural prototypes’ includes examples of modelmaking and load testing that can be carried out by students. The fourth section, ’Case studies’, presents a diverse range of examples from around the world – actual buildings that apply the theories and testing described in the previous sections. |
Structures in Nature, Structural Theory, Structural Systems, Case Studies |
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Silver, P., & McLean, W. |
2013 |
Introduction to Architectural Technology (Second Edition) |
This book clearly explains the core aspects of architectural technology: structural physics, structural elements and forms, heating, lighting, environmental control and computer modelling. Hundreds of photographs and diagrams demonstrate common architectural forms and construction techniques. Historical and contemporary examples chart significant moments in architectural engineering and the development of materials science Includes an examination of computer-aided design (CAD) and the use of building information management (BIM) technology for predicting and analyzing the behaviour of buildings. |
Structure & Form, Structural Logic, Climate & Shelter, Human Comfort |
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Becchi, A. & Foce, F. |
2002 |
Degli archi e delle volte. Arte del costruire tra meccanica e stereotomia |
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Construction History |
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Becchi, A. |
2004 |
Q.XVI. Leonardo, Galileo e il caso Baldi: Magonza, 26 marzo 1621 |
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Becchi, A. |
2017 |
Naufragi di terra e di mare. Da Leonardo da Vinci a Theodor Mommsen, alla ricerca dei codici Albani. Edizione del manoscritto XIII.F.25, cc. 129-136, della Biblioteca Nazionale di Napoli a cura di Oreste Trabucco |
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Becchi, A. |
2007 |
I criteri di plasticità: cento anni di dibattito (1864-1964) |
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Becchi, A., Corradi, M., Foce, F., & Pedemonte, O. |
2002 |
Towards a History of Construction |
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Becchi, A., Corradi, M., Foce, F., & Pedemonte, O. |
2003 |
Essays in the History of Mechanics |
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Becchi, A., Corradi, M., Foce, F., & Pedemonte, O. |
2004 |
Construction History. Research Perspectives in Europe |
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Becchi. A., Bertoloni Meli, D., & Gamba. E. |
2013 |
Guidobaldo del Monte (1545-1607). Theory and Practice of the Mathematical Disciplines from Urbino to Europe |
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Becchi, A., Rousteau-Chambon, H., & Sakarovitch J. |
2013 |
Philippe de La Hire entre Architecture et Sciences |
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Becchi, A., Carvais, R., & Sakarovitch, J. |
2018 |
Construction History. Survey of a European Building Site / L’Histoire de la construction. Relevé d’un chantier européen |
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Becchi, A., Carvais, R., & Sakarovitch, J. |
2015 |
Construction History. A European Meridian |
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Becchi, A. & Foce, F. |
2005 |
Bibliotheca Mechanico-Architectonica |
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Becchi, A. |
2002 |
Aurea concinnitas: pour une orthodoxie hérétique, in A. Becchi, M. Corradi, F. Foce, O. Pedemonte (eds.), Towards a history of construction, Birkhäuser, Basel 2002, p. 523-528. |
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Becchi, A. |
2003 |
Before 1695. The static of arches between France and Italy, in S. Huerta (ed.), Proceedings of the First International Congress on Construction History (Madrid, 20th - 24th January 2003), Instituto Juan de Herrera, Madrid 2003, vol. 1, p. 353-364. |
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Becchi, A. |
2005 |
Raisons A-symétriques. Équilibre des formes et formes de l’équilibre dans la theoria columnarum, in P. Radelet-de Grave (ed.), Symétries, Brepols, Turnhout 2005, p. 35-61 |
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Becchi, A. |
2005 |
Fortuna (e sfortuna) critica del De re aedificatoria di Bernardino Baldi, in E. Nenci (ed.), Bernardino Baldi (1553-1617) studioso rinascimentale: poesia, storia, linguistica, meccanica, architettura, FrancoAngeli, Milan 2005, p. 303-316. |
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Becchi, A. |
2005 |
Baustatik, in F. Jaeger (ed.), Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit, J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag, Stuttgart/Weimar 2005, vol. 1, col. 1093-1100 |
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Becchi, A. |
2005 |
Vaults in the Air: Signor Fabritio’s English Theory, in S. Huerta (ed.), Essays in the history of the theory of structures. In honour of Jacques Heyman, CEHOPU, CEDEX, Instituto Juan de Herrera, Madrid 2005, p. 45-59 |
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Becchi, A. |
2005 |
88317.63520 Tarli della storia, piatti di lenticchie e vecchie zie, in G. Mochi (ed.), Theory and Practice of Construction: Knowledge, Means, Models, Ed. Moderna, Ravenna 2005, vol. I, p. 57-62 |
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Becchi, A. & Foce, F. |
2005 |
Bibliotheca Mechanico-Architectonica. From the passing references to a study of the sources, Introduction to the CD-rom series Bibliotheca Mechanico-Architectonica, Genoa 2005 |
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Becchi, A. |
2006 |
Festigkeitslehre, in F. Jaeger (ed.), Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit, J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag, Stuttgart/Weimar 2006, vol. 3, col. 945-948 |
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Becchi, A. |
2006 |
Gewölbebau, in F. Jaeger (ed.), Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit, J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag, Stuttgart/Weimar 2006, vol. 4, col. 881-884 |
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Becchi, A., Corradi, M., & Foce, F. |
2006 |
La fine dell’inizio: 26 Maggio 1980 (with M. Corradi and F. Foce), in E. Benvenuto, La scienza delle costruzioni e il suo sviluppo storico, Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, Rome 2006, p. V-XVIII |
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Becchi, A. |
2006 |
Eggs, turnips and chains: rhetoric and rhetoricians of architecture, in H. Schlimme (ed.), Practice and Science in Early Modern Italian Building. Towards an Epistemic History of Architecture, Electa, Milan 2006, p. 97-112 |
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Becchi, A. |
2007 |
Wusste Galileo davon? Die Architektur als Theatrum pro experimentali philosophia, in Jahrbuch der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft 2007 (digital edition, www.mpg.de) |
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Becchi, A. |
2008 |
“Taccia dunque la turba de gli Architetti pratici ...”. Henry Wotton und der Abt von Guastalla, in W. Oechslin (ed.), Wissensformen, gta-Verlag, Zürich 2008, p. 100-107 |
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Becchi, A. |
2008 |
Imaginer l’entasis. Constructions, définitions, malentendus dans les traités de la Renaissance, in R. Gargiani (ed.), La construction de la colonne. Nouvelle histoire de la construction, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne 2008, p. 149-163 |
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Becchi, A. |
2008 |
Les paradoxes (historiographiques) de la vis columnarum, in R. Gargiani (ed.), La construction de la colonne. Nouvelle histoire de la construction, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne 2008, p. 203-219 |
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Becchi, A. |
2008 |
Bernardino Baldi, in N. Koertge (ed.), The new dictionary of scientific biography, vol. 1, Ch. Scribner’s Sons, Detroit 2008, p. 166-168 |
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Becchi, A. |
2009 |
Vitruvius in the Sahara: Auguste Choisy’s ‘philologie plafonnante’, in J. Girón, S. Huerta (eds.), Auguste Choisy (1841-1909). L’architecture et l’art de bâtir. Actas del Simposio Internacional, Madrid, 19-20.11.2009 |
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Becchi, A. |
2009 |
Juxta textum Vitruvii et mentem Newtonii. Das neue Wissen und das «Räthsel der Architektur», in W. Oechslin (ed.), Architekt und/versus Baumeister, gta Verlag, Zürich 2009, p. 40-49 |
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Becchi, A. |
2009 |
Pregnant Columns. From Word to Shape, in H. Nowacki, W. Lefèvre (eds.), Creating Shapes in Civil and Naval Architecture. A Cross-Disciplinary Comparison, Brill, Leiden and Boston 2009, pp. 279-296 |
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Becchi, A. |
2009 |
The Body of the Architect. Flesh, Bones and Forces between Mechanical and Architectural Theories, in K.-E. Kurrer, W. Lorenz, V. Wetzk (eds.), Proceedings of the 3rd International Congress on Construction History, Cottbus, 2009, vol. 1, p. 151-158 |
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Becchi, A. |
2009 |
Uno e trino. Impronte stravaganti di un testimone postumo, in F.P. Di Teodoro (ed.), Saggi di letteratura architettonica, da Vitruvio a Winckelmann, Olschki, Florence 2009, vol. 1, p. 19-35 |
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Becchi, A. |
2010 |
La doppia vita di una ‘mauvaise règle’. La regola di Derand tra Leon Battista Alberti e Simone Stratico, in P. Cassinello, S. Huerta, J.M. de Prada Poole, R.S. Lampreave (eds.), Geometry and Proportion in Structural Design, p. 123-139 |
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Becchi, A. |
2010 |
Architecture as a mechanical problem. A ‘new’ Renaissance manuscript and some old stories, in A. Sinopoli (ed.), Mechanics and architecture between Epistéme and Techné, Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, Rome 2010, p. 97-106 |
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Becchi, A. |
2010 |
Histoire de la construction: un regard italien, in R. Carvais, A. Guillerme, V. Nègre, J. Sakarovitch (eds.), Édifice et artifice. Histoires constructives, Picard, Paris 2010, p. 59-63 |
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Becchi, A. |
2010 |
L’asino che vola: architettura, ricerca, metodi tossici, in E. Rabasa, J. Ibáñez, D. Sanz (eds.), Actas Tercera Jornadas Sobre Investigación en Arquitectura y Urbanismo (Madrid, 17-19 Junio 2009), Mairea Libros, Madrid 2010, p. XXXIV-XLVII |
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Becchi, A. |
2011 |
Cantieri d’inchiostro: meccanica teorica e meccanica chirurgica nella seconda metà del Cinquecento, in G. Curcio, N. Navone, S. Villari (eds.), Studi su Domenico Fontana 1543-1607, Silvana Editoriale, Milan 2011, p. 91-103 |
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Becchi, A. |
2012 |
La poutre brisée: une question, deux réponses, in R. Gargiani (dir.), L’architrave, le plancher, la plate-forme. Nouvelle histoire de la construction, Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes, Lausanne 2012, p. 316-328 |
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Becchi, A. |
2012 |
Ut unum sint: poutres, arcs, plates-bandes, in R. Gargiani (dir.), L’architrave, le plancher, la plate-forme. Nouvelle histoire de la construction, Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes, Lausanne 2012, p. 329-340 |
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Becchi, A. |
2012 |
Il corpo dell’inventio: Vitruvio interprete di Archimede, in “Horti Hesperidum. Studi di storia del collezionismo e della storiografia artistica”, 2012, fasc. 2, p. 39-60 |
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Becchi, A. |
2013 |
Idées manuscrites, théories imprimées: la mécanique architecturale de Philippe de La Hire, in A. Becchi, H. Rousteau-Chambon, J. Sakarovitch (eds.), Philippe de La Hire entre architecture et sciences, Picard, Paris 2013, pp. 177-190 |
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Becchi, A. |
2013 |
...zoticamente non intendendo le Mechaniche. La scientia aedificandi ai tempi di Guidobaldo del Monte, in A. Becchi, D. Bertoloni Meli, E. Gamba (eds.), Guidobaldo del Monte (1545-1607), p. 241-263 |
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Becchi, A. |
2013 |
Archimedes’ Bath, in G. Di Pasquale, C. Parisi Presicce (eds.), Archimedes. The Art and Science of Invention, Giunti, Florence 2013, p. 115-119 |
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Becchi, A. |
2013 |
Architectus omnibus armis ornatus. Sind die Waffen des Architekten nur Spielzeuge?, in Jahrbuch 2012, Braunschweigische Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft, J. Cramer Verlag, Braunschweig 2013, p. 215-225 |
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Becchi, A. |
2013 |
Looking for an equilibrium point: Wilson, Machiavelli and the King of Siam, in “Construction History. International Journal of the Construction History Society”, vol. 28, N. 3, 2013, p. 1-19 |
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Becchi, A. |
2014 |
Fokus: Die Gestalt der Säule, in J. Renn, W. Osthues, H. Schlimme (eds.), Wissensgeschichte der Architektur, Edition Open Access, Berlin 2014, vol. 3, p. 369-396 |
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Becchi, A. |
2014 |
Fokus: Architektur und Mechanik, in J. Renn, W. Osthues, H. Schlimme (eds.), Wissensgeschichte der Architektur, Edition Open Access, Berlin 2014, vol. 3, p. 397-428 |
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Becchi, A. |
2014 |
À Joël, le juste, in “Construction History. International Journal of the Construction History Society”, vol. 29, N. 1, 2014, p. ix-xi; also “Scholion”, 8, 2014, p. 177-179 |
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Becchi, A. |
2015 |
Vitruvius zu den Zeiten der reinen Vernunft: Giovanni Poleni, Simone Stratico und ihre Exercitationes, in U. Hassler (ed.), Der Lehrbuchdiskurs über das Bauen, Institut für Denkmalpflege und Bauforschung der ETH Zürich, Zürich 2015, p. 78-92 |
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Becchi, A. |
2015 |
Eugene Goostman et les pierres de Saint-Pétersbourg, in “Re-Vue Malaquais”, n. 2, 2015, p. 46-49 |
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Becchi, A. |
2015 |
Oltre la ‘Scientia de ponderibus’, in P. Caye, R. Nanni, P.D. Napolitani (eds.), Scienze e rappresentazioni: saggi in onore di Pierre Souffrin, Olschki, Florence, 2015, p. 389-403 |
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Becchi, A. |
2016 |
Drawing Proofs: lo sguardo cinematico di Robert Willis, in A. Buchanan, J.W.P. Campbell, J. Girón, S. Huerta (eds.), Robert Willis. Science, Technology and Architecture in the Nineteenth Century, Instituto Juan de Herrera, Madrid, 2016, p. 141-165 |
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Becchi, A. |
2016 |
Learning from falling stones: Autobiografie scientifiche between mechanics and architecture, in “Science et technique en perspective”, IIe série, vol. 18, fasc. 2, 2016, p. 3-18 |
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Becchi, A. |
2017 |
I commenti di Daniele Barbaro al Proemio della ’terza parte principale dell’Architettura’ (1556-1567), in F. Lemerle, V. Zara, P. Caye, L. Moretti (eds.), Daniele Barbaro 1514-1570, Brepols, Turnhout, 2017, p. 187-198 |
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Becchi, A. |
2017 |
La lezione di Salmacide: Vitruvio e il potere delle acque, in T.G. Schattner, F. Valdés Fernández (eds.), Wasserversorgung in Toledo und Wissensvermittlung von der Antike ins Mittelalter, Ernst Wasmuth Verlag, Tübingen/Berlin, 2017, p. 371-385 |
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Heaton, M.J. |
2018 |
’How medieval is a Medieval house: Whitestaunton Manort, Chard, Somerset?’, Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society, 62, pp53-71 |
Case study analysis of the manner and extent to which a nominally medieval building incorporates in situ Roman masonry, medieval and post-medieval rebuilding and 17th - 18th century spolia. In particular, the article suggests that radical Non-Conformist owners in the early 18th century used spolia and faux-archaeological details to enhance their political and cultural legitimacy, in the same way that Catholic owners (in Britain) were in the 17th and 18th centuries. The article also identifies early 20th century use of salvaged decorative fabric that has, hitherto, been ascribed an early 17th century date on typological grounds, and warns of the danger of analysing such buildings on the basis of superficial fabric alone. |
Britain, Somerset, Whitestaunton Elton Brett Hugyn spolia salvage in-situ re-building, archaeology, Bauforschung |
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Heaton, M.J. |
2009 |
’They don’t build ’em like they used to: The defective flyers of Christchurch Priory’, CHS Newsletter, 84, pp6-7 |
A short article on observations made during geotechnical investigations at Christhchurch Priory in Dorset (GB), which revealed that the flying buttress of the 14th century Quire Aisles do not have any structural foundations. They are therefore largely cosmetic, and hence failing. This means that, contrary to received wisdom about the medieval builders’ empirical understanding of statics, the builders of this stage of the monastic church did not understand the function of flying buttresses and that, probably, the buttresses were added simply because it was fashionable to do so. |
Britain, Dorset, Christchurch, church, statics flying buttresses foundations medieval quire, knowledge transfer |
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Heaton, M.J. |
2016 |
’The Nave Roof at Holy Trinity Church, Warmell, Dorset’, The Construction Historian, 1, pp7-9 |
Case study analysis of a ’Scissor Brace’ truss roof added to the 13th C parish church of Warmell in c. 1750-1770 (dendro). Citing Yeomans (1992), the report concludes that this particular form of roof was first used in Britain in London in the late 17th C and that the knowledge transfer of the design to the West Country took c. 100 years. |
scissor brace truss dorset warmwell |
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Heaton, M.J. |
2009 |
’Dunster Castle Roof’, CHS Newsletter, 86, pp2-5. |
Case study report and analysis of the roof structure of Dunster Castle near Minehead in Somerset. Assisted by dendrochronology, the report describes and identifies a primary lead-covered flat roof of c. 1617 that was re-engineered in 1722-8 by the addition of king posts and principal rafters. The jointing and other forms of connection are unusual, employing ’forelock’ bolts and large sprockets redolent of marine construction. |
Dunster roof king-post forelock bolt flat-roof lead |
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Heaton, M.J. |
2008 |
’Crinolines and scaffolding: The value of church records to the historical study of women in construction’, CHS Newsletter, 81, pp3-4 |
Case study report arising from the author’s examination of church archives for a Conservation Management Plan. 18th and 19th century archives held by Christchurch Priory record that a significant amount of the repair and rebuilding work commissioned by the church during the 18th and 19th centuries was undertaken by women acting as main contractors employing male tradesmen. Some of those women had inherited their companies from their deceased husbands, but not all of them had. More importantly, none appear in the civil records (trade directories, census etc.). The report concludes that, given the importance of the Church to pre-20th C British society, church records might be a more reliable indicator of female involvement in the construction industry than civil records. |
christchurch women contractors indemnities pews repair rebuilding |
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Heaton, M.J. and Davenport, P. |
2003 |
’A Late Medieval Timber Frame at Nos 21-22 High Street, Bath’, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeol. & Natural History Soc., 146, pp73-79 |
Case study report on a 16th century timber framed building discovered during refurbishment of a superficially Georgian building in central Bath. The report describes the structure and summarises the documented history of the site. Unfortunately dendrochronology was not employed because the principal timbers are salvaged, so the structure is dated broadly to 1400-1600 typologically. The significance of the discovery is that it demonstrates that the Georgian ’re-building’ of Bath in the 18th century did not involve wholesale demolition of the pre-existing medieval and post-medieval building stock, as has hitherto been assumed. Similar, though not as complete, survivals have been noted elsewhere in central Bath |
Bath medieval facadism facade Georgian salvage |
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Andrew Rabeneck |
2015 |
Industries of Architecture - "The place of architecture in the new economy" |
I offer a speculation on the future place of architecture in society. I
explain the increasing marginalisation of design professionals in construction, based on
trends that are already impinging on their daily experience of practice. These trends
derive indirectly from the widespread deregulation of financial markets in the 1980s,
and the subsequent political adoption of neoclassical libertarian economics around the
world. In short, the free global movement of capital has irreversibly transformed the
political economy of construction. To recapture pre-eminence in the evolving setting
design professionals would need to radically change both their education and practice,
but there is little chance that this will happen. Further marginalisation is inevitable |
globalisation, capital, professional education |
|
|
Andrew Rabeneck |
2011 |
CHS Journal Volume 26 - "Building for the future - schools fit for our children" |
This essay contrasts responses to post-war demand for school building first in Britain and later in
America. In both cases modernist architects were primary actors, inspired by ideologies of pioneers such
as Walter Gropius. They became instrumental in developing construction techniques involving
educational innovation and prefabrication. In Britain’s centralised command economy, dominated by
scarcity of resources, innovative organisations quickly collapsed when economic conditions changed.
But in America, by goading industry to innovate in sustainable ways through the agency of a private
foundation, idealistic architects achieved a lasting impact on the construction industry. |
Schools, post-war construction, prefabrication, Britain, USA. |
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Andrew Rabeneck |
2012 |
”The Transformation of Construction by Concrete", Nuts and Bolts of Construction History, proceedings of the 4th International Congress on Construction History, Paris,vol. 2, 627-635. |
In this paper I argue that concrete has played a
critical role in the complete transformation of
construction from a local demand-led craft to a
global supply-led industry, a transformation not
just of technique, but of labour processes and
organisation. |
concrete, industrialisation, globalisation, concrete products |
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|
Theodossopoulos, D |
2016 |
The catastrophic repairs of Holyrood Abbey church in 1760 |
The collapse of the significant church of Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh in December 1768 is discussed as the result of the ill-conceived repair of the roof in 1760, i.e. the substitution of the timber trusses with closely-spaced diaphragm masonry walls that aggravated the delicate equilibrium of the vaults
and the poor state of a building being mutilated over 250 years. This study interprets these repairs by demonstrating the authorship and partnership of the architect John Douglas with the mason-developer James McPherson, who combined architectural ambition (the aesthetics of a flagstone roof) with the (cheaper) option of diaphragms, which would not involve a wright. The detailed examination of the procurement, the process of the intervention, the collapse and the limited impact of its aftermath, are framed in a wider technical and historical context in Edinburgh and Scotland, during a period marked by several failures of medieval churches, and reveals a poor understanding of a critical element in Gothic construction. Analysis of all public archive material available sheds light on key events of the case, and critical study of the work of the two partners’ attempts to identify the intentions of their project, whose limitations were inevitable once the partnership was formed. |
Edinburgh; gothic; Holyrood; John Douglas; restoration; stone vaulting |
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Wermiel, S., |
1993 |
The development of fireproof construction in Great Britain and the United States in the Nineteenth Century, Construction History, Vol 9, pp3-26 |
The authoritative study of the development of purposely fireproof structures and materials, mainly in industrial and commercial buildings, concentrating on the British and American industries |
fireproof fire-proof |
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Louw, H. |
1993 |
The mechanisation of architectural woodwork in Britain from the late-eighteenth to the early twentieth century, and its practical, social and aesthetic implications. Part 2: Technological progress, c. 1860 to c. 1915, Construction History, Vol 9, pp27-50 |
Authoritative study of the machines, buildings and materials developed to facilitate the mechanical cutting and shaping of decorative joinery components; and the effects this had on the industry and its clients. Contains a large number of detailed images of 19th C woodworking machinery. |
joinery woodwork workshop |
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|
Steel, M.W., and Cheetham, D.W. |
1993 |
Frank Bunker Gilbreth: Building contractor, inventor and pioneer industrial engineer, Construction History, VFol 9, pp51-70 |
The only published study of the working lives of Frank and Lilian Bunker Gilbreth, examining their application of Time and Motion studies and Scientific Management to the American construction industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. |
Time and Motion Scientific Management Construction Management |
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Cooney, E.W. |
1993 |
Productivity, Conflict and Order in the British construction industry: A historical view, Construction History, Vol 9, pp71-84 |
Study of the issues effecting productivity and labour-relations in the British construction industry to the late 20th century. Examines the changing structure of the industry and the legal, economic and social issues this ocassioned. |
conflict productivity relations contract law economics subcontracting |
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McWilliam, R.C. |
1993 |
The Science Museum, the construction industry and a Grubenmann wooden bridge model, Construction History, Vol 9, pp85-88 |
A short article alerting readers to the contents of the Science Museum in London and its relevance to Construction History |
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Musgrave, Elizabeth, C., |
1994 |
The organisation of the building trades of eastern Brittany 1600-1790: some observations, Construction History, VFol 10, pp1-16 |
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France Brittany Trades Guilds |
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Shallat, T. |
1994 |
Science and the Grand Design: origins of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Construction History, Vol 10, pp17-28 |
|
US USA Corps Engineers Simon Bernard Presque Isle |
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Booth, L.G. |
1994 |
Henry Fuller’s glued laminated timber roof for Rusholme Road Congregational sunday school and other early timber roofs, Construction History, Vol 10, pp29-46 |
|
Glued Laminated Roofs Rusholme nineteenth century Fuller |
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Smith, N. A. F. |
1994 |
The failure of the Bouzey Dam in 1895, Construction History, Vol 10, pp47-66 |
|
Epinal Dale Dyke Johnstown South Fork Dam Dams |
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Walker, A. |
1994 |
Plastics: the building blocks of the twentieth century, Construction History, Vol 10, pp67-88 |
A study of the evolution, use and potential of plastics for the construction industry |
plastic Baekeland Swinburn Staudinger Carothers DuPont |
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Penn, R., Wild, S., and Mascarennas, J. |
1995 |
The Pomboline Quarter of Lisbon: an eighteenth century example of prefabrication and dimensional co-ordination. Construction History, Vol 1, pp3-18 |
|
Portugal earthquake alluvium Monteiro Maia |
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Harper, R. |
1995 |
The building of the Cutlers’ Hall, Sheffield, 1830-34. Construction History, Vol 11, pp19-32 |
|
Worth Taylor Laycock contracts contractor |
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Skempton, A.W. |
1995 |
Embankments and cuttings on early railways, Construction History, Vol 11, pp33-50 |
|
excavation management end-tipping horse-runs side-cutting slips volumetric analysis cuttings failure |
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Louw, H. |
1995 |
The mechanisation of architectural woodwork from the late eighteenth century to the early twentieth century, nd its practical, social and aesthetic implications Part III: the retreat of the handicrafts.Construction History, Vol 11, pp51-72 |
The third of four articles dealing with this important subject, concentrating on the advance of machinery in the marketplace and in the workplace. |
joinery machinery windows doors skirtings |
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Trepetina, N.V. |
1995 |
The archives of the St Petersburg Institute of the Corps of Communications Engineers, Construction History, Vol 11, pp73-80 |
|
Betancourt Bazaine Potue Mongeo Fabr |
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Weiler, J,. |
1996 |
Colonial connections: Royal Engineers and building technology transfer in the nineteenth century, Construction History, Vol 12, pp3-18 |
|
military ordnance Pasley Smith Vicat Macleod Cotton India Australia Canada Barlow Bridges prefabrication tropics barracks empire |
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Louw, H. |
1996 |
The mechanisation of architectural woodwork in Britain from th elate eighteenth century to the early twentieth century, and its practical, social and aesthetic implications. Part IV: the end of an era. Construction History, Vol 12, pp19-40 |
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artist marketplace machinery craft |
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Federov, S.G. |
1996 |
Early iron domed roofs in Russian church architecture: 1800-1840. Construction History, Vol 12, pp41-66 |
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St Petersburg Kazan St Isaac dome |
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Cody, J.W. |
1996 |
Erecting monuments to the god of business and trade: the Fuller Construction Company of the Orient, 1919-1926. Construction History, Vol 12, pp 67-82 |
|
Japan China Wheeler Capron Holt |
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Ruddock, E. |
1996 |
Charles Holden and the issue of high buildings-London, 1927-47. London’d highest buildings, 1927-1938: 55 Broadway and Senate House. Construction History, Vol 12, pp 83-100 |
|
tall buildings |
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Atkinson, G. |
1996 |
Though during the Building Research Establishment’s 75th anniversary. Construction History, Vol 12, pp 101-108 |
|
BRE privatisation BRS |
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Day, T. |
1997 |
Did Telford rely, in northern Scotland, on vigilant inspectors or competent contractors?. Construction History, Vol 13, pp 3-16 |
|
contracts contract management Burn Minto bridges roads |
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Brooke, D. |
1997 |
William Mackenzie and railways in France. Construction History, Vol 13, pp 17-28 |
|
Brassey Mackenzie Locke canals organisation plant profits |
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Lucas, R. |
1997 |
The tax on bricks and tiles, 1784-1850: its application to the country at large and, in particular, to the county of Norfolk. Construction History, Vol 13, pp 29-56 |
|
bricks tiles tax Georgian 18th century England |
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Cox, A. |
1997 |
A vital component: stock bricks in Georgian London. Construction History, Vol 13, pp 56-66 |
|
stock bricks Georgian London 18th |
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Booth, L.G. |
1997 |
The design and construction of timber paraboloid sheel roofs in Britain: 1957-1975. Construction History, Vol 13, pp67-90 |
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timber shell roof TDA TRADA hyperbolic paraboloid Newsum |
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Spencer-Silver, P. |
1997 |
William Edwin Jackson’s cashbook: Part 1, 1845-1847. Construction History, Vol 13, pp 91-115 |
|
Pugin |
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Mendel, R. |
1998 |
Craft labour and the development of trade unionism among building tradesmen in late nineteenth century New York. Construction History, Vol 14, pp 3-20 |
|
America USA sub-contracting technological innovation strikes industrial action |
|
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Jackson, A. A. |
1998 |
The development of steel framed buildings in Britain 1880-1905. Construction History, Vol 14, pp 21-40 |
|
Ritz hotel industrial market street store Dublin railway Waterhouse Midland hotel |
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Radford, D. |
1998 |
The early history of the tall building in South African city. Construction History, Vol 14, pp 41-58 |
|
Cape Town |
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Yeomans, D. |
1998 |
The pre-history of the curtain wall. Construction History, Vol 14, pp 59-82 |
|
Crystal Palace Baumann Reliance Chicago glass factories commercial Davison Alcoa Equitable |
|
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Cooney, E.W. |
1998 |
Eighteenth century Britain’s missing sawmills: a return visit. Construction History, Vol 14, pp 83-88 |
|
Limehouse Dingley Stansfield Dossie Dutch sawyer shipbuilding Spey Netherlands Holland Zaanstrek |
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Spencer-Silver, P. |
1998 |
William Edwin Jackson’s cashbook: Part 2, 1848-1849. Construction History, Vol 14, pp 89-112 |
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Powell, C. |
1999 |
Cobling and Helling: a Georgian building firm at work. Construction History, Vol 15, pp 3-14 |
|
Firm firms Georgian Crediton Devon Prawl |
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Woodley, R. |
1999 |
Professionals: early episodes among architects and engineers.Construction History, Vol 15, pp 15-22 |
|
Mylne Smeaton Blackfriar’s bridge |
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Anderson, J. |
1999 |
Urban development as a component of government policy in the aftermath of the Napoleonic War.Construction History, Vol 15, pp 23-38 |
|
WFLR Fordyce revenue Georgian Britain Nash |
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Lorenz, W. |
1999 |
Classicism and High Technology- the Berlin Neues Museum. Construction History, Vol 15, pp 39-56 |
|
Prussia Preussen Borsig Beauth Egells Christian Conrad |
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Yarwood, J.R. |
1999 |
Traditional building construction in an historic Arabian town. Construction History, Vol 15, pp 57-78 |
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Al Muharraq Bahrain diffusion Rivoyre coral materials arches doors stairs climate sanitation |
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Ashby, J. |
1999 |
The aluminium legacy: the history of the metal and its role in architecture. Construction History, Vol 15, pp 79-90 |
|
aluminium casting |
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Guo, Quinghua |
2000 |
Tile and brick making in China: a study of the Yingzao Fashi. Construction History, Vol 16, pp 3-12 |
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China brick tile Yingzao Fashi Zhou quinggun Tiangong Kaiwu Song |
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Pepper, S. |
2000 |
Sword and spade: military construction in Renaissance Italy. Construction History, Vol 16, pp 13-32 |
|
Brunelleschi vinci martini durer michelangelo taccola Lucca Giorgio Sarzana Siennas |
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Clarke, J. |
2000 |
Material concerns in the Pacific Northwest: steel versus reinforced concrete in highway bridge design in Washington State, 1910-1930. Construction History, Vol 16, pp 33-62 |
|
America USA Melan Baker river bridge Columbia truss chehalis |
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Dunster, D. |
2000 |
Financing and building Wacker Drive, Chicago. Construction History, Vol 16, pp 63-76 |
|
America USA Michigan urban planning tall building |
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Cross-Rudkin, P. |
2000 |
Professional lives: compiling the Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers. Construction History, Vol 16, pp 77-87 |
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Walker, A. |
2000 |
Historical influences on th euse of cement in Mexican domestic construction. Construction History, Vol 16, pp 87-99 |
|
Mexico domestic house casa promotion |
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Guo, Quighua |
2001 |
The formation and early development of architecture in northern China. Construction History, Vol 17, pp 3-16 |
|
Meng Zi Tang dynasty Yaodong houses domestic |
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Campbell, J.W.P., and Saint, A. |
2001 |
A bibliography of works on brick published in England before 1750.Construction History, Vol 17, pp 17-30 |
|
manuals mensuration pricing Ive Wotton Willsford Brown Gerbier Primatt Leybourn Hammond Woolridge Wolridge Coggeshall Foster Plot Mandey Houghton Barker Wing Moxon Neve Roman Coehoorn Aldrich Morton Hawney Good halfpenny Langley Chambers Rowland Salmon |
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Smith, T.P. |
2001 |
On small yellow bricks ....from Holland. Construction History, Vol 17, pp 31-42 |
|
klinker klinkaert Ijsselstenen Netherlands |
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Wermiel, S.E. |
2001 |
An unusual application of wire cables from the 1850s: Benjamin Severson’s wire-tied iron girders. Construction History, Vol 17, pp 43-54 |
|
America USA trussed girder |
|
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Lorenz, W., and Rohde, A. |
2001 |
Building with iron in nineteenth century Bavaria: the Valhalla roof truss and its architect Leo von Klenze. Construction History, Vol 17, pp 55-76 |
|
Regensburg Schinkel Munich Befreiungshalle Kelheim |
|
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Gould, M.H. |
2001 |
A historical perspective on the Belfast roof truss. Construction History, Vol 17, pp 75-89 |
|
bowstring Steppings Delorme Libourne Anderson |
|
|
Locock, M. |
1992 |
The development of the building trades in the West Midlands, 1400-1850.Construction History, Vol 8, pp 3-20 |
|
medieval post-medieval |
|
|
Louw, H. |
1992 |
The mechanisation of architectural woodwork in Britain Part 1. The period c. 1790-c. 1860.Construction History, Vol 8, pp 21-55 |
|
joinery machinery windows doors skirting |
|
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Jackson, N. |
1992 |
Views with a room: taxation and the return of the bay window to the third rate speculative houses of mid nineteenth-century London. Construction History, Vol 8, pp 55-68 |
|
terraced rates rated tax taxation |
|
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Federov, S.G. |
1992 |
Matthew Clark and the origins of Russian structural engineering 1810-40s: an introductory biography. Construction History, Vol 8, pp 69-88 |
|
Russia Alexandrovskij St Petersburg Aleksandrinskij iron roofs theatre |
|
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Smith, S. |
2001 |
The design of structural ironwork 1850-1890: Education, Theory and Practice. Construction History, Vol 8, pp 89-108 |
|
specialisation McQuorne Rankine |
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Portman, D.R. |
2002 |
A business history of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Construction History, Vol 18, pp 3-20 |
|
Bristol gorge Smyth Brunel estimates funding speculative Hawkshaw Barlow |
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Hurst, L. |
2002 |
The properties and uses of Portland Cement. Construction History, Vol 18, pp 21-36 |
|
Roman creasing drainage sewers waterproof hydraulic Parker Smirke Smeaton masonry brickwork civil |
|
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Clarke, J. |
2002 |
Like a huge birdcage exhaled from the earth: Watson’s Esplanade Hotel, Mumbai (1867-71) and its place in Structural History. Construction History, Vol 18, pp 37-78 |
|
India Raj |
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Tappin, S. |
2002 |
The early use of reinforced concrete in India. Construction History, Vol 18, pp 79-98 |
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Vale, B., and Richmond, P. |
2002 |
The English at Point England. Construction History, Vol 18, pp 99-110. |
A study of the mass introduction of pre-fabricated timber houses to New Zealand in the mid 20th century |
pre-fabricated houses Australia Auckland kitset Simms Cooke import |
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Mainstone, R. |
2003 |
Saving the dome of St Peter’s. Construction History, Vol 19, pp 3-18 |
Study of 18th C structural repair of the dome of St Peter’s church at Rome |
Rome St Peter’s Bramante Vanvitelli eighteenth century Parere Poleni Riflessioni Aggiunta mathematicians |
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Louw, H. |
2005 |
The windows of perrault’s Observatory in Paris (1667-1683): the legacy of a proto-modern architectural inventor. Construction History, Vol 19, pp 19-46 |
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Yeomans, D. |
2005 |
Soane and Swiss bridges. Construction History, Vol 19, pp 47-64 |
|
Switzerland Shaffhausen Grubenmann Richenau Wettingen trestle arch Hangewerke Haengewerke trusses |
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Trout, E.A.R |
2005 |
Concrete Publications Ltd and its legacy to the concrete industry. Construction History, Vol 19, pp 65-86 |
One of several studies of the specialist publisher Concrete Publications Ltd |
Sachs Twentieth century Faber Childe |
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Gallo, E. |
2005 |
Skyscrapers and district heating, an inter-related history 1876-1933. Construction History, Vol 19, pp 87-106 |
Examines the inter-dependency of skyscrapers and ’district heating’ systems in America |
America US Birdsill Holly |
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Swenarton, M. |
2005 |
Rammed earth revival: technological innovation and government policy in Britain, 1905-1925. Construction History, Vol 19, pp 107-126 |
Study of the British government’s investigation of the economics and practicalities of using chalk as a building material for mass housing in the early 20th C. |
Amesbury Wiltshire chalk cob pise chalk and clay rammed earth |
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Guo, Quinghua |
2004 |
From tower to pagoda: structural and technological transition. Construction History, Vol 19, pp 3-20. |
|
Han Qing gua xie que lou ge Shouwen Jiezi Buddhism Yingzao fashi diantang tingtang pingzuo chanzhu zao chazhu zao |
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Campbell, J.W.P. |
2004 |
Nicholas Hawksmoor’s building notebook. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 21-44 |
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Brindle, S., and Tucker, M. |
2004 |
Brunel’s lost bridge: the rediscovery and salvage of the Bishops Road Canal Bridge, Paddington. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 45-70 |
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GWR |
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Portman, D.R. |
2004 |
Henry Marc Brunel - civil engineer. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 71-84 |
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Armstrong Brunel Channel tunnel Froude Wolfe Barry Tower Bridge |
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Alegre, A., and Heitor, T. |
2004 |
Flexibility in the first generation of reinforced concrete housing: a public housing estate in Lisbon. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 85-94 |
|
Portugal alvalade |
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Picon, A. |
2006 |
Construction History: between technological and cultural history. Construction History, Vol 21, pp 5-20 |
Historiographical essay |
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Saint, A. |
2006 |
Architect and engineer: a study in construction history. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 21-30 |
historiographical essay |
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Lorenz, W. |
2006 |
From stories to history, from history to histories: what can construction history do ? Construction History, Vol 20, pp 31-42 |
Historiographical essay |
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Clarke, J. |
2006 |
Cones, not domes: John Nash and regency structural innovation. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 43-64 |
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Rotunda artillery Carlton House Polygon room woolwich |
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Yeomans, D. |
2006 |
The behaviour of the structure. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 65-68 |
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Swenarton, M. |
2006 |
Breeze blocks and Bolshevism: housing policy and the origins of the Building Research Station 1917-21. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 69-80 |
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BRE BRS |
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Federov, S.G. |
2006 |
Construction History in the Soviet Union-Russia: 1930-2005 Emergence, Development and Disappearance of a technical discipline. Construction History, Vol 20, pp 81-99 |
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Hiskey, C. |
2007 |
Palladian and Practical: Country house technology at Holkham Hall. Construction History, Vol 22, pp 3-26 |
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services sanitation 18th C eighteenth laundry sewers drains heating kitchen lighting fire communications |
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Wells, J.C. |
2007 |
A history of structural hollow clay tile in the United States. Construction History, Vol 22, pp 27-46 |
|
fire-proof |
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Ramage, M. |
2007 |
Guastavino’s vault construction revisited. Construction History, Vol 22, pp 47-60 |
|
timbrel vaulting bovedas tabicadas shell |
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Harris, G. |
2007 |
Ove Arup and box frame construction. Construction History, Vol 22, pp 61-74. |
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Bullock, N. |
2007 |
You assemble a lorry, but you build a house. Noisy-le-sec and the French debate on industrial housing 1944-49. Construction History, Vol 22, pp 75-96 |
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MRU modernisation pre-fabrication AIROH |
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Jones, B., Sereni, A., and Ricci, M. |
2008 |
Building Brunelleschi’s dome: a practical methodology verified by experiment. Construction History, Vol 23 pp 3-30 |
Experimental archaeology examining how the dome was constructed without formwork |
Florence Duomo Fiore octagonal ribs herringbone bricks |
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Holzer, S. |
2008 |
Structural iron elements in German timber roofs (1600-1800). Construction History, Vol 23 pp 33-58 |
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Bullock, N. |
2008 |
20,000 dwellings a month for forty years: France’s industrialised housing sector in the 1950s. Construction History, Vol 23 pp 59-76 |
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Van de Voorde, S., and Meyer, R., |
2007 |
On the interface between architecture, engineering and technology. Two case studies in concrete construction in Belgium. Construction History, Vol 23 pp 77-98 |
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preflex beam Zuidertoren Sculpture House |
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Pepper, S. and Richmond, P. |
2008 |
Cottages, flats and reconditioning: renewal strategies in London after World War One. Construction History, Vol 23 pp 99-118 |
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LCC Tabard housing |
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Lancaster, L. |
2009 |
Terracotta vaulting tubes in Roman architecture: a case study of the interrelationship between technologies and trade in the Mediterranean. Construction History, Vol 24 pp 3-18 |
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Mainstone, R. |
2009 |
Brunelleschi’s dome revisited. Construction History, Vol 24 pp 19-30 |
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Gomez-Ferrer, M. |
2009 |
The origins of tile vaulting in Valencia. Construction History, Vol 24 pp 31-44 |
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Spain 16th C sixteenth vaulting |
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Osborne, R. |
2009 |
Cast iron windows in Anglican churches in England 1791-1840.Construction History, Vol 24 pp 45-62 |
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Anderson, J. |
2009 |
The operation of the early nineteenth century property market. Construction History, Vol 24 pp 63-82 |
The definitive article on how the speculative developments of London and other British cities was funded and executed. |
ground rents agreements leases market landowner developer contractor attorney investor funding investment lease building-lease monetization |
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Isaacs, N. |
2009 |
Nails in New Zealand 1770 to 1910. Construction History, Vol 24 pp 83-103 |
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Devos, R., and Flore, F., |
2009 |
Modern wood. De Coene at Expo 58. Construction History, Vol 24 pp 103-120 |
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Wenzel, F., |
2010 |
Investigations into the construction and repair history of the Hagia Sophia. Construction History, Vol 25, pp 1-20 |
|
Bauforschung geophysics radar tomography buildings archaeology Turkey |
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Sinopoli, A. |
2010 |
No tension behaviour and best shape of pseudo-vaults. Construction History, Vol 25, pp 21-52 |
analysis of the structural behaviour of prehistoric, medieval, renaissance and modern vaults in the mediterranean |
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Thom, C. |
2010 |
Fine veneers, army boots and tinfoil: new light on Marc Isambard Brunel’s activities in Battersea. Construction History, Vol 25, pp 53-68 |
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Leslie, T. |
2010 |
’Built mostly of itself’: The Chicago brick industry and the masonry skyscraper in the late 19th century. Construction History, Vol 25, pp 69-84 |
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Bowen, B. |
2010 |
The building of the British Westinghouse Electricv and manufacturing plant, Trafford Park, Manchester, 1901-2: an early example of transatlantic co-operation in construction management .Construction History, Vol 25, pp85-100 |
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Sutherland, J. |
2010 |
Revival of structural timber in Britain after 1945. Construction History, Vol 25, pp 101-114 |
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Deregibus, C., and Pugnale, A. |
2010 |
The church of Longuelo by Pino Pizzigoni: design and construction of an experimental structure. Construction History, Vol 25, pp 115-140 |
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Bertels, I. |
2011 |
Building contractors in late nineteenth century Belgium: from craftsmen to contractors. Construction History, Vol 26, pp 1-18 |
The search for the best contractor, from a qualitative and/or economic perspective, became a quest for several clients andn designers in the course of the nineteenth century. In 1879, Ernest Allard (1849-1898) formulated the frustrations of a broad group of architects in ’L’Emulation’, Belgium’s leading architectural periodical at that time, and complained about the standardisation of the building process and the many ’misinterpretations’ contractors made when putting their design into practice. Opposition forces defending the building contractors have limited presence within architectural historiography. This article examines, via the concept of professionalisation, elementary aspects, such as contractors’ professional juridical position, their search for appropriate applied training, and their professional networking and demonstrates how part of this specific group of builders, those who were active in public works, can be defined and evolved within the late 19th C Belgian context. The article shows how, within a dialetical process with related professions, including architects and engineers, contractors gradually obtained strictly defined positions and job responsibilities, but also their personal social and legal status, organisation and knowledge. For this growing group of contractors the 19th C became an important lynchpin between traditional organisations, namely guilds and trades and modern building organisation. |
contractorsd buildinging organisation technical education Belgium 19th century |
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Schoenefeldt, H. |
2011 |
The use of scientific experimentation in developing the glazing of the Palm House at Kew. Construction History, Vol 26, pp 19-40 |
This paper investigates the role of scientific experimentation in the design development of the Palm House at the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, designed and constructed in 1844-48. It focuses on the cross-disciplinary design process underlying development of a special light-filtering glass that was adopted for protecting the tropical plants from the solar radiation transmitted by the highly transparent glass skin. To validate the performance of the glass, the design team was not only dependent on the study of the optical and chemical properties of the glass, but also relied on scientific research into the effect of natural light on the physiology of plants. Kew commissioned the scientist Robert Hunt to conduct a series of scientific experiments, first to specify the right tint and to assist the glass manufacturer in producing a glass with the required properties. The final section discusses the performance history of the glazing as a solar control strategy. |
Glass, lighting, Palm House, botanic gardens, internal envuironment, experimentation. |
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Morice, P. |
2011 |
A sketch of Wexham Springs history: the early years of the Cement and Concrete Association, 1948-58. Construction History, Vol 26, pp 41-55 |
The paper records the early history of Wexham Springs, the research station of the Cement and Concrete Association. The author was the Head of the Structures Department from 1948during its first ten years, when topics of particualr interest were pre-stressed concrete and shell roofs. Residential training courses on pre-stressing for professional engineers were introduced in `1950 as part of the Research Station’s responsibilities. The paper is necessarily biased towards the structures aspect of the research station’s activities. |
concrete researc, pre-stressed concrete, prestressed concrete, structural engineering, stuctural models, bridge tests. |
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Guillerme, A. |
2011 |
Enclosing nature in the City: supplying light and water to Paris 1770-1840. Construction History, Vol 26, pp 79-94 |
Between 1770 and 1840, there was a new emphasis on material comfort in the life of France’s growing middle classes, provided in urban areas by innovation in heating, lighting and water supply. Old techniques were greatly improved by the application of science and the development of new technologies that reduced the need for human work and energy consumption. These technologies also gave birth to new crafts and new industries. For the first time, metal piping was used extensively beneath the public realm of the city, the rapidly developing streets and squares of Paris. The novel ability to transport liquids, through what civil engineers came to define as the new applied science of the network, began the liberation of the city from its old dependence on the natural environment. |
Paris, 18th century, 19th century, heating, lighting, potable water, drainage, sewers, public utilities, networks. |
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Tain-Guzman, M., Alonso-Rodriguez, M., Calvo-Lopez |
2012 |
Stonecutters’ literature and construction practice in Early Modern Gothic: the tracings for a rib vault at the Cathedral of Tui in Galicia. Construction History, Vol 27, pp 1-22 |
According to the manuscript of Rodrigo Gil de Hontanon, written about 1550, late Gothic builders used full-size traci8ngs o9f rib vaults in order to control the placement of the voussoirs of these vaults. No 16th C tracing for a rib vault has been preserved in the Iberian Peninsula, as far as we know; however, a tracing is preserved on the floor of Saint Catherine’s Chapel in Tui cathedral, resembling closely the rib vaults in the cathedral’s sacristy. The chapel underwent a thorough renovatuion between 1707 and `1710; thus, ther tracing was, quite probably prepared in connection with the refurbishment of the Sacristy vaults in 1709. Building on surveys odf the tracing tha vaults, the authors discuss the degree of coincidence between the tracing and the vaults and other issues such as functional, non-representative character of these tracings and the subtle difference s i napproach between treatises or manuscripts and actual building practice. |
rib vaulting, tracing, building construction, stereotomy, stonecutting. |
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Lewis, M. |
2012 |
Iron lighthouses. Construction History, Vol 27, pp 23-64 |
Iron lighthouse construction in the 19th C is interesting, both for the logistical and engineering issues involved, and as a specialised field of prefabrication. It involves some of the major prefabricators of the period , though it does not involve mass-production. Two main forms of lighthouse can be distinguished -openwork and solid trunk- together with numerous hybrids. Experimental examples were built in Britain, after which an expoprt trade developed and Britain dominated the international market. The US imported some British lighthouses before developing its own manufacturing and exporting capabilities. By the end of the 19th C most countries that had been major importers had begun to manufacture their own, and the early 20th C the iron solid trunk lighthouse had given way entirely to the concrete version. |
lighthouse, beacon, prefabrication, cast iron, wrought iron, nineteenth century. |
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Mandel, M. and Orro, O. |
2012 |
The marvellous reinforced concrete shells of Tallinn seaplane hangars in the context of early concerete architecture in Estonia. Construction History, Vol 27, pp 65-86 |
The reinforced-concrete sheell roof of the seaplane hangars at Tallinn designed and built in 1916-17 by the Danish company Christiani & Nielsen, is the most outstanding and famous early reinforced-concrete structure in Estonia, and is worthy of international recognition. The structure was outstanding in its time, due to both its geometry and the method of design calculations used. For many years the building was abandoned and almost forgotten, but after successful renovation and re-opening as a museum in 2011, it has gained much attention from a wider audience. The paper presents a detailed review of its design and construction process, and also provides some observations about its more recent history, reputation and renovation. The hangars are put into a wider context by introducing some other early Russian military concrete constructions in Estonia, as well as their place in local history of reinfo9rced concrete in general, especially other works by C&N. |
reinforced concrete, shell structure, military architecture, estonia, Christiani & Nielsen, 20th Century |
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Moe, K. |
2012 |
Insulating North America. Construction History, Vol 27, pp 87-106 |
The insights and oversights evident in the development of insulation in North America have had a profound impact on the practices, pedagogies and performance of modern buildings in that country. From the earliest scientific observations to contemporary energy codes, this paper discusses the roles of the respective agents inherent in the technological momentum of modern insulation practices: architects, engineers, scientists, marketing and consumers. Central to this discussion is the undue historical preoccupation with certain modes of energy at the price of others: namely as preoccupation with conduction, as measured by the thermal resistance - or R-value- of a material (used in the USA) or its reciprocal (under certain circumstances) the conductivity of the material, or U-value (used in the UK). On account of this preoccupation, North American insulation theories and practices themselves became insulated from a range of adjacent possibilities and, at times, even from the full understanding of heat transfer in buildings. The assumptions embedded in this narrative of technological momentum continued 0 largely unquestioned- into ther 21st C as manifest in bureaucratic standards, codes, and checklists that frequently characterize the tiopic of building performance. In this way, insulation is positioned in this text as anything but a neutralizing and isolating component in a building envelope. Rather, insulation became a highly active physical, conceptual and historical agent in the habits of 20th C building design and its associated construction practices. |
insulation, modernism, conductivity, diffusivity, builsding performance, USA |
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Urbano-Gutierrez, R. |
2012 |
Pierre, revoir tout le systeme fenetres: Corbusier and the development of glazing and air-conditioning technolkogy with the Mur Neutralisant (1928-33). Construction History, Vol 27, pp 107-129 |
Le Corbusier (1887-1965) became involved in the creation of a good number of artefacts throughout his career, many of them patented and developed in collaboration with the building industry. His ’mur neutralisant’ (1928) formed part of an extensive set of emergent propositions to integrate systems of artificial climate into architectural components. The invention as an early prototype of a double-skin facade which included an air-conditioning circuit to improve comfort and energy efficiency thanks to an optimised insulating performance. The system envisioned in any material, but it was the version that included a double-skin facade that became instrumental in backing up one of his most important design elements, le pan de verre (glass curtain wall). Reference to this invention repeatedly focus on a limited number of facts, providing only a partial understanding of its physical definition, performance and developmental context. In order to provide a holistic understanding of the concept of the mur neutrilisant, this paper follows its development as well as th ekey role this element played in some of his most celebrated buildings of that period. |
Le Corbusier, mur neutrilisant, respiration exacte, double-skin facades, air-conditioning. |
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Marino, G. |
2012 |
Steel, aluminium, plastic: the ’unbearable lightness’ of architectural modernity. The Centrale d’Allocations Familiales building of the XVth Arrondissement in Pars (1953-1959). Construction History, Vol 27, pp129-152 |
The Caisse Centrale d’Allocations Familiales de la Region Parisiene (CCAFRP or CAF) was built between 1953 and 1959 as regional headquarters of a new post-war agency, the Central Fund for Family Allowance. Designed by French architects Raymond Lopez (1904-1966) and Michel Holley (b. 1924), it was a work of enlightened modernity, in which the architects broke new ground i terms of urban concept, structural design, engineering and specification. A spectacular steel frame supported facades of tubular aluminium sections, with translucent panels of reinforced polyester infill. The CAF would be the talk of the town , hailed by the press as a ’world first’ in its assertive, not to say militant deployment of the most innovative technical and constructional solutions. One can argue that in the CAF, technical innovation was more than just the guiding principle of the design - that it became in effect the essence of a truyly new paradigm in modern architecture |
Technical innovation, France, 1950s, steel frame, curtain wall, reinforced plastics, Raymond Lopez. |
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Heinzelmann, D., Heinzelmann, M., & Lorenz, W. |
2018 |
The metal roof truss of the Pantheon’s portico in Rome - 152 tonnes of bronze. Construction History, Vol 33 No 2, pp 1-22 |
By order of Pope Urban VIII in 1625, the ancient bronze roof structure over the portico of the Pantheon in Rome was demolished and melted down for canons. So, after 1,500 years, this remarkable witness to Roman engineering, and the only known example of a completely metal structure built prior to the modern age, disappeared. An interdisciplinary research team is now reconstructing this extraordinary roof structure and how it fits into the history of the Pantheon’s construction. They have collected all the relevant sources and findings: drawings and writings of earlier architects, archival documents, describing the weight and form of the bronze removed from the roof, the only remaining rivet in the Antikensammlung Berlin and, very importantly, the survey of the Pantheon itself, which reveals traces of the original roof structure. Structural calculations, copies of original castings and tensile/shear tests verify the archaeological reconstruction. Furthermore, the rebuilding of one joint at full size enabled important conclusions to be drawn regarding the jointing method. Owing to this project, it can be presumed that Roman engineers built a 152 tonne roof structure entirely in bronze long before the first iron structures of the industrial age. |
Rome, Pantheon, metal truss, roof structure, bronze, rivet, Borromini, 2nd century CE |
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Markley, S. |
2018 |
The ’Unseen Seen’- earth mortared stone construction, a re-illuminated historic construction technique in Britain. Construction History, Vol. 33 No.2, pp 23-42 |
Earth mortars, and significantly, earth mortared stone construction has largely been overlooked in the archaeological and historic building record in the UK and Ireland to date. The use of earth mortared stone construction is proven in primary building accounts in England dating to the later medieval period. Wider research across Britain and Ireland has shown that it represents a vernacular building technique present from prehistory to the post-medieval period. It is noted in high and low status buildings and it is evident in all building categories such as ecclesiastical, domestic, agricultural, defensive, industrial, infrastructural and public. However, the descriptive terms used in the recording of earth mortar in published and unpublished literature in Ireland and Britain, negatively portrays it presence, indicating its poor acceptance, interpretation and recognition. This factor is persistently hindering its understanding as a durable material of construction and masking its wider acknowledgement as a historic construction technique in resulting building interpretations. This paper highlights the use of negative terminologies characterising the use of earth mortars in stone construction in Britain, which has resulted in its presence being overlooked and alternative methods of construction being prescribed. This has resulted in the consistent lack of recognition of earth mortared stone construction as a ubiquitouos and significant historic building technique. This paper demonstrates that earth, much like lime, was equally used as a mortar in stone construction through history. |
Earth mortar, stone construction, building technique, prehistory, medieval |
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Thorne, R. |
2018 |
The rebuilding of the Crystal Palace 1851-54: Permanent and better ?. Construction History, Vol. 33 No.2, pp 43-62 |
The rebuilding of the Crystal Palace in south London gave the team headed by Joseph Paxton the opportunity to turn a temporary exhibition building into a permanent work of architecture. Although a large number of component parts from the original building were reused, the design was re-thought for a new kind of multiple use. Structurally it was just as innovative as its predecessor, especially in the design of its arched transepts and nave. The rebuilding was fraught with difficulties and far outran the first cost estimates. Building accidents during the works showed that aspects of the design had overstepped the limits of contemporary engineering knowledge. Ultimately it was not as influential in architectural terms as some had hoped, but it advanced construction thinking in ways that had not been foreseen. |
Building failure, building, regulation, Crystal palace, indeterminate structures, iron roofs, prefabrication, temporary works. |
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Coomans, T. |
2018 |
East meets West on the construction site. Churches in China, 1840s-1930s. Construction History, Vol. 33 No.2, pp 63-84 |
The construction of missionary churches in China in the 1840s-1930s was in many cases the first encounter between two great and completely different building systems: the Chinese and the European. Architectural transfers of forms and technical knowledge happened on the construction sites and resulted in a creative variety of more or less hybridised buildings and styles. This original contribution to the process of modernisation of architecture and construction in China is an important, yet still unrecognised, moment, both in mission history and global architectural history. This article considers the construction site as a ’laboratory’ and focuses on the role of mediators (architects, missionary builders, Chinese middlemen, contractors, craftsmen, etc.) and the process of hybridisation or translation of terminologies, forms, techniques etc. Who were the missionary builders? What were their networks ?n How did they perceive Chinese workers ? How were Western styles transplanted to China. What were the differences between construction works in foreign concession territories, big cities, small cities and the countryside? Furthermore, the article contextualises the three phases of the evolution of church building - 1840s to 1900, 1900 to 1920, 1920s to 1930s - in relation to the transformation of the Chinese society on the path to modernity. |
China, christian missions, chu7rches, construyction works, cross-cultural transfer of knowledge, hybridisation, missionary architects and brother-builders, 19th C |
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Iori, T., and Poretti, S. |
2018 |
The rise and decline of the Italian school of engineering. Construction History, Vol. 33 No.2, pp 85-108 |
This paper tells the story behind the origin, rise and sudden disappearance of the Italian school of engineering in the 20th C. It was not an academic institution, but a movement that produced an extraordinary heritage of big structures. It was a golden age: by the mid Sixties, Italian structural engineering was recognised as one of the most prestigious in the world. However, just after the economic miracle, the school suddenly ceased to exist, and it has been completely forgotten, even by historiography. Some of the leading figures are well-known - Per Luigi Nervi, Riccardo Morandi and Sergio Musmeci - but the school was the result of a more complex adventure undertaken by two generations of scientist, designers, contractors and builders. The SIXXI research (XX Century Structural Engineering: the Italian Contribution) funded by a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant, was developed with the aim of tracing and telling that story to engineers, architects and everyone. In the paper, the story is presented as a two-voice story: the first narrative voice tells about events, individual works, construction sites, significant episodes. The second voice (in italics) connects them to the unfolding of the entire affair. The text is dedicated to the 43 victims of the collapse of the bridge over the Polcevera in Genoa on 14th August 2018. |
SIXXI, history of structural engineering, 20th C, Italy |
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Harrer, A. |
2018 |
Simplicity and sophistication: the fan-shaped bracketing of the Temple of the Two Transcendents in Xiaohui and the Monastery of Exalted Happiness in Shuozhou (11th and 12th century). Construction History Vol.33 No.1, pp1-26 |
The paper explores the practical solutions provided by a highly idiosyncratic type pf bracket-block clusters known as a ’fan-shaped bracket set’ from the central Chinese province of Shanxi where timber technology and craftsmanship became a symbolic means of expression. The simplicity and sophistication in design, as exemplified by the two case study buildings, reflect an architectural tradition that is governed by rituals and rules of propriety and creates a spectrum of shapes in response to social status and genius loci. Using the principle of the ’unity of opposites’ - the non-duality of plain beauty and striking beauty - proves helpful in explaining the message hidden within the timber construction of both main halls. If stripped of their distinct local qualities, a still-popular regional construction technique with bracket-arms projecting not only at 90 degress but also at 45 degrees to the wall plane reveals itself as having evolved beyond political boundaries and written rules such that its design exhibits flexibility and and individual artistic expression. |
bracket set, dougong, fan-shape, angular design, carpentry, shanxi province, imperial China, rituals, adaptability |
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Monteiro Genin, S. |
2018 |
Form, design and construction of ribbed vaults. Joao de Castilho’s innovations in the Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon (1470-1552). Construction History, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp 27-48 |
The vaults of the Jeronimos Monastery church in Lisbon are a remarkable example of late Gothic architecture. Their span and continuous form achieve the goal of spatial unity sought after across Europe at the time. A single barrel vault covers the nave and the side aisles, while the transept is the largest built at the time. No other simialr vaults could be found (by the author ?) amongst about a thousand European vaults. This paper stems from PhD research (Genin, S. 2014) and concerns the issue of form: how was form created, acknowledging that it draws directly from principles for its design and construction. Shaping a unified vault with a single curved rib ridge line and central figure is Castilho’s (c. 1470-1552) most remarkable innovation. The span of the vault is broadened through the use of ’compound ribs’, a new typology created in this research. The author observed the methods used at the time to understand Joao de Castilho’s vault design, and put forward design and construction hypotheses for each type of vault. This method demonstrates that it was possible to build vaults without preliminary drawings, using multiple, standardised ribs. The only requirement was to follow a sequence to position the centrings, using Rodrigo Gil de Hontanon’s method. |
Ribbed vaults, form, design and construction, Joao de Castilho, Rodrigo Gil de Hontanon, Santa Maria de Belem church, Jeronimos Monastery, Portugal, Europe, Manueline, Late Gothic, 16th century. |
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Pinto, S.M.G. |
2018 |
Behaviours and procedures used by construction agents of ordinary buildings in Portugal during the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period: rules, regulations and controls. Construction History, Vol 33 No. 1, pp 49-68 |
This construction agents considered are developers, builders and supervisors, that is, respectively, property owners, master masons and carpenters, and municipal and guild officials responsible for verifying and supervising the construction activity. It focuses on the builders’ hiring types; on the regulations established by supervisors for the builders’ activity in terms of price-fixing for services and building materials, and ih access to the profession; on the supervisors control during construction according to the legal norms defined by municipal ordinances and guild regulations; and on the administrative procedures established by the supervisors for the aforementioned control to be fulfilled by developers and builders. For this purpose, a set of documentary sources from several towns and institutions are used. |
Portugal, hiring, ordinance, municipal, rules, regulations, controls, developers, builders, supervisors, late Middle Ages, Early Modern |
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Drioueche-Djaalali, N.K., and Chabbi-Chemrouk, N. |
2017 |
Traditional construction techniques of domes in the Kasbah of Algiers (1500-1800), Construction History, Vol. 32 No.2, pp 1-18. |
Examines the traditional construction techniques used in the Kasbah of Algiers and specifically those used in the Ottoman period. A computer model was used to analyse these traditional structures and identify their critical sections. The analysis demonstrates the ingenuity and intelligence of the dome builders, who were constantly searching for new, more efficient solutions. The design and construction of the domes was improved over several periods. |
Algerian, Algeria, Kasbah, cupolas, computer modelling, sustainable construction, traditional construction processes, knowledge transfer, Ottoman period, 16th -19th century. |
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Dobbels, J., Bertels, I., and Wouters, I. |
2017 |
The general contractor, the architect and the engineer. The contractors’ path to become professional building practitioners in Belgium (1870-1960), Construction History, Vol. 32 No. 2, pp19-38. |
The paper analyses four general contractors’ periodicals in order to sketch the professionalisation of Belgian general contractors claiming their new position as organisers and executors of construction and their interprofessional interaction with architects and engineers. The content and context of the periodicals is described and they are placed within the broad international research context of contemporaneous construction related periodicals. It becomes clear that it took a very long time to capture the gradual shift of tasks legally. The slow adaptation of the legislative context gave rise to many conflicts about job responsibilities, but collaborative actions were undertaken by the joint arbitration committees for construction related disputes. This allows us to conclude that the main agency of resolution was conversation. |
General contractors, Belgium, nineteenth and twentieth centuries, professionalisation, professional periodicals interprofessional relationships. |
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Trout, A.R. |
2017 |
Concrete Air Raid Shelters, 1935-1941: A study of the British cement industry’s influence on public policy. Construction History, Vol, 32 No. 2, pp83-108 |
The paper assesses the British cement industry’s intervention in just one aspect of the UK’s preparations for war, one that combined commercial self-interest with an impressive contribution to the collective war effort. Founded in 1935, the Cement & Concrete Association was quick to identify air raid protection as a matter of national importance in which its members could have a beneficial interest and, as the Abyssinian Crisis and Spanish Civil War unfolded, undertook a huge publicity campaign combined with concerted efforts to influence public policy. Exploring foreign precedents, the association turned to developing designs for air raid shelters, and technical training for the authorities charged with their installation. Then in 1939 the cement industry placed the resources of its Association at the government’s disposal for the duration.Engineering also took up the advocacy of concrete shelters, published guidance and reported on uptake. By 1940 Britain was better prepared for the Blitz than would have been the case had the task been left to wavering government, and these early efforts to harness the cement industry to defence purposes honed its ability to deliver aerodromes, hutted camps and Mulbery Harbours later in the war. |
Bombs, shelters, war, cement, concrete, association, policy, air raid precautions, ARP, Britain, Second World War. WW2 |
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Coleman, T. |
1968 |
The Railway Navvies |
The definitive non-academic study of the working lives of the labourers who constructed the railway systems of Britain, Europe and the British Empire during the 19th century. Based on thorough analysis of primary and secondary sources and extremely well-written, it explains construction practices, contract practices, safety and welfare provision, women’s lives, the ’truck’ system and the relationship between sponsors, politicians, professionals, contractors, sub-contractors, gangers, labourers and the communities they affected. It has an excellent bibliography. |
Britain, Canada, Australia, France, railway, navvie, navvy, labourer, contractor, sub-contractor, ganger, truck, excavator, Brassey, Peto, Brunel, Locke |
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Berg, T., and Berg, P. |
2001 |
R. R. Angerstein’s Illustrated Travel Diary, 1753-1755: Industry in England and Wales from a Swedish perspective. |
Angerstein’s tour through Britain in the middle of the 18th century was industrial espionage undertaken to ascertain the threat of newly industrialised Britain to the established iron and steel industry of Sweden. Nonetheless, he described and made drawings of most of the industries he encountered, as well as the transport infrastructure, including those concerned with the extraction and production of construction materials. The drawings are excellent explanations of, for instance, how quarrying was undertaken, lime produced or tin smelted. This is an invaluable source for all industrial archaeologists and construction historians studying the 18th century |
Sweden, Britain, industry, quarrying, stone, eighteenth, machines |
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Ibarra-Sevilla, B |
2013 |
The first ribbed vaults in America: craft skills & construction processes of indigenous people in the Mixtec region of Southern Mexico |
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’Blockker, L. E., and Knight, H. A. |
2013 |
Louisiana Bousillage : The migration & Evolution of a French Building Technique in North America. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 1 pp 27-48 |
Using field study, archival research, interviews with living practitioners and petrographic analysis, the authors dispell some common misconceptions about the tempered earth wall infill construction technique in America known as bousillage. The paper illuminates the full extent of the technique in North America and the manner in which it was made in Louisiana |
bousillage wattle daub Acadian Creole earthen earth |
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Obrien, Michael, J. |
2013 |
Load-bearing, single wall construction from shanties to Structural Insulated Panels. Construction History Vol 28 No. 1 pp 49-64 |
The paper explains the single-wall timber construction technique used throughout North America from the 17th C to the 20th C, in comparison to the better-documented ’balloon frame’ technique, using surviving examples, anecdotal evidence and recorded anthropological data, and attempts a comparison with Lloyd-Wrights Usonian wall and contemporary Structural Insulated Panel |
single-wall, box, board, USA, America, vernacular, shanty, self-help, boomtown, 19th |
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’Sachs, A. and Stuth, T. A., |
2013 |
Innovation and Tradition:Eighty years of Housing Construction in Southern Appalachia. Construction History Vol 28 No. 1 pp 65-82 |
The paper charts the history of advances in house construction in Southern Appalachia (USA), beginning with the Tennessee Valley Authority’s 1930s ’Norris House’ and wartime experimentation with demountable and ’truckable’ trailer housing, the post-war struggles to develop a pre-fabricated house industry and their resolution in the 1970s, and concluding with a current experimental project: the New Norris House. The study demonstrates several ways in which research and experimental projects have advanced and enhanced the construction of good, affordable houses. At the centre of the study is a recurring problem in house construction: the need to balance innovation and tradition - between technical improvements and construction processes on the one hand and the social and aesthetic value of regional and site-specific customization. |
Pre-fabrication prefabrication Tennessee Valley Authority USA prototypes, Norris 1930s 20th |
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’Kisacky, Jeanne’. |
2013 |
Germs are in the details: Aseptic Design and general contractors at the Lying-in Hospital of the City of New York, 1897-1901. Construction History Vol 28 No. 1 pp 83-106 |
At a time when low-rise, decentralised, pavilion-ward standards-dominated hospital designs as a means of environmentally reducing internal cross-infections, the new building of the Lying-In Hospital of City of New York was a skyscraper. To prevent cross-infections in this non-standard structure, the doctors relied on ’aseptic’ design - devoid of materials, details and spatial interactions that could hide, shelter or transfer germs. Building construction was protracted and contentious, suffering from rising prices, materials shortages, labour difficulties and contractor disputes. The client and contractor debated whether construction that was not up to ’aseptic’ standards was the result of not working to specification or expecting the impossible. In the end, the complex requirements of aseptic design supported the development of specialisation in the design professions and building trades. |
hospital design, specialisation specialization lying-in New York urban USA |
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Campos,C. F., and Penido de Rezende, M. A., ’ |
2013 |
History of the use and production of cement tiles in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Construction History Vol 28 No. 1 pp 107-120 |
Cement tiles for floor and wall finishes, made using traditional craft skills of Italian immigrants, were widely used in buildings in Brazil from the early 20th C to the 1960s when cement tiles were replaced with mass-produced ceramic products. |
cement tiles Belo Horizonte Brazil 20th |
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McBride, E. G. |
2013 |
The changing role of the Architect in the United States Construction Industry 1870-1913. Construction History Vol 28 No. 1 pp 121-140 |
The paper examines and discusses the changes to the working practices of Chicago and New York architects after the 1871 Chicago fire, to meet the unprecedented demands of developers and general contractors,particularly with respect to the need for increased floor space and create modern architectural engineering and the new approach to design and procurement that we know today. |
USA 19th architectural-engineering genera- contractor Chicago Cass Gilbert New York |
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Siry, J. M. |
2013 |
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Innovative approach to environmental control in his buildings for the S. C. Johnson Company. Construction History Vol 28 No. 1 pp 141 - 164 |
The paper assesses Frank Lloyd-Wrights designs for heating, cooling, humidification and ventilation of mther S C Johnson Company Administration Building (1936-39) and Research Tower (1943-50) in Racine, Wisconsin. As a variation on the then novel idea of the ’windowless office building’ the Admin Building features, inter alia, heating with low-pressure steam pipes under the concrete floor, and independent control of different zones, synchronized with the sun’s movements. Wright achieved a high level of integration in which novel mechanical systems were intrinsic to the architecture of the building and its spatial, visual and structural forms. However the building proved to be expensive and, while many of the innovations were successful, others needed remediation. |
Frak Lloyd Wright, Johnson Wax, HVAC, windowless, environmental controls, services, utilities, Wisconsin, USA |
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Sprague, T. S. |
2013 |
"Beauty, Versatility, Practicality" : The rise of Hyperbolic Paraboloids in post war America (1950-1962). Construction History Vol 28 No. 1 pp 165-184 |
The paper reviews the people and buildings that influenced the adoption and spread of hyperbolic paraboloid structures in the USA after 1950. |
hyperbolic paraboloid aluminium plywood concrete formwork USA 1950s |
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Burchardt, J. |
2014 |
Danske veje på Guldkysten. Da trnasport udførtes af bærere på små stier |
Danish roads on the Gold Coast. When transport was on shoulders of people on small paths. The tsetse-fly killed potential draft animals. The infrastructure was selfgrown paths.
1600-1925 |
paths, transport, Gold Coast, Ghana, |
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Summerson, John |
1985 |
What is the history of construction? Construction History, Vol 1, pp.1-2. |
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Hinchcliffe, T.F.M. |
1985 |
In pursuit of construction history: historical material held by building firms. Construction History, Vol.1, pp.6-12. |
An analysis of the challenges facing historians of small building firms, based on a project funded by the NFBTE in 1976. Identifies the most-promising companies, in terms of archives held, and summarises the contents of their archives. . |
Britain, 18th, 18th, 20th, Anelay, Holland & Hannen, Cubitt, Corben, Moss, Trollope & Colls |
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Powell, C.G. |
1985 |
Case studies and lost tribes: the Bristol firm of James Diment and Stephens, Bastow & Co. Construction History, Vol 1, pp.25-35. |
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Donnelly, T. |
1985 |
Structure, technology and demand in the Aberdeen granite quarrying industry, 1880-1914. Construction History, Vol 1, pp.36-51. |
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Finnimore, Brian. |
1985 |
The A.I.R.O.H. house: industrial diversification and state building policy. Construction History, Vol.1, pp.60-71. |
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Rodger, Richard. |
1986 |
Structural instability in the Scottish building industry 1820-80. Construction History, Vol 2, pp.48-60. |
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Davison, Kate. |
1986 |
Sources for the construction history of the Second World War. Construction History, Vol 2, pp.76-79. |
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I. Stoyanova |
2016 |
’The Roof of the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan: Reconstructing the Original Building Technology’ pp. 277 294 in J. W. P. Campbell, N. Bill, M. Driver, M. Heaton, Y. Pan, M. Tutton , Chr. Wall and D. Yeomans, (Eds), Further Studies in the History of Construction: Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society |
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Roof, Gallery, Milan, Building technology, 19th century |
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I. Stoyanova |
2017 |
’Disappearing Tobacco Warehouses in Plovdiv: Building Technology and an Important Legacy’ pp. 399-414 in J. W. P. Campbell, N. Baker, M. Driver, M. Heaton, Y. Pan, T. Rosoman, M. Tutton and D. Yeomans, (Eds), Building Histories. The Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society. |
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Tobacco, Warehouses, Plovdiv, Building technology, 20th century |
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I. Stoyanova |
2018 |
’Scaffolds for the Iron and Glass Roof o f Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan: challenges, design and evolution’ pp.369-378 in J. W. P. Campbell, N. Baker, A. Boyington, M. Driver, M. Heaton, Y. Pan, H. Schoenefeldt, M. Tutton and D. Yeomans, Studies in the History of Service and Construction. The Proceedings of the Fifth Conference of the CHS |
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Scaffolds, Iron, Glass, Vittorio Emanuele, Milan |
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I. Stoyanova |
2019 |
’Comparing Plovdiv and Greek Tobacco Warehouses: Comprehending a Historic Local Construction Type’ pp.673-688 in J. W. P. Campbell, N. Baker, M. Driver, M. Heaton, S. Kuban, M. Tutton, Chr. Wall and D. Yeomans, (Eds), Water, Doors and Buildings. Studies in the History of Construction. The Proceedings of the Sixth Conference of the CHS |
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Tobacco, Warehouses, Plovdiv, Greece, 20th century, Construction type |
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I. Stoyanova |
2018 |
’At the Intersection of Foreign Building Know How: Plovdiv in the Early Twentieth Century’ pp.1255-1262 in I. Wouters,S. Van de Voorde, I. Bertels, B. Espion, K. De Jonge, D. Zastavni, (Eds), Building Knowledge, Constructing Histories. The Proceedings of the 6th International Congress on Construction History, Vol.2. |
This paper suggests a new perspective on twentieth-century Plovdiv, Bulgaria, as a crossroads of foreign construction know-how. The paper discusses three notable yet insufficiently studied buildings: the railway station (1905-08), Excelsior cinema (1911-12) and tobacco warehouses (1912-28). First, using archival and historical literature, it seeks to understand the protagonists behind the design and construction of the station building. This research was augmented with onsite investigations of building materials and techniques. Next, the paper discusses the construction technology of the cinema. Then, it adds to an understanding of the local warehouse building type through a comparative analysis of several case studies. This paper unveils traces of foreign influence in all three by comparing their features with buildings described in foreign nineteenth-century technical manuals. The paper extends the little existing knowledge on the three examples
and suggests the ways through which building know-how flowed into Plovdiv. |
Plovdiv, 20th century, Railway station, Excelsior cinema, Tobacco warehouses |
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Lorenz, W. and Kurrer, K.E. |
2018 |
Construction History in Germany. In: Antonio Becchi et al: L’Histoire de la construction / Construction History. Vol. 1, pp.195-246. |
ABSTRACT – The recent establishment (2013) of a German association dedicated to the history of construction represents an important step. Even if the contours of the field are relatively well-defined, two differences make them unique. Germans position themselves in relation to the old theory/practice debate and four themes are dominant: structural engineering, architecture, cultural heritage preservation, and archeology. The history of construction is now established among the scientific community. |
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Lorenz, W., Kosykh, A., Frommelt, K. |
2018 |
The roof of the Marble Palace in Saint-Petersburg: A structural iron ensemble from the 1770s.
In: Wouters, I. et al (Ed.), Building Knowledge, Constructing Histories. Proceedings of the Sixth International Congress on Construction History, pp. 809–817. |
It is one of the classic narratives in construction history that the first load-bearing iron frames were erected in France in the late eighteenth century. However, early iron roof structures were already built in Russia several decades before. As part of a larger study of these virtually unknown iron structures, the paper focuses on the wrought-iron roof truss of the Marble Palace in Saint-Petersburg. Covering an area of approximately 4000 m2, it was assembled in the 1770s. Designed on the basis of patterns used for traditional timber roofs, and assembled during this “Golden Age” of Russian metallurgy, the structure is a unique example testifying to the high level of the builders’ craftsmanship. Based on comprehensive investigations, supplemented with material testing and structural calculations, this paper describes and assesses the iron roof of the Marble Palace as one of the first steps in developing the “language of construction” of building with iron and steel. |
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Lorenz, W., Kosykh, A., Frommelt, K. |
2017 |
Steel viaduct refurbishment inspired by the original structure and its history.
In: Pelke, E.; Brühwiler, H. (eds.): Engineering History and Heritage Structures – Viewpoints and Approaches. Structural Engineering Documents 15. pp.173-178. |
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Lorenz, W. Luong, M.; Rohrmann, R.G.; Zabel, V. |
2017 |
Finite Element Model Calibration of a Historic Wiegmann–Polonceau Truss Based on Experimental Modal Parameters.
In: Conte, P. et al. (eds.): Experimental Vibration Analysis for Civil Structures. Testing, Sensing, Monitoring, and Control. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering 5. pp. 212-224. |
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Lorenz, W. and Heres, B. |
2015 |
The Demidov Ironworks In Nevyansk (Ural Mountains) – Iron Structures In Building From The First Half Of The 18th Century.
In: Bowen, B. et al. (eds.): Proceedings of the 5th International Congress on Construction History, Chicago, June 3-7, 2015,
vol.2, pp.505-517. ISBN |
Although the use of single wrought or cast iron structural elements such as tie rods, plates or columns goes back to the ancient world and became more and more common in the 17th and 18th centuries, the roof structures erected in Paris at the Théâtre Francais (1786–90) and the Salon Carré du Louvre (1789) are commonly regarded as the first examples of complete iron roof trusses in the history of construction. However, an earlier, larger application of an iron truss has been found in Russia dating from the first half of the 18th century. Considering the dominant role of Russian iron production in the 18th century, this is hardly surprising. The “golden age of Russian iron” goes back to the strategic decision of Peter the Great, at the end of the 17th century, to push forward the foundation of iron-making plants in connection with pre-industrial “works towns” in the Ural Mountains. Within a few decades, the Urals became the centre of Russian iron production, with plants often equipped with larger and better tools and machinery than in Europe. Nevyansk, 90 km north of Yekaterinburg, was the first of these new plant towns. Founded by the state in 1699 but transferred into private hands (Nikita Demidov) in 1702, Nevyansk, the “grandfather of the Ural plant towns”, became one of the most important factories – not only in the Urals, but also in Europe in terms of both the quantity and quality of the metal produced.
From the structural point of view, the 58 m high “Leaning Tower” of Nevyansk and its porch are of central interest. Work on these began in 1722 and they are still standing today. Whereas the tower contains an impressive array of cast and wrought iron elements, including composite girders made of both materials, the porch is covered by a delicate roof truss built entirely of wrought iron; it spans about 9 m and reaches a height of 7.50 m. This essay analyses these iron structures in the context of the iron industry in the Urals in the 18th century. |
Russian iron industry, bloomery iron, cast iron, reinforced cast beam, iron roof truss |
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Lorenz, W. and May, R. |
2012 |
CH.ESS: European Summer Schools on Construction History.
In: Carvais, R. et al. (eds.): Nuts & Bolts of Construction History. Proceedings of the 4th International Congress on Construction History, Paris, July 3-7, 2012, vol.1, pp.105-112. |
The lack of degree programmes in construction history motivated a group of scholars to begin work on creating a European master’s programme in the field. As a first step on this path, they set up a series of European Summer Schools on Construction History (CH.ESS). Jointly organized by universities in Brussels, Cambridge, Cottbus, Madrid, Munich and Wroclaw, the first of these events took place in Cambridge in the summer of 2011. In keeping with the transdisciplinary character of construction history, the two-week course brought together students and teachers from a variety of academic disciplines. The experiences gained with CH.ESS could be of interest to any university teacher who is planning to set up a degree programme in construction history. With that in mind, the authors (members of the central CH.ESS organising team) will end this report with some remarks about the main problems that arose in trying to teach construction history in an international and multidisciplinary context. |
Concrete Structures; Construction History; Design Methods and Aids; Domes; Education; Heritage; Masonry Construction; Shell Structures; Static Analysis; Stone Construction; Surveying; Vaulting; Vaults |
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Lorenz, W. |
2006 |
Iterative system identification for the assessment and retrofitting of a historical pre-stressed concrete bridge in Berlin.
In: Lourenço, P.B. et al. (eds.): Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, New Delhi, Nov 6-8, 2006, vol.1, pp.617-624. |
The quality of the assessment and if necessary retrofitting of a historical structure depends primarily on the as close-to-reality identification and modelling of its static behaviour. This paper demonstrates the advantages of a hybrid approach to historic structures - the behaviour of which is often hybrid as well - using the assessment of one of the oldest pre-stressed concrete bridges of Berlin as an example. Built in 1958 with a span length of approximately 65 m, using the Freyssinet system for pre-stressing, it has been heavily used by the Berlin metro line for about 40 years. Notable cracks discovered in 2002 caused a thorough evaluation which was characterized by the combination of a comprehensive record of historical damage, a measuring programme for the determination of the state of stress of the external tendons, the development of a realistic FE model by calibration on the basis of the experimental results, excavations for the investigation of the actual condition of bearings as well as a one-year automated structural health monitoring program. As a result the bridge could be judged to be capable of bearing loads and to be suf-ficiently serviceable without the need for particular retrofitting. |
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Lorenz, W. |
2003 |
History of construction: An estimable resource in the actual crisis of civil engineering?
In: Huerta, S. (Ed.): Proceedings of the First International Congress on Construction History, Madrid, Jan 20-24, 2003, vol.1, pp.31-41. |
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Lorenz, W. |
2004 |
The Challenge of Creativity – Learning from History?
In: CEB-FIP (Ed.): Proceedings of the 5th fib (federation internationale du beton) symposium: Concrete Structures: the Challenge of Creativity. Avignon, April 26-28, 2004, pp.15-24. |
To master the challenges of globalisation ingenious creativity is needed more than ever before. From a historic point of view creativity is a new term in structural engineering. To gain an understanding of the specific creativity of the pioneers in reinforced and prestressed concrete construction it is important to analyse their ability, to develop and cultivate a “creative climate”. It was closely connected with some timeless virtues of engineering. Some of these virtues are discussed such as the sense for the material, simplicity, the right balance between static and intuition or the courage to dispute. An important question in this context is the question for the engineer’s responsibility. History offers different positions to this. Today, against the background of global challenges, civil engineers have to develop a new understanding of creativity, which is connected with an increased awareness of responsibility and aims at more than structural or aesthetical quality. |
creativity; globalisation; construction history; reinforced concrete; prestressing; simplicity; responsibility; virtue. |
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Lorenz, W. |
1999 |
The Berlin Neues Museum – a microcosm of Prussian building technology against the background of beginning industrialisation. In: Brebbia, C.A.; Jäger, W. (eds.): Proceedings of the 6th International Conference Structural Studies, Repairs and Maintenance of Historical Buildings, Dresden 1999, pp.389-398. |
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Dr. David Yeomans |
1992 |
The Architect and the Carpenter - The trussed roof: its history and development |
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Dr. David Yeomans |
2000 |
Construction since 1900 : Material.
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Dr David Yeomans with D cottam |
2001 |
Owen Williams, (part of a series- The engineers contribution to contemporary Architecture.
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Dr David Yeomans with S Emmitt |
2001 |
Specifying Buildings :a design management perspective |
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Dr. David Yeomans |
2003 |
The repair of historic timber Structures |
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Dr. David Yeomans |
2009 |
How stuctures work : structural design and behaviour from bridges to buildings |
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Amici C.M. |
2015 |
Hidden iron: high tech devices in roman imperial architecture, pp. 1-18, 5th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS CONSTRUCTION HISTORY, Chicago 2015, pp. 63-71. |
In Roman imperial times metallurgy reached a high degree of specialization and complexity. In spite of the difficulty of finding metal remains still in place, it is possible to demonstrate that iron was sometimes used in construction, although it was intentionally hidden to take advantage of its strength without revealing its presence. |
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Dunkeld, Malcolm |
1987 |
Approaches to Construction History. Construction History, Vol 3, pp.3-15. |
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Louw, H.J. |
1987 |
The Rise of the Metal Window during the Early Industrial Period in Britain, c.1750-1830. Construction History, Vol 3, pp.31-54. |
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Charlton, T.M. |
1987 |
Innovation in Structural Theory in the Nineteenth Century. Construction History, Vol 3, pp.55-60. |
Examines the forces driving developments in structural theory during the 19th C in Britain, Europe and the USA, particularly the influence of railway construction. Identifies the principle people, theories, structures and failures involved. |
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Locock, Martin |
1992 |
The Development of the Building Trades in the West Midlands, 1400-1850. Construction History, Vol. 8, pp.3-19 |
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Louw, Hentie |
1992 |
The Mechanisation of Architectural Woodwork in Britain from the Late-Eighteenth to the Early Twentieth Century, and its Practical, Social and Aesthetic Implications. Part I: The Period c.1790 to c.1860. Construction History, Vol. 8, pp.21-54. |
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Jackson, Neil |
1992 |
Views with a Room: taxation and the return of the bay window to the third rate speculative houses of nineteenth-century London. Construction History, Vol. 8, pp.55-67 |
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Fedorov, Sergey G. |
1992 |
Matthew Clark and the Origins of Russian Structural Engineering 1810-40s: an introductory biography. Construction History, Vol. 8, pp.69-88. |
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Smith, Stanley |
1992 |
The Design of Structural Ironwork 1850-90: Education, Theory and Practice. Construction History, Vol. 8, pp.89-108 |
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MacKenzie, A.D. |
2009 |
Canadian Society for Civil Engineering National History Committee. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH1, pp. 5-6. |
This briefing looks at the objectives and current historical activities of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) |
History |
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Gould, Michael. |
2010 |
The innovative use of concrete by the LMS railway. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH3, pp.139-145. |
The various railway companies in Britain and Ireland were very reluctant to use reinforced concrete in bridge decks that carried trains before about 1950. This paper looks at a remarkable exception to the rule, the railway north of Belfast that became part of the English LMS. To run it, a body called the Northern Counties Committee (NCC) was set up that operated with considerable independence. As early as 1911, the engineers of the NCC were replacing timber bridge decks with precast concrete slabs. As spans increased, they next used slabs with two attached beams and then individual T beams that became larger as their experience in the use of reinforced concrete grew. Once the use of concrete was accepted, it was used for a variety of other purposes, notably for precast buildings. In 1933, a cut-off line was constructed that included a massive viaduct at Greenisland: this was claimed as constituting the largest concrete work in Britain or Ireland to that time. The paper ends with some indications as to how this experience was brought to the parent LMS Railway Company as the Irish engineers were successively moved to London after 1930. |
Bridges / Concrete Structures / History |
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Borden, Allison H. |
2010 |
Identifying early reinforced concrete buildings in Scotland. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. . Vol.163, Issue EH3, pp.147-167. |
This paper reports the results of a pre-inventory, or review of documentary sources, to identify buildings constructed using proprietary reinforced concrete systems in Scotland. A number of buildings were constructed using proprietary, or patented, reinforced concrete systems in Britain between roughly 1900 and the 1920s. The majority of these buildings were designed by specialist firms with origins outside Britain. Although some of these buildings are listed, as a group they have been little studied due to their relative youth, negative perceptions of them and difficulties faced in their conservation. As development pressures mount and calls for the reuse and, in some cases, demolition of these buildings become more frequent, there is an increasing need to locate documentation to assist with their investigation. It is hoped that this pre-inventory of Scottish buildings will not only serve as a framework for gathering information about this building type, but will also serve as a model for wider conservation efforts. |
Concrete Structures / Conservation / History |
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Harper, Brian Charles Seymour. |
2010 |
The 1862 gold fields water supply scheme: Victoria, Australia. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH3, pp.169-178. |
A major water supply scheme to support mining at two significant alluvial gold fields in the colony of Victoria, Australia was undertaken in the 1860s. It involved a large clay core embankment dam on the Coliban river and aqueducts to serve the mining communities at Castlemaine and Sandhurst. In a new colony lacking hydrological records, estimation of the river flow and the flood characteristics presented a challenge to the designer Joseph Brady. The paper examines Brady’s approach to estimating these hydrological parameters and the reaction of other engineers in the colony to the design. The scheme was modified during construction to increase the volume to be delivered, but the higher level of supply could not be realised. Also the climatic conditions in the colony produced occasional floods with a higher crest than Brady’s estimate. Additional spillway capacity was provided during construction, but the peak volumes were such that the dam had to be held below full capacity level to prevent destruction through overtopping. Problems with the scheme brought about a programme of hydrological surveys of river catchments in the colony. Examination of 50 years of Coliban records shows the acumen of the original design engineer Joseph Brady. |
Dams, barrages & reservoirs / history / hydrology & water resource |
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Hartley, Richard G. |
2010 |
Lessons from Western Australia’s goldfields water supply scheme. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH3, pp.179-187. |
In July 1896, the parliament of the sparsely populated colony of Western Australia voted to raise a loan of £2•5 million in London to construct a reliable water supply for its booming Coolgardie goldfield, a sum greater than the total cost of the colony’s capital works in any previous year. The scheme, prepared by the colony’s engineer-in-chief, Charles O’Connor, involved pumping water 565 km along the world’s first steel pipeline, which required 77 000 t of steel plate. This paper argues that the scheme was not one of monumental extravagance as its opponents claimed, but was one that was designed using the latest hydraulic research and ultimately was the only one that could have provided the reliability required to sustain the goldfield past its early years. Logistical problems, both in materials supply and in the construction of the pipeline largely through uninhabited country, were huge by contemporary standards. Two important technical innovations, the locking bar pipe and the mechanical pipe caulking machine, helped keep the cost of the project close to budget. The lessons learnt from the long, but eventually successful, battle against corrosion and leakage benefited hydraulic engineers around the world. |
History / steel structures / water supply |
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Drabble, Stuart. |
2010 |
Templer & Parlby: eighteenth century contractor. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. . Vol.163, Issue EH3, pp.189-198. |
James Templer (1722–1782) and Thomas Parlby (1727–1802) were men of humble origin who became prominent contractors in the second half of the eighteenth century, working mainly, though not exclusively, in the royal dockyards for the Navy Board. Over 40 projects have been attributed to them or to one of their constituent organisations. England’s quest for maritime supremacy throughout the eighteenth century led to an expansion in the royal dockyards, requiring large-scale civil engineering and building projects. These were undertaken variously by dockyard workers or by external contractors or, sometimes, both working together. Templer, a house carpenter and Parlby, a stonemason, emerged from the ranks of artisans to create a large and effective workforce operating across the south of England. Between them, they acquired properties in London, Middlesex, Kent, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset and Devon. Although their businesses brought them wealth and social standing, their interests were not pursued by later generations of either family and their firms shrank into obscurity after 1802. |
Biography / history / ports, docks & harbours |
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Heyman, Jacques |
2009 |
The establishment of plastic design in the UK. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH1, pp. 7-11. |
Tests were made on steel-framed buildings under construction in London in the early 1930s and they revealed startling discrepancies between the values of stresses calculated by conventional elastic designers and those actually measured. It became apparent that very small defects in manufacture of construction could have a great influence on the actual state of a structure; moreover, these defects could not, by their nature, be predicted. It was at this time, however, that results were published on the collapse behaviour of steel structures – initial defects were ‘wiped out’ by plastic deformation, and the final collapse loads appeared to be independent of the defects. The ‘plastic’ method was investigated in the UK (in Bristol and Cambridge) from 1936 onwards, and by 1948 a clause was inserted into the relevant British standard permitting plastic design in steel. Further advances in the second half of the 20th century revealed the theoretical basis for simple plastic design. Elastic analysis is necessary for the calculation of deflexions and the investigation of stability, but the examination of ‘plastic’ strength uses only the equilibrium equations and knowledge of the yield stress of the material. The plastic design method could be renamed that of ‘static equilibrium‘, and it is applicable to structures oof reinforced concrete, of masonry, and indeed of any ductile material that a designer would consider safe in practice. |
Design Methods & Aids / History / Structural Frameworks |
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Fahlbusch, Henning |
2009 |
Early dams. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH1, pp. 13-18. |
The Jawa dam in northern Jordan is often regarded as the oldest known dam in the world. The structure and the famous Sadd el Kafara in Egypt are both well known. However, it seems logical that these large dams had forerunners with an unknown chain of development. Research works over the last five years have revealed small dams in southern Jordan that can be dated to the seventh millennium BC. The dams of the Neolithic and early Bronze Age were designed just to withstand water pressure – not to prevent seepage. A layer of relatively impermeable soil used for sealing was observed for the first time at Hittite dams at Sarissa and Hattusa. A pavement of large stones on the downstream face permitted some defence against water overflowing the dam. These dams therefore represent a significant step in the development of modern dams. |
Dams, barrages & reservoirs / history |
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Wermiel, Sara E. |
2009 |
Introduction of steel columns in US buildings, 1862-1920. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH1, pp. 19-27. |
This paper traces the early history of steel columns in US buildings including the development of steel sections and examples of buildings in which they were used. A common misconception is addressed: that the frames of early skeleton-frame buildings in the USA were made entirely of steel. In fact, some of the first skeleton frames contained no steel at all. In the 1890s, the era of US pioneer skyscrapers, the part of a building’s frame least likely to be made of steel was the columns. At this time, steel columns had to be fabricated from various rolled shapes and the extra labour involved was a factor in their high cost. There were many forms of steel columns and professional opinion differed regarding which sections offered the most strength and best connections at the least cost. Many contingent factors encouraged designers to use steel columns or choose alternatives, or to select one section rather than another. A key point is that structural steel was not a precondition for the development of skeleton-frame construction.
Moreover, the diverse ways designers used materials show how experimental frame design was in the early days of skeleton-frame construction. Eventually, by the second decade of the decade of the twentieth century, all-steel frames became the norm for tall buildings.
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Buildings, structures & design / columns |
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Milner, Philip |
1992 |
The Engineering of the Port of Melbourne. Sixth National Conference on Engineering Heritage (5-7 October 1992) Hobart, Tas. Institution of Engineers, Australia, Tasmania Division, 1992: 29-34. National conference publication; no. 92/17. |
The development of the port of Melbourne is described from its initial establishment along the River Yarra, and at Port Melbourne and Williamstown; together with an analysis of the conflict between Sir John Coode and Joseph Brady with respect to the location and method of construction of Victoria Dock, its subsequent operation and adaptation in response to changes both in the volume of general cargo handled and in transport technology, and the causes of its demise. A study of comparable port facilities in other parts of the world suggests that Victoria Dock is now the largest extant nineteenth century tidal basin in the world, which also still retains several ’crucial elements in the development of the traditional (non-containerized) port: linear wharfage and multi-berth cargo handling facilities; and illustrates both a significant stage in the technology of cargo handling and a dockland culture which, with the introduction of containerization, has all but disappeared. |
seaport development / dock design, construction & operation / Melbourne / history |
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Buchanan, Robert Angus, et al. |
2009 |
Case studies in engineering training and professional education. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH1, pp. 29-37. |
This project springs from a discussion among members of a history of technology seminar at the University of Bath. It reflects a widespread apprehension that all is not well with our national training programmes for engineers and other professional groups. British practice has traditionally paid particular attention to the skills that can be acquired by performing tasks under the guidance of established experts. However, it is now generally recognised that such an apprenticeship system is not adequate to meet the modern demands for highly specialised technical skills, which, moreover, are constantly changing in response to new knowledge. It has become necessary to rely on tuition in universities and specialist technical institutions, although this requires supplementation by personal application to reading, field-work, model-making and technical drawing. The resulting amalgam of acquired and taught crafts with a high level of personal commitment is what we have come to expect of our experts. While recognising that it is not possible to generalise precisely from a small number of case studies, these studies nevertheless attempt to assess the value of different elements in our professional training through a comparison of four cases. The emphasis is on engineering because this represents the background of most members of the group, and also because engineering training procedures have been the subject of particular recent anxiety. But other experiences provide a wider context in which the strengths and weaknesses of engineering education and training can be regarded. |
Education & training / history |
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Bridle, Ron J., and Sims, Frank A. |
2009 |
The effect of bridge failures on UK technical policy and practice. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH1, pp. 39-49. |
The first part of this paper sets the scene for the growth of the road programme in the UK since 1950 and new additions to the existing stock of bridges. The second part describes the events that gave concern for the integrity of these bridges and the attention given to the policy and inspection procedures to safeguard the nation’s existing stock. Tables describing the bridge stock, the principal factors influencing maintenance expenditure and the principal tasks are provided, together with concluding observations and acknowledgement of the great efforts of the bridge engineering community over the half-century covered. |
bridges / dangers & hazards / failures |
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Cox, Ronald C. |
2009 |
Telford in Ireland: work, opinions and influence. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH1, pp. 51-60. |
The paper presents a review of Telford’s work in Ireland, in particular the Howth Road, the final link in the plan to improve communication between London and Dublin. Telford’s influence on Irish dock and harbour construction is also discussed, as well as his role in the planning of the Ulster Canal. |
history / ports docks & harbours / roads & highways |
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Taylor,Andrew, Plant,Chris & Dickerson,James |
2009 |
Wellington Street Swing Bridge, Hull, UK. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH2, pp. 67-79. |
The growth of Hull as a British port at the time of William Wilberforce (1759-1833) saw the construction of docks and dock bridges similar to those in London, Plymouth and Liverpool. These structures now form an essential part of Britain’s heritage and are protected under listed buildings and conservation regulations. For several years, Hull City Council has been developing a conservation policy for its nine listed bridges and a comprehensive historical audit was required. This paper looks into the history of Hull Docks and the development of cast-iron swing bridges between 1800 and 1850. The paper describes the design of Hull’s cast-iron Wellington Street Swing Bridge as part of a scheme for restoration of the bridge to working order. When the bridge was originally built, it would have been required to carry horse-drawn traffic that would probably have weighed no more than 5 t in total and carried commodities at walking pace, thus minimising the impact factor. The original bridge design may have been based on a three-pinned arch, although this is just speculation. |
Bridges /conservation / ports, docks & harbours |
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Neville, Adam |
2009 |
History of high-alumina cement. Part 1: Problems and the Stone report. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH2, pp. 81-91. |
The paper is published in two parts. Part 1 presents a lead-up to the Stone Committee. A brief description of high-alumina cement (HAC) is given andthe problems with its use in structures are outlined. The body of the Stone Committee report is then dealt with and some more widely applicable conclusions of the report are discussed. Part 2 discusses the background to HAC problems in light of the Stone Committee report as well as the present day situation. |
Concrete Structures / Failures / History |
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Neville, Adam |
2009 |
History of high-alumina cement. Part 2: Background to issues. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH2, pp. 93-101. |
Part 1 of this paper dealt with the Stone Committee Report as a solution to the problem of the failure of high-alumina cement (HAC) Concrete in structures. This part discusses the reasons why the problems arose: in a nutshell, ignorance of the behaviour of HAC, and relentless pressure to sell HAC as a problem-free material. |
Concrete Structures / Failures / History |
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Brown, David Henthorn |
2009 |
Canal reservoirs in Great Britain. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH2, pp. 103-110. |
This paper considers the development of canal reservoirs in Great Britain from a historical perspective and reflects how they developed in the light of changing requirements and engineering advances. Ninety-two reservoirs, with an average of 188 years, remain the responsibility of British Waterways. There are many more which have found other uses or been discontinued. |
Dams, barrages & reservoirs / history / waterways & canals |
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Bartlett, F.Michael, et al. |
2009 |
1870s innovation in London Canada’s Blackfriars Bridge. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Volume 162, Issue EH2, pp. 111-117. |
Blackfriars Bridge in London, Ontario, Canada is a wrought-iron bowstring-arch-truss bridge fabricated by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio, and erected in 1875. Although typical of the 19km of wrought-iron bowstrings constructed by the company in this period, the bridge is one of the first to feature a ‘double-panel’ web diagonal arrangement that was patented in the USA one year after the bridge was constructed. Considering the state of structural engineering knowledge in the 1870s, this paper investigates whether the structural response of the double-panel diagonal could have been correctly analysed by the original designers or whether the bridge may have been erected as a prototype to validate the innovative feature. Design loads are specified in the company’s 1874 book of designs that depend on whether the bridge is located in the country, a town, a second-class city or a first-clas city. The truss statistically indeterminate to the thirteenth degree, can be manually analysed neglecting slender web diagonals in compression if the participation of vertical members above the double-diagonals is ignored. The patent highlights the structural contribution of these members, however, and because their participation can only be assessed using modern computer analyses, Blackfriars Bridge may have been built as a prototype to validate the double-panel design feature |
Bridges / Design Methods & Aids / History |
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Sutherland, H.B. |
1999 |
Professor William John Macquorn Rankine. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 132, Issue 4, pp. 181-187. |
Macquorn Rankine is probably best known among civil engineers for his 1857 theory on earth pressure, which is still a prominent feature in today’s geotechnical textbooks. But he was also one of the founding fathers of thermodynamics, a world authority on ship design, a fellow of the Royal Society and instigator of the first engineering degree course at a British university. On top of this he was a soldier, a musician and a poet. Nevertheless after fifteen years as an associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers, he was apparently not considered suitable for promotion to member and promptly resigned. This paper reviews his enormous contribution to the advancement of engineering and science and, more importantly, to that of society. |
Glasgow University / Biography / Engineering / Earth Pressure /Geotechnics / Thermodynamics / Ships / Design / Engineers / Education / Courses / Degrees / Science /Society / History |
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Jones, Stephen K. |
2009 |
Briefing: an engineering historian’s heritage, Rhys Jenkins (1859–1953) Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH3, pp.123-124. |
Rhys Jenkins was a pioneer in the study of the history of engineering and technology and one of the founder members of the Newcomen Society, the oldest learned society in the world devoted to the study of the engineering and technology history. This is a brief account of Rhys Jenkins’ early life and Welsh background, which influenced his later interest in engineering history. |
Biography / History |
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Bailey, Michael R |
2009 |
Briefing: 150th anniversary of Robert Stephenson’s death. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH3, pp.125-126. |
Robert Stephenson is one of only two engineers – the other being Thomas Telford – to be buried in Westminster Abbey, reflecting the deep respect with which both were held. Although his reputation is maintained among discerning students of engineering history, Stephenson is less well known today among the population at large, this provides an opportunity to promote further knowledge of his life and career. |
Biography / History |
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Barnes, Martin |
2007 |
Thomas Telford, project manager. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 61-64. (May 2007) |
This paper examines Thomas Telford’s achievement as a project manager against modern criteria for that role. It shows that he was undoubtedly one of the best project managers of his time but appears to have confined his innovations to engineering design rather than attempting to change the way major projects were managed. He nevertheless inspired all who worked with him and proved that you do not need modern communications and management tools to be an outstanding project manager. |
History / Management / Roads & Highways / Waterways & Canals |
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Bligh, David, Brown, David, & Crowe, Nigel |
2007 |
Birmingham Canal, England - a future unlocked by Telford. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 56-60. (May 2007) |
Thomas Telford’s best known canal work is probably Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen (Ellesmere) Canal, possibly followed by the construction of the Shropshire Union and Caledonian Canals. However, the greatest concentration of engineering works exhibiting Telford’s genius is probably a 6 km length of the Birmingham Canal, where he dramatically upgraded the waterway while maintaining existing traffic and preserving revenues for the canal company. This paper describes the project, which included removing a congested summit of six locks with a vast cutting up to 22 m deep. The canal and its structures remain in full use today. |
History / Waterways & Canals |
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Chrimes, Michael |
2007 |
St Katharine Docks, London - Telford’s high-speed harbour. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 48-55. (May 2007) |
The current paper describes Thomas Telford’s work as engineer for St Katharine Docks, London, in the context of his role as a maritime engineer. Although not the largest in London, they presented one of the most challenging projects in Telford’s career, not least owing to the extreme time pressure he was put under to get the docks trading in London’s then busy and profitable shipping industry. With up to 1000 construction workers on site, and despite a major flood, the first ship entered the dock in 1828—just three years after contracts were let. |
Construction / Docks / History / Management |
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Quartermaine, Jamie |
2007 |
Telford’s Holyhead Road in Wales – the first super highway. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 43-47. (May 2007) |
The London to Holyhead Road is widely recognised as one of Telford’s greatest engineering achievements, particularly its landmark suspension bridges at Menai and Conwy. However, it was the dramatic improvements to the route through north Wales that proved most beneficial to the growing stagecoach traffic between newly unified England and Ireland. Even though the railways soon took over, the road set an early benchmark for future road construction projects worldwide. This paper describes the north Wales section which, two centuries on, is still very much in use, along with its many innovative bridges, toll houses, depots and street furniture. |
Bridges / History / Roads & Highways |
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Ford, Christopher R. |
2007 |
Telford’s Highland roads – a new way of life for Scotland. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 36-42. (May 2007) |
Thomas Telford constructed nearly 1200 km of roads and over 1000 bridges in the Highlands of Scotland for the government in 1803–21. Their purpose was to alleviate the living conditions in the poverty-stricken country by providing immediate work and opening up communications. This paper describes how Telford designed and organised this massive project, including his introduction into Scotland of competitive tendering by private contractors, his standard specification for roads and bridges and the need for immediate maintenance. |
Contracts / History / Roads & Highways |
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Davies, Hugh |
2007 |
Thomas Telford: highway engineer ahead of his time. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 31-35. (May 2007) |
Many of Thomas Telford’s innovations in highway engineering were way ahead of his time, but are now familiar practice on modern motorways, ranging from using experiments to provide a rational basis for design to constructing massive cuttings, embankments and bridgeworks. The present paper describes the state of Britain’s roads in the eighteenth century—when it took 230 hours to travel between London and Edinburgh—and then discusses Telford’s road-building activities and his novel approach to design. The disagreement with John McAdam is also described, together with an assessment of Telford’s contribution to the evolution of modern highway engineering. |
History / Pavement Design / Roads & Highways |
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Day, William |
2007 |
Telford’s Menai and Conwy Suspension Bridges, Wales. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 26-30. (May 2007) |
Menai and Conwy suspension bridges in Wales, both completed in 1826 to Telford’s design, represented a significant advance in engineering science and were the culmination of extensive experiment and theoretical study. Telford established practices and procedures during the design and construction of the 177 m span Menai and 100 m span Conwy bridges for experiment, analysis, test and inspection that are recognised to this day as good practice in engineering. The ideas and methods adopted have had a lasting influence upon the profession. |
Bridges / Cables & Tendons / History |
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Day, Tom |
2007 |
Telford’s masonry bridges on the Carluke Road, Scotland. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 20-25. (May 2007) |
This paper describes the construction of Thomas Telford’s imposing nineteenth century bridge at Cartland Crags in Lanarkshire, Scotland and five smaller masonry bridges on the same stretch of road leading to Carluke. It is based largely on letters written by Telford, his inspectors and the contractor—some in the form of progress reports and others describing incidents during construction. They provide a revealing insight into the interaction between the parties involved, particularly during the tendering process and when things went wrong on site. |
Brickwork & Masonry / Bridges / History |
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Paxton, Roland |
2007 |
Thomas Telford’s cast-iron bridges. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 12-19. (May 2007) |
Thomas Telford’s innovations using cast iron included a landmark lightweight type of arch bridge with spans of 32–52 m, longer than then practicable in stone and exhibiting an unparalleled combination of strength, economy and intuitive design. This development influenced cast-iron bridge building until the 1830s and the adoption of elegant and effective lozenge-lattice bracing in bridge spandrels until the 1870s. This paper identifies and examines Telford’s mastery in cast-iron bridge design, exemplified by a legacy of six bridges which are still operational in varying degrees after nearly two centuries. |
Bridges / Conservation / History / Testing of Materials |
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Cross-Rudkin, P.S.M. |
2007 |
Thomas Telford, county surveyor. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Volume 160, Issue 5, pp. 7-11. (May 2007) |
This paper describes Thomas Telford’s early years in post as the first county surveyor of Shropshire in the UK, as well as the challenging nature of his relationships with the justices of the peace who employed him. As Telford’s reputation on the national stage grew, his duties increasingly kept him away from the county and he employed Thomas Stanton to undertake the day-to-day work. Telford, however, retained responsibility and correspondence between the two men shows he not only provided leadership when required but also stepped into the breach when his deputy was being pressurised by the cost-conscious justices. |
Biography / Bridges / History |
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Abbott, Tim, & Ayling, Les |
2009 |
High Level Bridge: engineering successful heritage solutions. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH3, pp.127-136. (August 2009) |
In May 2008 the High Level Bridge, which spans the River Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, reopened following a seven-year, £42 million programme of repair and strengthening that also encompassed its conservation as an important piece of UK national heritage. The bridge has a statutory designation as a grade I listed building, the highest designation, and is a strategic part of the rail and road systems in the north east of England. A decision was taken that the bridge required more than its regular maintenance; it required ‘renewal’—a term used by English Heritage not for replacement but for a process that occurs at a longer cycle than maintenance and is more drastic in terms of interventions and the loss of heritage values. The varied nature of necessary repairs and interventions to historic buildings (bridges are buildings under the protective legislation) means that there are no easily defined rules; judgement and the application of principles of conservation are how protection and change are managed. This paper seeks to explain the methods and processes used to give this bridge a sustainable future while managing the changes to protect and respect its historic value. |
Bridges / Conservation / Maintenance & Inspection |
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Jackson, Donald C. |
2009 |
Structural art: John S. Eastwood and the multiple arch dam. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH3, pp.137-146. (August 2009) |
In his landmark book The Tower and the Bridge, engineering professor/historian David Billington proposes the concept of ‘structural art’ and, with a focus on bridges, thin shell roofs and tall buildings, describes its relationship to the ideals of efficiency, economy and elegance. Dams are not discussed in The Tower and the Bridge, apparently because the massive gravity designs commonly built for major projects represent bulky, inefficient designs. Moving beyond gravity dam technology, this paper explores how John S. Eastwood’s work designing multiple arch dams accords with Billington’s idea of structural art. Eastwood built the world’s first reinforced concrete multiple arch dam at Hume Lake, California in 1908 and during the last 15 years of his life became a prominent proponent of the technology. Eastwood’s designs, how they correlate to the ideals of efficiency, economy and elegance, and how he integrated mathematical theory into his design methodology comprise the focus of this paper. In addition, issues of visual appearance and their effect upon professional acceptance of Eastwood’s design are also considered. By employing the concept of structural art as a prism for studying multiple arch dams, the article elucidates an important aspect of hydraulic engineering history. |
Barrages & Reservoirs / Concrete Structures / Dams / History |
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MacKenzie, Alistair |
2009 |
Engineering ‘the aerodrome of democracy’, Canada 1939-1944. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH3, pp.147-155. (August 2009) |
The British Commonwealth air training plan was created to address the critical shortage of trained flyers that existed at the outbreak of World War II. As the expansion of existing training facilities in areas likely to be subject to enemy attack was unlikely to be satisfactory, an agreement was reached between Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to provide training facilities in Canada. Initial requirements were for 58 airfields, one to be complete by May 1940, 37 by the end of 1941 and the remaining 20 by April 1942. The extent of this civil engineering challenge is highlighted by the fact that, in 1939, the Royal Canadian Air Force possessed only five airfields. However, not only were the original targets achieved, they were surpassed in both scope and time. On completion, 88 ‘main’ airfields were in use; as most of these airfields required at least one ‘satellite’ field with many of the facilities of the main fields, the grand total was 176 airfields. In the words of President Roosevelt, Canada had become ‘the aerodrome of democracy’. As airfields were constructed in every province of Canada, planning and logistical problems were immense. Standardisation of design for airfield layout, prefabrication of components for hangars and other airfield structures, a centralised management organisation and the application of what, today, we would describe as modern construction project management techniques all helped Canada’s civil engineers to successfully complete this Herculean task. |
Airports / Buildings, Structures & Design / History |
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Roberts, Gwilym |
2009 |
St Pancras Station: Victorian ‘cathedral of the railways’. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH3, pp.157-166. (August 2009) |
Completed in October 1868, St Pancras station was among the last of London’s rail termini to be constructed. The superstructure inspired the designers of other railway termini being planned at the time, including those in New York, Glasgow, Manchester and Paris. This paper describes the construction of the terminus and the adjacent Midland Grand Hotel, together with their decline and recent regeneration so as to again become the ‘cathedral of the railways’. |
History / Rail & Bus Stations / Urban Regeneration |
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Buonopane, Stephen |
2009 |
Briefing: ASCE history and heritage committee. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH4, pp.173-174 (November 2009) |
This briefing looks at the objectives and current activities of the history and heritage committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
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History / Biography |
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Fuchs, Helmut V. |
2009 |
Briefing: Did the ancient Greeks know acoustics better? Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH4, pp.175-178 (November 2009) |
For tourists visiting excavated ancient Greek or Roman sites, the extraordinary speech intelligibility experienced in an (unroofed) amphitheatre – no matter how little is preserved of its original structure and outfit – is always a highlight. The article argues that the Greeks and Romans did indeed know more about acoustics without the theoretical background we have today. This knowledge has obviously been lost over the centuries, despite the powerful computer simulation tools now available to any ambitious acoustician. It is suggested that acoustic textbooks and standards be revised as far as recommended reverberation times and spectra are concerned.
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Buildings, Structures & Design / History |
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Donald, Philip T. |
2009 |
The Irish coal canals. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH4, pp.179-188 (November 2009) |
Inland navigation systems were built in Ireland in the eighteenth century with the specific intention of transporting coal to Dublin from the recently discovered coal deposits in east County Tyrone. The two interlinked canal systems were the Newry navigation and the Tyrone navigation with Lough Neagh in between. The Newry navigation comprised four elements : the 29 km long canal from Portadown to Newry, the water supply for the summit length, the shipping basin at Newry and the 5•2 km long ship canal leading to Carlingford Lough and the open sea. The Tyrone navigation comprised three elements: the 7 km length of the Coalisland Canal from the River Bann to Coalisland, the Coalisland basin and Ducart’s Canal beyond Coalisland to the principal coalfield. This paper gives an outline of the background, which showed the need for the canals, their construction, the commercial outcome and their ultimate decline, the current state of repair and future prospects.
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History / Waterways & Canals |
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Länge, John, & Lazarus, Deborah |
2009 |
St Pancras Renaissance hotel, London – a future for the past. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH4, pp.189-197 (November 2009) |
This paper looks at the process of appraisal, both in general and in the particular case where it is used to justify a new use for a redundant historic building. The focus of the paper is St Pancras Chambers in London, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s. Originally one of the great railway hotels, the building was taken into use as offices after the hotel closed in 1935. In the 1980s it was vacated and remained unoccupied for a number of years, with significant deterioration occurring. The building, now grade 1 listed, is undergoing restoration some 140 years after its original design to transform it back to a luxury hotel, the St Pancras Renaissance hotel, with a level of servicing consistent with modern expectations. The work is taking place in close consultation with English Heritage. Intervention has been limited to the extent that this can be sensibly justified, and alterations are generally reversible. The appraisal has focused on the Moreland floors and the condition of the timber roof trusses. The paper sets out the methodology adopted to justify the continuing use of the building in order to give a ‘future for the past’ to this great Victorian building.
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Conservation / History / Strength and Testing of Materials |
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Charles, J. Andrew |
2009 |
Robert Rawlinson and the UK public health revolution. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH4, pp.199-206 (November 2009) |
Robert Rawlinson was the acknowledged leader of the UK revolution in public health engineering, which transformed the lives, and particularly the life expectancy, of the people living in the towns and cities of England during the Victorian age. Having grown up in a poor Lancashire family, Rawlinson commenced work as a stonemason. The crucial change to professional work came at the age of 21 years when he obtained employment in the Liverpool dock engineer’s office. In 1848, he became an engineering inspector for the newly formed General Board of Health. From that time most of Rawlinson’s work was in government service: he was a member of the Crimean sanitary commission, the organiser of public works for relief employment during the Lancashire cotton famine and chairman of the first rivers pollution commission. For many years he was the chief engineering inspector to the Local Government Board. There was a close connection between his work and the activities of many of the influential people of his day including Lord Shaftesbury and Florence Nightingale.
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Pollution / Public Health / Sewers & Drains |
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Merrifield, Arthur L.R. |
2009 |
New Zealand’s North Island main trunk railway: 1870-1908. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH4, pp.207-219 (November 2009) |
Completion of the Union Pacific railway in the USA in 1869 was seen to hold lessons for New Zealand’s colonial government. A policy of immigration and public works funded from loans was instituted in 1870. A network of railways would be built to open up land for settlement. One such was the North Island main trunk line, linking Auckland and Wellington – the two main centres in the North Island. It took until 1908 to complete the 680km route. As described in this paper, building the line was a major adventure as natural and man-made difficulties were gradually overcome. Location surveyors often worked at risk of their lives as not all Maori accepted the agreement between tribal leaders and the government that work could start. For many years government was uncertain where the best route lay. The engineers had to surmount very difficult topography, the geology of very young rocks and scarcity of funding. Eventually, after locally trained engineers overcame the worst engineering problems, the date that the first through train could run became the focus of a wager between the minister of public works and one of his resident engineers.
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Developing Countries / History / Rail Systems |
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Wiltshire, Richard Lyman, & Scott, Gregg Alan |
2009 |
US Bureau of Reclamation dams in the American west. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.162, Issue EH4, pp.221-228 (November 2009) |
This paper chronicles the Bureau of Reclamation’s achievements and contributions in the evolution and advancement of dam engineering during the design and construction of water projects, largely in the twentieth century, to supply water and reclaim the arid lands of the western USA. These contributions and advancements had a significant effect on the rest of the world. The paper first discusses the bureau’s masonry and concrete dams and briefly describes the more important dams constructed in each decade, along with how they affected the evolution of concrete dam analysis, modelling, design and construction. The bureau’s embankment dams are discussed second, briefly describing the more important dams constructed in each decade, along with how they affected the evolution of embankment dam analysis, design and construction. The paper discusses the early empirical and analytical dam designs, site investigations and laboratory testing, the introduction of soil and rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering, foundation treatment, seismic considerations, as well as lessons learned from the Teton dam failure. Related topics such as the evolution of dam instrumentation and monitoring, and a brief history of the bureau’s publications associated with concrete and embankment dam engineering are discussed in the paper.
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History / Dams, Barrages and Reservoirs / Water Supply |
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Ibarra-Sevilla, B. |
2013 |
The first ribbed vaults in the Americas: craft skills and construction processes of indigenous people in the Mixtec region of southern Mexico. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 1, pp1-26 |
The article examines the introduction of European construction to Mexico in the 16th C, using three buildings with elaborate ribbed vaults built between 1550 and 1580.. What did the Spanish masters need to teach; how did the transfer of technology happen; what did the indigenous people know and what did they need to learn |
Mexico Mexican indigenous Spanish Spain 16th technology ribbed vaults |
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Nina Baker |
2006 |
The production cycles of the Scottish construction industry, 1802-2002. Baker, N. & Agapiou, A, 2nd International Conference of Construction History, Cambridge, 2006 |
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Nina Baker |
2018 |
Glasgow city chambers: The construction and building services history of a major municipal building from the Victorian period. Building Knowledge, Constructing Histories – Wouters, Van de Voorde, Bertels et al. (Eds). 2018 6th International Congress of Construction History, Brussels, Belgium, ISBN 978-1-138-33230-0 |
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Nina Baker |
2006 |
Women Nailmakers in 19th Century Scotland. Baker, N. The Tool & Trades History Society: TATHS newsletter 93, 2006, pp16-18. |
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Nina Baker |
2009 |
More than Pioneers: A Hundred Years of Women at Work in the Scottish Building Industry (1820-1920). Construction Information Quarterly, vol 11, issue 4, 181-185, CIQ paper 250. CIOB, 2009. |
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Chrimes, Mike |
2009 |
Ahead of the game—masonry dam design in the British colonies 1800–1900, part 1: 1800–1872. Dams and Reservoirs, Volume 19, Issue 2, pp. 55-66 (June 2009) |
British dam practice in the nineteenth century was dominated by the use of earth embankments with puddle clay cores. Theoretical approaches to masonry dam design developed in France in the mid-nineteenth century, therefore had little immediate impact on British practice (although they were commented on by Rankine). However, British engineers working overseas often benefited from advanced academic training, at the military colleges, the East India Company’s seminary, Addiscombe, and later the Cooper’s Hill College, and made more widespread use of masonry structures. Differing geological conditions, geography and cost all played their part, but the overall impression is one of innovation that at times astounded the UK engineering establishment. This paper chronicles the work of the pioneers of colonial dam design in the context of the history of masonry dams. Part one describes developments owing to the discovery of the ‘rational method’. |
Dams & Reservoirs |
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Chrimes, Mike |
2009 |
Ahead of the game – masonry dam design in the British colonies 1800–1900, part 2: 1872–1900 Dams and Reservoirs, Volume 19, Issue 4, pp. 171-183 (December 2009) |
British dam practice in the nineteenth century was dominated by the use of earth embankments. The theoretical approaches to masonry dam design developed in France in the mid-nineteenth century, although commented on by Rankine, therefore had little immediate impact on British practice. However, British engineers working overseas made more widespread use of masonry structures. Differing geological conditions, geography and cost all played their part, but the overall impression is one of innovation that at times astounded the UK engineering establishment. This paper chronicles the work of the pioneers of colonial dam design in the context of the history of masonry dams. The first part of this paper (Dams and Reservoirs, 2009, 19, No. 2, 55–66) described developments down to the introduction of the ‘rational method’; this part describes how dam design changed in the next 30 years.
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Dams & Reservoirs |
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Huerta, Santiago |
2010 |
The safety of masonry buttresses. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH1, pp.3-24 (February 2010) |
The vault is the main element in most historical buildings. Masonry vaults exert an inclined thrust that must be resisted by a substantial mass of masonry: the buttress. The buttress system assures the safety of the whole construction. Most traditional structural design rules addressed the problem of buttress design. Today, an architect or engineer assessing the structural safety of a historical construction needs to estimate the safety of the buttress system with accuracy. This is not an easy matter. Among other possible failures, a buttress may fracture under certain conditions with a substantial loss of stability, it may show a certain leaning or it may be separated from the wall. Furthermore, buttress systems are complex structures – a combination of walls and counterforts, flying buttresses, etc. – made of different types of masonry, and their assessment cannot be handled in an abstract way. This paper outlines the development of buttress design since around 1700 to explain the main approaches used and to provide a historical context. The paper then goes on to summarise the state-of-the-art in modern masonry buttress analysis and to discuss estimations of safety.
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Buildings, Structures & Design / Failures / History |
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Foti, Dora; Mongelli, Michele, & Paparella, Vito |
2010 |
Shear assessment of Della Vittoria stadium, Bari, Italy. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH1, pp.25-37 (February 2010) |
Modern buildings are characterised by their use of reinforced concrete (RC) as a novel and versatile building material. In assessments of existing buildings, the most critical structures in terms of shear resistance are those designed in the first half of the last century, when RC theory and detailing rules were not then well established. This study considers the issues related to the gradual understanding of shear behaviour, with particular reference to buildings constructed in Bari, Italy in the period 1920–1960, and aims to emphasise the vulnerability at a territorial scale of structural typologies designed only to vertical loadings. Subsequently, the shear resistance verification of the structural elements of a typical frame of the stadium Della Vittoria, Bari, is investigated according to new Italian and American design codes and the recently proposed Arslan’s equation. The results are compared with those included in the original calculation report (written according to a 1930 royal decree). The paper ends with a detailed commentary on lack of compliance with the ‘capacity design’ philosophy.
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Concrete Structures / Seismic Engineering / Stress Analysis |
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Bradford, William, Bridgeman, John, & Gaterell, M |
2010 |
A review of the 1892 water demand forecast for Birmingham. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH1, pp.39-49 (February 2010) |
The water demand forecast forms half of the supply–demand balance used for developing a long-term water resources plan, but historical water demand forecasts attracted less analytical attention than historical water supply issues. This paper is a critical review of the water demand forecast for the city of Birmingham, which was presented to Parliament by James Mansergh in 1892 – when demand was growing by 3% per annum and the headroom of supply over demand was approaching zero – to justify the need for one of the largest and most controversial water resources schemes in the UK, the Elan Valley reservoirs in Mid-Wales. The first phase was commissioned in 1904. Today, the full scheme supplies water to over a million people in Birmingham, and will continue to do so well into the twenty-first century, long after the 60 to 70 years originally expected by Mansergh. The results of this analysis suggest that by demonstrating an understanding of the drivers of demand growth, Mansergh was able to convince Parliament that his assumptions about the scale of Birmingham’s future demand growth were reasonable. A comparison of the 1892 forecast with actual annual average demand up to Mansergh’s horizon in 1955 shows that the profile of his forecast was remarkably accurate.
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Dams, Barrages & Reservoirs / Hydrology & Water Resources / Water Supply |
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Barr, Ben |
2010 |
Conway and Britannia tubular bridges: Stephenson’s team. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH1, pp.51-60 (February 2010) |
The paper reviews the significant achievements of Robert Stephenson and his team in the innovative design and construction of Conway and Britannia tubular bridges. The text is based on extensive extracts taken from contemporary accounts by two members of Stephenson’s team, William Fairbairn and Edwin Clark. The paper describes the sequence of model tests (from initial small-scale tests, followed by one-sixth scale tests to tests on the first Conway tube) and the methods used to overcome the problems of buckling that were identified in the experimental work. The innovative method of floating and raising the tubes into their final location is also reported. In addition to strength and stiffness considerations, Stephenson’s team also investigated the effects of temperature and wind loading and in these studies developed an accurate method of measuring deflections. It is suggested that the design and construction of Conway and Britannia Bridges could provide an excellent case study for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying structural behaviour and, in particular, the problems associated with buckling.
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Bridges / History |
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Orr, David Malcolm |
2010 |
The Antrim Coast Road – a civil engineering legacy. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH2, pp.65-69 (May 2010) |
In the early 1800s, the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland conceived the idea of building the Antrim Coast Road to open up the Glens of Antrim, to give better access for the military, and to give work to the unemployed. Their civil engineer, William Bald, rose to the challenge and completed the 40 km route between 1832 and 1842. Bald was born in Burntisland in Fife in 1789. He was a civil engineer and surveyor who came to Ireland aged 20 to complete the trigonometrical survey of County Mayo. Bald had the vision of building the road along the foot of the cliffs, some of them over 100 m high. For many, it was an incredible idea. Previous plans were to build the road some distance inland, but this would have meant steep gradients as the road traversed the valleys of the Glens. The Antrim Coast Road was completed in 1842 and William Bald left to practice in Scotland and France. He died in 1857 and is buried in Highgate Cemetery in London. |
History / Infrastructure Planning / Roads & Highways |
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McKay, Colin |
2010 |
Highway design by highwaymen. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH2, pp.71-75 (May 2010) |
This paper presents an outline of the style of work in highway design that prevailed after World War II until approximately the mid-1960s – definitely before the days of computers, hand calculators and total-station surveying.
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History / Land Surveying / Roads & Highways |
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Harshbarger, J. Patrick |
2010 |
Two pioneering American roadways. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH2, pp.77-85 (May 2010) |
This paper discusses the historical background and significance of Delaware’s DuPont Highway (1908–23) and New Jersey’s Route 1 extension (1923–32). Thomas Coleman du Pont envisioned a multi-modal roadway that was far ahead of its time, including the use of bypasses, a concept previously only used by railroads. The Route 1 extension, which was designed by an engineering team led by William G. Sloan of the New Jersey State Highway Commission, featured the innovative use of economic theories and actual traffic studies to guide the design of one of America’s first limited-access motorways. It was planned using economic theories of location adapted from railroad practices.
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Biography / History / Roads & Highways |
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Chrimes, Mike |
2010 |
Autostrade: the Italian interwar achievement. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH2, pp.87-104 (May 2010) |
Italian motorways were the first limited access highways in the world. This paper narrates their development, describes their essential features, and makes some observations on their significance.
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Bridges / History / Roads & Highways |
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Davis, Timothy |
2010 |
Documenting New York’s Bronx River Parkway, USA. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH2, pp.105-116 (May 2010) |
New York’s Bronx River Parkway was a seminal development in the history of the modern motorway. Conceived in 1906 and completed in 1925, the parkway was the first public project to provide a large-scale demonstration of the essential components of modern motorway design: strict limitations on access and egress, grade-separated interchanges, flowing horizontal and vertical curvature geared toward safe and pleasurable high-speed travel, and a broad publically owned right-of-way for better control of the roadside environment and greater flexibility in alignment and location. The Bronx River Parkway was embraced by the motoring public, hailed by contemporary design professionals, and celebrated by subsequent historians. In recognition of the parkway’s significance, the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) conducted a multi-disciplinary documentation project in 2001. HAER produced large-format photographs, a detailed historical report, and measured and interpretive drawings depicting construction details, development processes, and design concepts. The project was part of a larger effort to document historic American roadways including National Park Service park roads and parkways, Columbia River Highway, Merritt Parkway, Taconic State Parkway, and the Arroyo Seco Parkway/Pasadena Freeway. This documentation can serve as a valuable model for future efforts to document and interpret twentieth century motorways and other civil engineering resources. |
Biography / History / Roads & Highways |
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Yeadon, Harry Leslie |
2010 |
Preston By-pass: the first motorway in the UK. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH2, pp.117-128 (May 2010) |
The paper outlines the history of motorways from the early part of the twentieth century, when the internal combustion engine revolutionised road transport. In the UK at that time, there was a great deal of interest in the possibility of constructing roads for use only by motor vehicles. However, due to the opposition of railway companies, no action was taken by successive governments, and Italy led the way by opening the first autostrada in 1924. During the 1930s, systems of motorways were developed in Germany and the USA. World War 2 prevented any positive action in the UK, but professional institutions and the Ministry of Transport continued planning UK transport needs for the post-war period. Lancashire County Council had concerns about congestion and the serious accident record of the A6/A49 north–south route through the county. James Drake, appointed County Surveyor and Bridgemaster in 1945, prepared a road plan with priority given to the building of a 62 mile (99 km) long motorway. In the period of financial restraint then prevailing, the project was to be carried forward by constructing a series of by-passes (with Preston By-pass as the first) that could be linked when finance became available. The scheme was included in the Minister’s expanded road programme as an ‘experiment’ for all future motorways. Construction began in 1956 and the motorway was opened in December 1958. The ‘experiment’ was an undoubted success and many important lessons were learned. |
History / Roads & Highways / Transport Planning |
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Soper, Robin H. |
2010 |
The M1: Britain’s first inter-urban motorway. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. Vol.163, Issue EH2, pp.129-134 (May 2010) |
This article explores the origin and concept of motorways in the UK and looks back over half a century to the 1950s when part of the first inter-urban motorway in England, the M1, was designed and built. The paper describes the steps leading to the start of construction, the route and some aspects of the construction, highlighting some of the differences between this early pioneering work and present-day requirements. In particular, progress in survey methods, means of calculation and construction plant is highlighted. The paper also discusses the types of bridges used in this early scheme, the reasons for their choice and the ways in which they contributed to the very rapid construction for such a large project. Some of the ancillary items required to enable the road to be safely used for over 50 years of increasing traffic loads are also described. |
History / Infrastructure Planning / Roads & Highways |
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Nina Baker |
2012 |
Who paints the house? Scotswomen as Housepainters and Decorators from 1820, Baker, N., Proceedings of 4th International Conference on Construction History, Paris, July 2012. |
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Nina Baker |
2017 |
True Grit: women in quarrying in 1930s England and 1880s Scotland. Baker, N. 2017. The Construction Historian, 2017, 2, 7-9. |
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M. Bowley |
1996 |
The British building industry. Cambridge University Press, 1966. |
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J. Bowyer |
1973 |
A history of building. |
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N.J. Morgan |
1990 |
Construction Industry sector essay, in Dictionary of Scottish Business Biography Vol2, edited by Slaven and Checkland. |
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J.R. Newman |
1960 |
The NAOP Heritage, a short historical review of the growth and development of the National Association of Operative Plasterers 1860-1960. |
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J. Parry Lewis |
1965 |
Building Cycles and Britain’s growth. |
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M. Robertson |
1936 |
Building and contracting. Chapter VIII in A study of industrial Edinburgh 1923-34, vol 1, edited by N. Milnes. |
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English Heritage |
2008 |
Historic building engineering systems and equipment: heating and ventilation. |
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Hyslop, E. K., et al. |
2006 |
Safeguarding Glasgow’s Stone Built Heritage Skills and Materials Requirements. British Geological Survey Commissioned Report, CR/06/077. |
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Palmer, M., & West, I. |
2016 |
Technology in the Country House. |
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Knoop, D. & Jones, G. P. |
1949 |
The Medieval mason. |
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Munchmeyer, A., |
2013 |
The masons’ marks in the western part of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostella: an approach to its construction history. Construction History, VFol 28 No. 2, pp 1-22 |
Archaeological investigation in the western parts of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostella shows to what extent the documentation of masons’ marks can help to understand the cathedral and its construction history. Distinct masons’ marks relate the west crypt to the narthex and the gallery. In addition to visible structural changes in the masonry, they provide secondary evidence for the different phases of construction. Analysis of the fabric and masons’ marks show that the genesis of the Portico de la Gloria is the result of a structural intervention led by Master Mateo at the end of the 12th Century, which changed the west end including the crypt. |
Masonry, masons’ marks, archaeological investigation, Bauforschung, stratigraphic research, cathedral, Santiago de Compostella, Spain |
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Campbell, J.W.P. |
2013 |
The supply of stone for the rebuilding of St Paul’s Cathedral 1675-1710. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 2, pp 23-50 |
The paper provides the first detailed account of the supply of stone used to rebuild St Paul’s cathedral after the Great Fire of London. Many different types of stone were employed. Working directly from archival sources, it shows how each type of stone was quarried and transported and the problems that arose, and provides the first analysis of the amounts of stone quarried. The issues of stone supply discussed are not unique to St Paul’s; the same types of stone were being widely used elsewhere in the same period. The paper explains why the supply of stone is a significant factor in understanding why St Paul’s took over 35 years to construct. |
Quarrying, stone, 17th century, seventeenth, St Paul’s Cathedral, Portland, Beer, Ketton, Burford, Headington, Tadcaster, Reigate, Caen, Kentish Rag, marbles, stone merchants, stone types |
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Patino, G., L. |
2013 |
Helical industrial chimneys in Spain. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 2, pp 51-78. |
The paper reviews the origin of the helical industrial chimney, a type unique to Spain, and illustrates their various type of construction. In interview with the author, one of the last great chimney builders explains how to erect helical chimneys using the tool he invented for the purpose. |
chimney, Spain, helical, brickwork, bricks, Valencia, 19th C 20th C, industrial |
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Alegre, A., and Heitor, T. |
2013 |
The evolution of secondary school building construction in Portugal in the 20th century: from traditional to industrial. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 2, pp 79-104 |
The paper provides an overview of the school building construction process in Portugal and the influence of French and British models in its development during the 20th century. Focusing on the history and evolution of secondary school building construction in Portugal, it aims to analyse the architecture - construction relationship assuming its relevance in the history of construction, structural design and building practice. French and British models proved to be significantfor the analysis and characterisation of the Portuguese school building process. The beaux-arts principles, Viollet-le-Duc’s rationalism and typological concerns from French developments of the 19th century, as well as modern architecture from the 1930s, had a direct influence on Portuguese developments. The post-war English experience in school building construction had an important impact in Portugal in both design and production procedures from the 1960s, based on a new design methodology and the adoption of industrialised and rationalised building production system, effective cost and planning control procedures. |
schools, Portugal, design, standardisation, 20th century, construction-architecture relationship |
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Langenberg, S. |
2013 |
The hidden potential of of building systems: the Marburg Building System as an example. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 2, pp 105-126 |
The paper presents a defence of ’system’ buildings of the 1960s. While expressive individual buildings and prototypes, as well as the creations of famous architects and large-scale utopian visions from the boom years, seem to gain more and more recognition, the large mass of system buildings, constructed at the same time or subsequently, are hardly appreciated- despite the fact that their underlying core concepts aimed at openness,growth and modification, and were therefore intrinsically sustainable and long-lasting. The buildings of the Lahnberge Campus of Marburg University were the first to the building system devised by Helmut Spieker, known as the Marburg Building System, based on the tartan grid. These buildings are used as a basis for the investigation of the hidden potential of building systems and to discuss opportunities for their continued use and development in the 21st century |
University masterplanning, master-planning, Marburg, Germany, 1960s, systems, pre-fabrication, prefabrication, conservation, Spieker |
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Coste, A. |
2013 |
The Llambi Company, Barcelona: a unique relationship between a manufacturer of blinds and shutters, and architects.Construction History, Vol 28 No. 2, pp 127-144 |
The paper examines the relationship between the Llambi shutter company of Catalonia and the Catalan architect Josep Antonio Coderch (1913-1984) and the unique approach to the design and construction of buildings fostered by it, specifically the separation of the structure and its envelope. |
shutters, blinds, Spain, Spanish modern, Llambi, Coderch, double-skin facade |
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Webster, S.V. |
2013 |
The Secret Lives of Buildings in Colonial Quito. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 3, pp 21-46 |
The study considers the historiography of Quito’s colonial architecture in the light of contemporary documents and chronicles and offers an alternative readings that counter traditional assessments of its buildings as exemplifying European dominance. Numerous case studies revise earlier accounts of the city’s construction history and document the crucial and extensive contribution of Andean masters. The study argues that Andean dominance of the people and processes of architectural production in the city replicated ancestral patterns of socio-economic power; thus, Andeans perceived Quito’s colonial buildings from a vantage point quite distinct from that of their Spanish and European contemporaries. |
Ecuador, Quito, colonial, indigenous, authorship |
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Middleton, R. |
2013 |
The first history of construction?. A memoir by Jean Rondelet. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 3, pp 47-68 |
In 1799 the Institute set as an essay, the history of construction from the earliest times. Jean Rondelet won the prize, in July 1808, with a 90 page essay, yet unpublished, that would seem to be the first attempt to write a history of construction. He investigated timber construction, stone building techniques - in particular, the moving of stones by the Egyptians - then building with bricks, sun-dried and kiln-dried, from Babylon onwards, through to the churches of Constantinople and Ravenna. There is an acknowledgement of the sklil of the Gothic masons, but little more of note. The 18th C advances in developing a theory of structurees are reduced to no more than a string of names - Coulomb missing. |
historiography, Rondelet, France, 18th, theory, pise, history |
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Klosky, J.L. and Klosky, W.E. |
2013 |
Men of action: French influence and the founding of American civil and military engineering. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 3, pp 69-88 |
The study traces the beginnings of formal engineering practice and military construction in the United States from the cvoming of the French engineers to the establishment of the Army Corps of Engineers and West Point; the likely source of General Putnam’s fortifications at Boston and the relationship between Duportail and Kosciuszko are also mentioned. early American engineers and professors are discussed, as is the strong connection between Fremnch and American engineering education in the early 19th C. The capstone to the early growth of engineering as a discipline in the United States came as the founding of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1852. |
America, USA, US, 18th, 19th, Duportail, Crozet, Mahan, Kosciuszko, French, volunteers, civil, military, engieering |
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Barjot, D. |
2013 |
Why was the world construction industry dominated by European leaders?: The development of the largest European firms from the late 19th to the early 21st centuries. Construction History, Vol 28 No. 3, pp 89-114 |
The paper analyses the most important factors contributing to the dominance of the world construction history by European companies, particularly in the production and distribution of raw materials until c. 2007-8 and the shift into services and public works. The paper concludes that the following are critical factors: technological innovation, control of technological processes, better risk management, the informed support of banks, higher-skilled workforce and engineers, the decisive role of colonial experiences, and state economic support. Nonetheless, despite its successful characteristics, European leadership of the industry (has) remained fragile. . |
Europe, Bouyges, Skanska Vinci, industry, globalisation, globalization, world, firm, company |
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Sims, F.A. |
2003 |
The Motorway Achievement – Motorway Bridges, their Superstructures and the People involved – a historical record
file:///C:/Users/User/AppData/Local/Temp/MotorwayBridges.pdf |
This historical record is a ‘broad brush’ attempt to record the development of bridge superstructures over almost half a century and covers steel, concrete and composite constructions and ranges from the smallest underbridge to the largest suspension bridge. The CD provides a comprehensive history of bridge engineering in the United Kingdom during the post-War period. Brief descriptions are given of many of the important bridges and the design and construction problems encountered. Developments in analysis, new materials and techniques, and the organisation of research and the construction industry are all covered. There has been much new thinking in bridge and structural engineering and enormous achievements in analysis, new materials and new techniques, the majority of which are recorded, but there have also been some disturbing and damaging occurrences, judged by some to have resulted from the pace of development. Those referred to in this work include box girder failures, falsework collapses, problems with grouting post-tensioned cables, the damaging effects of the use of de-icing salts, the adequacy of bridge deck waterproofing and associated problems of deck joints. The effects of changes in increased traffic and vehicle loadings are also explored. The role of major clients like the Ministry of Transport, and specialist organisations and research bodies, including universities and colleges, are explored. Some of these organisations have so changed that the significance of their role can only be understood by reference to this work - the Cement and Concrete Association being the most obvious example. Thorough referencing enables the researcher to follow up any area of interest within the civil and structural engineering fields covered. The names of prominent people involved during this significant and exciting time for British engineering are recorded. Only available in CD format from the Motorway Archive Trust at [email protected]. |
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Predari, G., Mochi, G., and Gulli, R. |
2014 |
The transformation process of masonry buildings in historic towns: the case of Medicina in northern Italy. Construction History, Vol 29 No. 2, pp 1-20 |
The paper studies the evolutionary processes affecting the modification of medieval masonry buildings in the Po valley of northern Italy during the 18th C, at the level of individual buildings and town-wide. It presents a brief introduction to brick construction in the area, then examines how buildings and technology adapted to external changes, using Medicina as a case-study. |
masonry, brick, Po valley, Medicina, Italy, medieval, 18th |
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Garcia, N., J. |
2014 |
Traces of stereotomy: descriptive geometry drawings in the workshop notebook of the Tornes family from Jaca in north-eastern Spain (c.1650-1750). Construction History, Vol 29 No. 2, pp 21-38 |
The paper presents examples from, and an analysis of, the workshop book of the Tornes family of architects in northern Spain between the mid 17th and mid 18th centuries, together with background information on some of the buildings they constructed. The paper suggests, inter alia, that the technically demanding descriptive geometry employed in the art of stereotomy was widely known in Spain at the time, and that the Tornes family were clearly familiar with the more well-known architectural treatises of the time. |
stereotomy, stone cutting, drawings, notebook, Aragon, Spain, 17th 18th, Tornes |
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Bill, N. |
2014 |
Laminated timber arch bridges of Joseph Locke (1805-60) and his assistants. Construction History, Vol 29 No. 2, pp 39-62. |
The paper describes and examines the development of the laminated timber railway bridge in Britain during the early 19th C, with particular reference to the work of the engineer Joseph Locke, who specialised in them. The paper discusses their performance and longevity, and also the manner in which Locke refined and improved the designs, influencing engineers in Britain and abroad. |
Locke, Jee, Errington, laminated timber, railway, viaduct, 19th, Britain, France, bridge, Vignoles |
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Nazidizaji, A., Tome, A., and Regateiro, F. |
2014 |
The architecture and construction processes of the vernacualr Shikili Houses in Gilan, northern Iran. Construction History, Vol 29 No. 2, pp 63-82. |
The paper studies and explains the design, construction and structural behaviour of the late 19th to early 20th C vernacular timber houses of the Gilan area of northern Iran, with particular attention to the flexible foundations. The paper examines how climate, culture and materials. |
Shikili, house, foundation, vernacular, Gilan, Iran, 19th 20th , timber, flexible |
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Trout, E.A.R |
2014 |
The Deutscher Ausschuss fur Eisenbeton (German Committee for Reinforced Concrete), 1907-1945, Part 2: Between the Wars. Construction History, Vol 29 No. 2, pp 83-103 |
The second of two papers on the subject (See CH Vol 29, No.1) that examines the foundations, research, publications and key personalities of the DAfE, reflecting its changing relationship with a rapidly changing and expanding German concrete industry during the first half of the 20th C. It brings to the attention of the Anglophone world a record of achievement that, whilst recognised in the German-speaking world, is less well-known abroad. The first paper took us up to WW1: this paper continues the story to the end of WW2, beginning with the influence of wartime experience on standards and practice, the enhanced role of the blast furnace slag industry after the acceptance of its waste product as a cement binder in 1916. It then reviews research in the architecturally vibrant 1920s, pre-stressing in the 1930s, the autobahns and the West Wall. The paper ends with an appreciation of Otto Graf as the figure linking pre-war research to a post-war generation, anticipating the revival of the renamed Ausschuss fur Stahlbeton. |
Germany, reinforced, concrete, standards, regulations, 20th |
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Smyth, F. |
2014 |
More than "a Machine for living in": science, noise and experimental housing in 1930s Britain. Construction History, Vol 29 No. 2, pp 103-120. |
The paper presents and overview of the social and scientific context in which the earliest British construction standards for sound insulation evolved. It discusses the first official recommendations to reduce noise in dwellings, the controversy surrounding publication, and the experimental work that underpinned the development of minimum performance standards. |
acoustics, sound insulation, experimental housing, Hope Bagenal, Burbage House, Britain, 1930s |
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Ginovart, J.L, I., Jover, A.C., and Pla, S.C. |
2015 |
Placing the keystones of the vault over the presbytery in Tortosa Cathedral, Spain (1428-40). Construction History, Vol 30 No. 1, pp 1-22 |
The article explains how the ambulatory of Gothic cathedral of Tortosa (b. 1345-1441) was constructed around and over that of the pre-existing Romanesque cathedral. Construction involved substantial temporary works and the innovative use of a central keystone - known as the ’clau major’ - weighing 9 tonnes, supported on a central pillar - the ’pilar major’. Design, creation and installation of the keystone took 12 years and is believed to have been unprecedented. The article presents historical information, including the names of the principle people involved, and an archaeological analysis of the structure based on 3D metric surveys. |
cathedral, gothic, temporary works, keystone, Tortosa, Spain, Pasqual, Xulbi, Santalina, BIM |
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Melo, A.S. and Ribiero, M. do. C., |
2015 |
Late medieval construction site management at the monastery of Jeronimos, Lisbon. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 1, pp 23-38 |
Through analysis of the exceptional accounts of 1517 relating to the construction of the monastery of Jeronimos (Lisbon), the paper examines the main characteristics of a model of construction site management that appears to have been new at that time. In the later Middle Ages there appears to have been two main models of site organisation: one, older and more widespread, was centralised and pyramidal; the other, apparently more recent, used several autonomous teams working simultaneously on specific parts or sections of the building. This appears to have been implemented by Joao de Castilho (1470-1552), possibly for the first time in Portugal, but with some parallels elsewhere in Europe. |
organisation, organization, medieval, Middle Ages, 16th, labour, cathedral, Portugal, management, Castilho |
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Neild, R. |
2015 |
How Thomas Nevile built Trinity College, Cambridge. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 1, pp 39-52 |
The paper examines the consequences of Thomas Nevile’s decision to use clunch (rock chalk) as the main wall material during his construction of the Great Court and Nevile’s Court for Trinity College, c. 1593-1615. The decision, enforced by the lack of freestone in east Anglia, lead to chronic structural problems and recurrent repairs, but still proved cheaper than building with imported stone. |
Trinity College, Cambridge, 16th, 17th, Nevile, costs, economics, oolitic limestone, brick, clunch, chalk, Fenland, waterways, transport |
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Nobile, M.R. and Bares, M., M. |
2015 |
The use of ’false vaults’ in 18th century buildings in Sicily. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 1, pp 53-70 |
The paper discusses the use of lightweight vault structures in major civic buildings in Sicily during the 17th and 18th century as a response to recurrent earthquakes, examining the written influences, imported and local construction practice and the principle people involved in this innovative solution to a major problem |
Sicily, earthquake, false vaults, treatises, Gagliardi, 17th, 18th, church |
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Mizuta, S. |
2015 |
Patent slipways of Bakumatsu and Meiji Japan, 1861-1900s. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 1, pp 71-92 |
The paper examines the introduction of mechanically powered slipways for removing ships from the water, from Britain to Japan in the late 19th century, and finds those built in Japan using a mix of native techniques and imported technology, to be larger and more powerful than contemporary British models. |
Patent, slipway, Morton, Japan, Japanese, modernisation, Bakamatsu, Meiji, 1860s, 19th, civil, shipbuilding, technology transfer, engineering |
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Isaacs, N. |
2015 |
Hollow concrete blocks in New Zealand, 1904-10. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 1, pp 93-108 |
The paper examines the introduction of hollow concrete blocks made with US-patented machines to New Zealand in the early 20th C, specifically the marketing, economics, local peculiarities and the effect the technology had on the architecture and construction practice of New Zealand. |
concrete, blocks, New Zealand, 1900s, 20th, Harmon, Palmer, patents, USA, materials, imports |
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Extepare, L., Uranga, E.J., and Zuazua-Guisola, N. |
2015 |
Marcel Breur and Jean Barets in Bayonne (1964-8): the use of architectural precast concrete panels in large public housing schemes. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 1, pp 109-126 |
The paper examines the introduction of the architect-specified pre-cast concrete panel to public housing schemes in France during the 1960s, and their success under competitive and cost-constrained conditions using an alternative method to that developed in the USA a few year’s before. It presents a brief historical introduction to the development of pre-cast concrete panels in Europe and America and then a detailed examination of Breuer’s contribution to the technique. |
Breuer, Barets, ZUP de Sainte-Croix, Bayonne, France, 1960s, 20th, pre-cast panel, precast, panel, concrete |
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Heyman, J. |
2015 |
Strainer Arches. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 2, pp 1-14 |
The article examines and explains the function of strainer arches in large masonry structures such as at the crossings of cathedrals, their historical development and the historical development of the codes used to calculate their thrusts. |
Masonry, thrust, statics, arches, bridges, strainer, Telford, Hooke, Brunel, Perronet, cathedral, calculation. |
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Chrimes, M. M. |
2015 |
Architectural dilletantes::construction professionals in British India 1600-1910. Part 1. 1600-1860: The age of the dilletante. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 2, pp 15-44 |
The article examines the role of military and civil engineers of the Honourable British east India Company in the design and construction of public buildings in India during the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries.By looking at the careers of some of those designers, conclusions are drawn about the professional training, architectural aspirations, structural approaches and project leadership of the creators of the buildings of the British Empire. |
Professions, civil engineers, architects, British India, 17th, 18th, 19th |
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Stoyanova, I, Wouters, I., and Bertels, I. |
2015 |
Glazed wrought-iron arcades: building technologies and spatial effects. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 2, pp 45-66 |
The paper explores the technology used to build and glaze the roofs of three well-known shopping arcades constructed between the 1820s and 1870s: The Gallerie d’Orleans in Paris (1828-29), the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries in Brussels (1845-47) and the Gallerie Vittorio Emanuele in Milan (1865-77). The wrought iron construction and glazing technology of the three arcades are compared in detail, and the development of the structural systems and glazing techniques are reviewed, focusing especially on the different means of constraining the lateral thrusts exerted by the vaulted roof frames. The analysis shows how lateral thrust was managed without visible reinforcement, how the glazing bars evolved towards cruciform section, and how drip edges of the glass plates began to be treated decoratively. The paper concludes that these features contributed to a more striking appearance of the vaults from within the arcades and an enhanced monumental effect. |
glazing, arcades, 19th, Belgium, Italy, France, shops |
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Campo-Ruiz, I. |
2015 |
Construction as a prototype: the novel approach of Sigurd Lewerentz to using building materials, especially for walls and windows, 1920-72. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 2, pp 67-86 |
The paper examines the experimentation in construction by the Swedish engineer-architect Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975) by tracing his successive simplification of window frames, doors and wall construction between the late 1920s and the early 1970s. It explores his writings; the firm he established to manufacture barely-visible frames and structures; his involvement in the chapels of St Gertrud and St Knut in Malmo in 1943; and his later experimentation with unusual combinations of glass, timber, brick and mortar. |
Sigurd Lewerentz, Sweden, window, wall, prototype, materials, method, 20th |
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Berthier, S. |
2015 |
Timber in the buildings of Jean Prouve: an industrial material. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 2, pp 87-1096 |
The paper examines the innovative use of timber as prefabricated and often laminated elements of industrial form combined with other materials to create an original aesthetic, by the French architect Jean Prouve. |
Jean Prouve, Konrad Wachsmann, wood, timber, industrialisation, off-site construction, assembly, plywood, cross-laminated, laminated, pre-fabrication, prefabrication, France |
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Martin-Gomez, C. and Resano, D. |
2015 |
The SEAT Dining Hall in Barcelona, 1956: innovative approaches to structure, the use of aluminium and building services. Construction History, Vol 30 No. 2, pp 107-131 |
The SEAT Dining Hall was the first structure to use aluminium in Spain and remains one of the most innovative and efficient buildings in the world with respect to its design, construction, use of materials and services. The paper explains its historical context, the design process and the people involved, specifically Cesar Ortiz-Echague Rubio, Manuel Berbero Rebolledo, Rafel de la Joya Castro, R. Valle Benitez, H. Herrera and Pedro Roca. . |
Aluminium, air-conditioning, services, Spain, Barcelona, SEAT, hygrothermic, 20th |
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Guo, Q. |
2016 |
Interpreting roof tiles from the Qin state (c. 400-300BC) at Yongcheng in a comparative context. Construction History, Vol 31 No. 1, pp 1-24 |
Yongcheng was the capital of the Qin state during the Warring States Period ( c. 400-300 BC), over a century before the Qin established the first centralised empire in China (221-206 BC). A large number of tiles was excavated there in in 1981-84 and 2005-6 and among these several ’new’ types have been identified. This study examines the recovered tiles in an attempt to understand the roofing system of the Qin state. The author focuses on the finds at Yongcheng while incorporating also a comparative approach. Based on architectural reasoning, two reconstructions of the Qin tiled roofing system are proposed. |
China, roof tiles, terracotta, Yongcheng, archaeology, Bauforschung, roofs, coverings |
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Heyman, J. |
2016 |
The Crossing Space and the emergence of the modern professional architect and engineer. Construction History, Vol 31 No. 1, pp 25-60 |
The period after the Great Fire of London saw the abolition of the medieval way of building, in which design and construction were in the hands of a single master - or a succession of masters, in the protracted building of a cathedral. Instead, the professional architect emerged, who made designs but was not himself a craftsman. At the same time, engineering science began slowly to contribute to architecture. A particular technical challenge was the ’crossing’ - the space formed at the intersection of the nave and transepts of a church. Before Wren no domes existed in England: their creation was totally beyond the capacity of a medieval (English) builder. The form of such does was examined by Wren’s ’partner’ Robert Hooke, and Wren designed many of these, of which the largest is that of St Paul’s Cathedral. Both men were architects and scientists, and between them they created the modern (English) building professional. |
Domes, crossing, cathedral, Wren, Hooke, 17th, professions, England, Britain. |
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Gudelj, J. |
2016 |
The circulation of building materials: pozzolana in the Baroque Dubrovnik. Construction History, Vol 31 No. 1, pp 61-74 |
The paper investigates the introduction into Early Modern building practice in the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) of pozzolana in the late 17th century. Documentary sources indicate that it was first sent to Dubrovnik - along with designs and a master-builder from Rome - for the rebuilding of the cathedral after the earthquake of 1667. Initially treated with scepticism by the local authorities, by the 18th century it was considered essential for hydraulic works, such as those commissioned from the Roman architect Pietro Passalacqua. |
Croatia, Dubrovnik, Ragusa, Pozzolana, 17th, 18th, earthquake, Stjepan Gradic, Pier Andrea Bufalini, Louvre, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Pietro Passalacqua, Rome, technology transfer |
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Bill, N. |
2016 |
Timber bridge construction on British and Irish railways, 1840-1870: the scale of construction and factors influencing material selection. Construction History, Vol 31 No. 1, pp 75-98 |
The paper demonstrates that, contrary to received wisdom, thousands of timber bridges were constructed across the British Isles in the 19th century. Using a database of all known examples, it presents a statistical analysis of how timber construction, timber species, structural forms and technical complexity varied with time for different applications, demonstrating that economy was not the sole reason for using timber. |
Britain, Ireland, 19th century, Railways, bridges, viaducts, timber, economics, economies, structures, species |
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Chrimes, M. M. |
2016 |
Architectural dilletantes: construction professionals in British India 1600-1910. Part 2. 1860-1910: The advent of the professional. Construction History, Vol 31 No. 1, pp 99-140 |
The second of two papers on British engineers in India, considers how British administrations in India managed the design of public buildings in the second half of the 19th century. For most of the period this was a responsibility of engineers in the Public Works Department, led by officials initially trained for military service. Much of the work was concerned with civil engineering, but there was also a demand for public buildings. The designers are generally referred to anachronistically as ’architects’ though most held engineering positions in the Indian armies or, latterly, public works departments. By looking at the careers of some of these ’architects’, conclusions can be drawn about the professional training, architectural inspiration, structural approaches and project leadership of the creators of the buildings of empire. From this, it is suggested that, before 1900, in a meaningful sense there were no architects of empire, but a cadre of engineers whose training enabled them to take on all tasks across the built environment. |
India, Raj, empire, British, professions, civil engineers, architects, education, training, 19th 20th |
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Uihlein, M. S. |
2016 |
Elmer Lawrence Corthell (1840-1916) and the ambitions of a civil engineer. Construction History, Vol 31 No. 1, pp 141-160 |
Elmer Lawrence Corthell was a renowned engineer who believed that engineering was crucial to the prosperity of the United States and that engineering had a responsibility to become a worthwhile profession. After a brief survey of his career, three specific periods that influenced his career and views on engineering are studied in detail: the Mississippi Jetties (1875-80), the Tehuantepec Ship Railway (1884-87) and his consulting work for the Argentine Republic (1900-02). In addition, three of his leadership efforts are considered: his attempts to establish a School of Architecture and Engineering at the University of Chicago (1889-1903); his chairmanship of the General Committee of the 1893 World’s Congress Auxiliary on Engineering; and his attempts to set-up an International Institute of Engineers and Architects in 1894. |
USA, America, civil engineering, education, training, profession, James B. Eads, University of Chicago, Corthell. |
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Plasencia-Lozano, P. |
2016 |
An analysis of Merida’s iron railway bridge: an example of a Linville truss bridge in Spain. Construction History, Vol 31 No. 1, pp 161-172 |
The paper examines the process of design, construction and on-site assessment of the Merida iron railway bridge (1881-3) in Spain. |
Spain, Merida, railway, bridge, iron, John Cockerill, Eduardo de Perralta, 19th, Linville, Truss |
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Gil-Crespo, I.J. |
2016 |
Islamic fortifications in Spain built of rammed-earth. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 1-22. |
The paper presents an archaeological analysis of surviving Islamic fortifications in Spain built of rammed-earth, identifying common characteristics of dimension, fabric, formwork and assembly that differ from medieval Christian rammed-earth construction and employ two dimensional modules: one, during the Emirate and Caliphate, based on the rassasi cubit (0.55m); the other during the Almoravid, Almohad and Nasrid kingdoms, based on the ma’muni cubit (0.45m) |
Spain, Islamic, rammed-earth, pise, fortifications, scaffolding, formwork, form-work, medieval |
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Jackson, M.J. and Young, B. |
2016 |
The building of Durham Cathedral (1093-1133): the preliminary considerations. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 23-38. |
Based partly on a conference of construction professionals held in 1993, and enforced by a lack of contemporaneous written sources and published archaeological analysis, the paper presents a hypothetical explanation of how Durham Cathedral was built. It examines the political, geographical, technical, material, logistical and economic constraints effecting the location and form of the building. |
Britain, England, Durham, medieval, cathedral, masonry, quarries, haulage, preliminaries |
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Addis, B. |
2016 |
Francesco di Giorgio’s contribution to the development of building engineering. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 39-58 |
The paper examines the role of Francesco di Giorgio de Martini (1439-1501) in the development of design manuals for military engineering and specifically geometric design rules for the abutments of masonry arches and vaults, and the use of perspective drawing as an essential design tool. |
Italy, 15th, Franceso di Giorgio di Martini, Da Vinci, Kyeser, Fontana, Taccola, Lechler, Gil, Brunelleschi, military, civil, masonry, Milan, calculation |
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Sosnowska, P., and Goemaere, E. |
2016 |
The reconstruction of Brussels after the bombardment of 1695: an analysis of the recovery through a historical and archaeological study of the use of bricks. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 59-80 |
Through a combined historical and archaeological approach, the paper explains the mechanisms that allowed the city of Brussels to recover, quite rapidly, after the destruction caused by the bombardment of 1695. Two research approaches are used: the first - historical - analyses the measures established by the city and central government to promote the material reconstruction of the city; the second -archaeological - focuses on the on-site supply of materials, with a focus on bricks as the reference material. The authors demonstrate that local resources were heavily exploited but were not sufficient, necessitating the import of a significant amount of ’foreign’ material, the re-use of materials on a large scale and the adaptation of surviving structures. The authors draw conclusions about the organisational complexity of such a vast building site, especially the commercial network, the production capacity and the costs of building materials. |
Belgium, Brussel, Brussels, Bruxelles, materials, brick, 17th, 18th, archaeometry, archaeology, Bauforschung, re-use, reuse, spolia, reconstruction, urban, war, conflict |
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Calvo-Lopez, J., Tain-Guzman, M., Camiruaga-Oses, |
2016 |
The eighteenth century full-scale tracings in the church of St Clare in Santiago de Compostela: execution drawings or design sketches?. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 81-106. |
The paper describes the full-scale masonry tracing found in the floor of the church in 2014, dated to c. 1719-24, and currently the largest known for the Early Modern Period. Using metric and photogrammetric analyses, the authors compare the drawings with the architectural details to which they relate, and suggest that the different versions for some details are design sketches and construction specifications. |
Spain, Santiago de Compostela, 18th century, tracings, floor, masonry, design, execution, Simon Rodriguez, church, management |
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Fatta, G., Campisi, T., and Vinci, C. |
2016 |
Timbrel vaults in Sicily: analysis of a little known construction technique. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 107-133. |
The paper examines the introduction of the thin-shell tile ’timbrel’ or ’realine’ vault to Sicily from Spain in the late 15th century, together with the construction techniques and economics developed locally, partly as a response to earthquakes. |
Italy, Sicily, Spain, timbrel, tile, realine, thin-shell, earthquake, 15th, 18th. |
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Holzer, S. |
2016 |
Canal locks and concrete, 1800-1860. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 133-156. |
The paper traces developments in the use of concrete in canal lock construction from the first trials by the French Amiable Hageau (1756-1836) for Napoleon’s Grand Canal du Nord between Antwerp and Dusseldorf, to Johann von Mihalik’s (1818-92) first monolithic concrete lock near Bezdan in present -day Serbia. |
Concrete, 19th century, canals, locks, hydraulic, Hageau, Mihalik, water. |
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Vandenabeele, L., Bertels, I., Wouters, I |
2016 |
Baltic shipping marks on nineteenth century timber: their deciphering and a proposal for a innovative characterisation of old timber. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 157-176 |
Using contemporaneous treatises, journals, catalogues and construction manuals, the paper demonstrates that merchants marks on Baltic timber provide information about the dating, sources, qualities of and trade in timber used in historic buildings across Europe. Though concentrating on 19th century sources, the study is relevant to medieval and early Modern studies. |
Baltic, timber trade, shipping, export, timber grading, classification, 19th century, Northern Europe |
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Carocci, C.F., and Tocci, C. |
2016 |
The timber truss dome of the Bellini Theatre, Catania: its history and construction. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 177-200. |
The paper demonstrates that many of the structural and decorative characteristics of the complex timber dome of the Teatro Massimo Bellini (1812-1890) in Catania (It) are the direct result of a prolonged and troubled design and construction history, and that neither the performance of the structure nor its conservation can be properly understood without a thorough understanding of that history. |
Italy, Catania, theatre, dome, timber, truss, Sada, Politeama, Massimo, camorcanna, 19th century |
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Ciccarelli, L. |
2016 |
Philadelphia connections in Renzo Piano’s formative years: Robert le Ricolais and Louis I. Kahn. Construction History, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp 177-200 |
The paper explores the influence of the French Robert le Ricolais and the American Louis I. Kahn, and the collaboration of the latter, with the Italian Renzo Piano’s work on buildings such as the Olivetti-Harrisburg factory (1967-70), the Menil Collection (1982-87) and the Kimbrel Art Museum (2007-13) in America. |
USA, America, Piano, Kahn, Ricolais, Makowski, Olivetti, Harrisburg |
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van Tussenbroek, G. |
2017 |
Building contracts in the Low Countries. Provisions concerning form and quality control in the construction industry (1350-1650). Construction History, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp 1020 |
Based on analysis of c. 250 building specifications and contracts dating to before 1650, the paper shows how the development of quality descriptions for brick, stone, wood and other materials changed over time. For carpentry and masonry, quality specifications date back to the end of the 15th century. Quality requirements for brick masonry date date from the 16th century, while for other materials they don’t occur until the end of the 16th century. Contracts also included provisions regarding force majeure and unforeseen circumstances. These provisions related to ambiguity in the wording of the contract, as well as to procedures in case of sickness or death of the contractor. Nonetheless, this did not prevent disputes, some of which lasted for decades. |
Netherlands, Belgium, Middle Ages, medieval, early Modern, specification, contract, organisation, planning, dispute, quality control |
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Threader, S. |
2017 |
Thomas Telford - Engineer of Rochester Bridge 1821-1827. Construction History, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp 21-40 |
Drawing on primary archives held by the Rochester Bridge Trust, the paper provides insight into Telford’s personailty and the way he conducted his consultancy business, as well as the detail of his work for the Trust - such as advising on the provision of privies - none of which is published elsewhere. |
Britain, Kent, Medway, Rochester, Bridge, Telford, Rennie, 19th, engineering |
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Peters, T.J and Brown, S.F. |
2017 |
George Robert Jebb (1838-1927): Railway and Canal Engineer. Construction History, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp 41-62 |
The paper discusses the professional, domestic and academic life of the canal and railway engineer G.R. Jebb. Initially trained and working as a railway engineer, Jebb later distinguished himself as Chief Engineer and Director of the Shropshire Union Railway and Canal Company and the Birmingham Canal Navigation, both of which had close links with the North Western Railway Company. He was involved with extensive innovative work at the Ellesmere Port docks and was a Commissioner of the Upper Mersey Navigation Commission. He contributed to the Royal Society of Arts, the British Science Association and the Royal Commission on Canals and Waterways; served on the Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers as its Vice President 1912-1915; and was also a member of the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers and its President in 1912. He also acted as a consulting engineer and arbitrator, and was interested in mountaineering and flora. |
Britain, Jebb, biography, waterways, canals, railways, engineering, maintenance |
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Scibilia, F. |
2017 |
Earthquake-resistant construction techniques in Italy between 1880 and 1910: alternatives to reinforced concrete. Construction History, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp 63-82 |
Based on historical-critical analysis of specialised literature, design competitions and patents, the paper examines how Italians, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, developed earthquake-resistant structures through re-assessment of traditional construction methods using brick, timber or metal, sometimes in combination with recently introduced materials such as expanded metal mesh. |
Italy, earthquake, patents, Messina, Regio Calabria, 19th, 20th |
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Cardellicchio, L. |
2017 |
Building organic architecture in Italy: the history of the construction of the Solimene Ceramics Factory by Paolo Soleri in Vietri sul Mare (1952-56). Construction History, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp 83-104 |
The paper describes how Paolo Soleri (1919-2013) - a student of Frank Lloyd Wright - designed and managed the construction of an architecturally innovative industrial building using traditional craft skills and vernacular materials in post-war Italy. |
Italy, USA, Soleri, organic, terracotta, ceramics, factory, craft, 20th century |
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Zawisny, N., Fivet, C., and Ochsendorf, J. |
2017 |
Guastovino’s design of the thin brick dome of the Cathedral of St John the Divine (1909). Construction History, Vol 32 No. 2, pp 39-66 |
The paper refutes received wisdom that Rafael Guastovino Jr’s calculation notes for the thinnest brick shell in the world are lost, by showing that his working drawings contain every calculation needed. A comparison of the drawings with contemporaneous literature demonstrates that his faster and more direct method of sizing a spherical masonry dome was highly innovative and original, and that his calculation method is still relevant for understanding old domes and designing new ones. |
thin-shell masonry dome, graphic statics, working-drawing, Guastovino Jr, Harlem, St John the Divine, 1909, 20th century, USA, America, New York.n |
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Ginovart, J.L., et al |
2017 |
The design and layout of the arches in Pinell de Brai cooperative and the legacy of Catalan construction on Cesar Martinelli’s wine cellars (1918-27). Construction History, Vol 32 No. 2, pp 67-82 |
The article demonstrates how Cesar Martinelli i Brunet designed the catenary and parabolic arches of the Cooperative Pinelli de Brai wine cellar, and the influence of Antonio Gaudi i Corbet on the design method. |
Catenary, parabola, Martinelli, Gaudi, Hooke, Spain, 20th century, arch, masonry, wine |
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Kalisch, M.A.R. |
2017 |
Construction technology development in Merida, Yucatan, MEXICO: From reinforced concrete structures to reinforced concrete shells (1903-64). Construction History, Vol 32 No. 2, pp 109-130 |
The paper presents a concise history of developments in reinforced concrete construction technology in Mexico between 1903 and 1964, from mixed structures to folded plate roofs and double curved shells, illustrated by extant buildings. |
Mexico, Merida, concrete, reinforced,folded-plate, hyperbolic parabaloid shells, 20th century |
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Blair,Alice; Glover,Sarah; Patel,Dinesh, and Pye,A |
2020 |
Claridge’s Hotel: digging deep, creating a five-level basement below a fully operational five-star hotel in London’s Mayfair. The Arup Journal, Vol.55, no.1 (1/2020), pp.16-23 |
The owners of Claridge’s, a five-star hotel in the heart of London’s exclusive Mayfair district, wanted to enhance the services offered to their guests and increase capacity. To do so, they needed to expand the hotel. Planning reasons meant they could not increase the height of the building, so an alternative solution was needed. Could a modern extension be created by excavating below the building – without disrupting the hotel services or disturbing the guests? The five-storey basement was constructed under the 1920s Art Deco section of the hotel: All the machinery and excavated materials passed through a single window to the rear of the hotel. |
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Deegan,J; Deeny,S; Edwards,P; Jaworski,A; et al. |
2020 |
Macallan Distillery, Easter Elchies: a state-of-the-art distillery and visitor centre created to meet growing demand for Macallan Scotch whisky. The Arup Journal, Vol.55, no.1, pp.44-51 (1/2020) |
The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience is located in the Easter Elchies estate in the Scottish Highlands, where it is set into the landscape so that it blends in with its surroundings. The building’s double-curved grass-covered roof is one of the largest timber grid-shell roofs in the world. Working in collaboration with architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) on the £140m project from concept through to completion, Arup carried out the structural, building services, fire, acoustic and civil engineering design, along with providing environmental and transportation advice for the new facility. The client wanted a contemporary distillery that would showcase the production of Macallan whisky and also be of the highest quality and craftsmanship, reflecting the company’s values. In addition, they wanted it to respect the surrounding countryside. It resulted in a 15,000m2 building that met this vision while also mitigating the fire risks inherent in the distilling process. |
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Anandityo, Dion, and Tan, Jason |
2020 |
Guoco Tower, Singapore: the construction of these geometrically complex towers was achieved at great speed and with minimal disruption to the surrounding area. The Arup Journal, Vol.55, no. I (1/2020), pp.38-43. |
Guoco Tower is a 156,000m² mixed-use development consisting of premium office, residential, hotel and retail space. Named after its occupant and owner, property developer GuocoLand, it sits at the heart of a neighbourhood that is swiftly being transformed into Singapore’s next business and lifestyle hub. Working in conjunction with US architectural practice Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Arup was responsible for civil, structural and façade engineering, and sustainable building design. The development comprises two towers; the taller, at 290m, is the tallest building in Singapore. It is linked to the smaller 105m tower by a podium that offers 10m column-free, ceiling-to-floor views across the area. Guoco Tower consists of two towers that offer residential, hotel, office and retail space. |
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Balmer,Douglas; Balmer,Jo, and Carter,Matt |
2020 |
Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor Project, Montreal, Canada: an essential piece of infrastructure delivered two and a half years earlier than originally planned and within the project budget. The Arup Journal, Vol.55, no.1 (1/2020), pp.30-37. |
In June 2019, Montreal celebrated the opening of the 3.4km Samuel De Champlain Bridge, one of the largest and busiest bridges in North America. Crossing the Saint Lawrence River and its international shipping channel, it is a vital thoroughfare for both goods and people, accommodating in excess of 50 million crossings and facilitating CAD$20 billion (around £12 billion) of trade every year. Built through a public-private partnership (PPP) between the Government of Canada (via Infrastructure Canada) and the Signature on the Saint Lawrence Group, it is a landmark structure forming a gateway to the city of Montreal. The construction of the bridge was part of the CAD$4.24 billion New Bridge for the Saint Lawrence Corridor Project, a major urban highway improvement project in the Montreal metropolitan area and one of the largest infrastructure schemes in North America. The project also encompassed the construction of the 500m Île des Sœurs Bridge and the renewal of 8.5km of highway; there is a dedicated public transport corridor incorporated, as well as an enhanced network of pedestrian and cycling paths throughout the corridor. |
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Feteanu,R; Li,M; Su,F; Wong,K and Yu,V |
2020 |
Beijing Daxing International Airport, China; the largest airport in the world. The Arup Journal, Vol.55, no.1 (1/2020), pp.24-29. |
The spectacular starfish-shaped Beijing Daxing International Airport is one of the biggest single-structure terminals in the world, measuring 1.2km from end to end. Covering more than 700,000m2, it is the largest airport (in terms of size) globally. It opened in September 2019 and currently handles 300 take-offs and landings an hour and 42 million passengers per year. This will eventually grow to 100 million passengers annually. Working closely with Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, Arup designed a number of innovative solutions for this project. The firm provided fire engineering, passenger and logistics simulations and structural peer review services. This work has resulted in significant material and cost savings, and carbon emission reduction. Successfully integrating the ground transportation centre with the terminal building, for instance, has helped to save at least 1.6 million hours for nearly 30 million passengers every year. |
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Evans,T; Falbe-Hansen,K; Martini,N; Juul-Sorensen, |
2020 |
Cityringen metro line, Copenhagen, Denmark. The Arup Journal, Vol.55, no.1 (1/ 2020), pp. 4-15. |
The Cityringen line, which opened in September 2019, aims to encourage more citizens to use this environmentally friendly form of transport. Cityringen adds a third line to Copenhagen’s extremely popular existing metro system. The Cityringen metro line, consisting of 16km of twin-bore tunnels and 17 new underground stations, provides a 24-minute loop around Copenhagen’s city centre, interchanging with the existing metro, mainline services and buses. Cityringen runs 24/7 and seeks to encourage residents out of their cars and onto an environmentally friendly form of transit. It is a key part of the city’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2025. Cityringen opened in September 2019; 85% of Copenhagen residents are now less than a 10-minute walk from a train station. In 2007, Metroselskabet, Copenhagen’s metro company, appointed Arup with joint venture (JV) partners COWI and SYSTRA to act as multidisciplinary technical adviser for this design and build contract. It was the city’s largest construction project in more than 400 years. Working on the design and procurement strategy for the contract, the JV provided engineering, architectural and advisory services, including civil and structural design, risk assessment, cost estimates, and project and programme management. Arup was also responsible for the reference design safety case on the project. |
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Paxton, Roland |
2020 |
Spanning the centuries: an anthology of essays reflecting the influence and heritage of the Union Bridge, Berwick-upon-Tweed, to celebrate its Bicentenary |
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Bridges / Heritage Structures |
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Peters, T.F. |
2018 |
The El-Kantara Bridge in Algeria: An early development of cantilevering construction and what we can learn from its documentation in text and image (1862-3). Construction History Vol. 33 No. 1 pp 69-82. |
The article examines the design and construction of the earliest fully-documented cantilevered bridge - at Constantine in Algeria - and the manner in which that process was recorded by its engineer, Georges Martin. The photographic record he produced is the second known, and the first by a construction professional. |
Algeria, bridge, cantilever, iron, Martin, Baldus, 19th, photography |
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Shu, C. |
2018 |
Towards Western construction in China: Shanghai brickwork and printed technical resources (1843-1936). Construction History Vol. 33 No. 1, pp 83-110. |
The paper illustrates the importance of literature - as opposed to oral instruction - in the introduction of western construction, and particularly brickwork, to China in the late 19th and early 290th centuries, and the adaptation of it by Chinese builders. |
China, Brickwork, literature,knowledge transfer, Mitchell, Zhang Ying-Xu, Ge Shang-Xuan, Du Yan-Geng, 19th, 20th |
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Clarke, L. |
1992 |
Building Capitalism: Historical Change and the Labour process in the Production of the Built Environment. |
A detailed and forensic analysis, using primary archive sources, of how the agricultural margins of the City of London were urbanised during the 18th and 19th centuries. Examining the roles of aristocratic and institutional landowners, agents and developers, artisans and - later - trade/building contractors, it demonstrates that the slum conditions created in the former Somerstown area of St Pancras (largely demolished in the 1930s) were the consequence of specific, but un-planned, commercial relationships and strategies; and that the trade and commercial practices and legal structures operative in the mid 18th century were unsuited to the task of large-scale capitalist property development. Possibly the first published English language work to examine the mechanics and economics of pre-industrialised brick production in the urban context, as well a the crucial role of infrastructure, particularly paviours, and the pyramidal leasehold system that was employed throughout London and most British towns and cities during the late 17th to the late 19th century. |
Britain, London, 18th, 19th, urbanisation, development, economics, leasehold, contract, trade, artisan, materials, landowner, agent, slum, infrastructure, drains, paving |
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Figueres, M.P., Mananos, A.P., & Garcia, V.B. |
2018 |
The development of pre-fabricated envelopes by GO.DB Architects Studio. Construction History Vol. 33 No. 2 pp 109-128 |
The article analyses the introduction of pre-fabricated modular components in large-scale housing projects in Spain in the 1960s, examining where the ideas came from, the materials used and the construction methods employed. |
Spain, 20th, pre-fabricated, prefabricated, high-rise, concrete, plastics |
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Zheng, H., Pan, Y., & Campbell, J.W.P. |
2019 |
Building on Shanghai soil: A historical survey of foundation engineering in Shanghai, 1843-1941. Construction History Vol. 34 No. 1 pp 1-20 |
The paper explains how high-rise Western buildings were constructed on the alluvial mud substrate of Shanghai village during the late 19th and early 20th century, using Western foundation technology adapted to local conditions by Western and Chinese builders. |
China, Shanghai, 19th, 20th, foundations, piling, piles, concrete, timber, raft, economics |
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Reeder, L. |
2019 |
Case studies in resource efficiency: design and construction in the Grand Canyon, 1921-28. Construction History Vol. 34 No. 1 pp 21-42 |
The paper uses the engineers’ and owners’ archives to examine the resource-efficient strategies enforced upon the designers and builders of two suspension bridges and a tourist resort in the base of the Grand Canyon between 1921 and 1928, without powered transport. |
USA, 20th, Grand canyon, suspension bridge, tourism, draught animals, resource efficiency, National Park Service, Mary E.J. Colter, Kaibab Suspension Bridge, Phantom Ranch, Fred Harvey |
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O’Brien, M.J. |
2019 |
Federalized prefabrication: Southeast Missouri Farms Self-Help Housing in the 1930s. Construction History Vol. 34 No. 1 pp 43-58 |
The paper explains how the US government, under the second New Deal, developed industrially-produced prefabricated buildings for self-assembly by economically distressed farmers in the bootheel counties of southeast Missouri during the 1930s, achieving completion rates c. 30 times faster than for standard construction. The paper also examines the political context of the programme and its discontinuation. |
USA, Missouri, 20th, FSA, Resettlement Administration, unskilled labour, self-help, owner-built, pre-fabrication, prefabrication, farms, politics, economics, depression |
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Li, H. |
2019 |
Environmental adaptability of Building Mode: A typological study on the technological modification of Hoffman Kiln in China since the 1950s. Construction History Vol. 34 No. 1 pp 59-84 |
The paper demonstrates how the Hoffman Kiln, introduced to China at the end of the 19th century, was adapted by Chinese designers and brick-makers to suit local environmental, material and economic conditions. |
China, 20th, brick, kiln, Hoffman, environment, modification, prototype |
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Diaz, J.G. & Garcia, D.E. |
2019 |
Design and construction of structures for stadiums in Colombia: the contributions of the engineer Guillermo Gonzalez Zuleta (1947-89). Construction History Vol. 34 No. 1 pp 85-102. |
The paper examines the introduction and adaptation of thin-shell canopies with minimum structural supports for use as sports stadia in Colombia during the second half of the 20th century, with particular reference to their experimental and innovative designs. |
Colombia, 20th , thin-shell, concrete, sports stadium, civic. |
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Stracchi, P. |
2019 |
Pier Luigi Nervi and Harry Seidler’s Australia Square Tower: Italian structure, Australian design. Construction History Vol. 34 No. 1 pp 103-128. |
The paper demonstrates the fundamental role played by Nervi in the design of the ground-breaking cylindrical Australia Square Tower in Sydney (1962-7) with an exposed load-bearing concrete structure. |
Australia, Sydney, 20th, high-rise, skyscraper, Nervi, Seidler, precast concrete, reinforced concrete, ferro-cement, exoskeletal. |
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Liu, Y. |
2019 |
Building woven arch bridges in southeast China: carpenters’ secrets and skills. Construction History Vol 34 No. 2, pp 17-35 |
The woven arch bridge in Southeast China is a particular type of traditional wooden structure. Composed of interlocking beams, the arch-shaped structure can reach a span of over 40 m.
This bridge building tradition developed in a less-developed mountain area, isolated from and unknown to the outside world for centuries. Bridge carpenters whose expertise is the product of more than two centuries of family traditions are actively using this technique today. They work with primitive and simple design and construction tools. Bridges over high cliffs and deep waters are built using the simplest scaffolding system, and the sophisticated composition is designed and calculated using a sketch with only a few lines. The techniques for designing and constructing the bridges are family secrets and are handed down through generations.
Of all the knowledge and skills, the wooden joint is a key for understanding the world of bridge carpenters’ techniques. The use of a systematic set of wooden joints enabled carpenters to assemble the structure on a dangerous building site with limited facilities. The selection of joint forms and the design method reflect the fundamental technical features of the bridge construction, and differences among carpenter-groups are indicators of family pedigree.
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China, woven arch bridge, reciprocal frame structure, timber, scaffolding, joint, carpentry |
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Loeffler, B. |
2019 |
Thwarted innovation: The Western discourse on earthquake resistance in Japanese architecture- an historical view. Construction History Vol. 34 No. 2 pp 35-52. |
The construction principles of traditional Japanese architecture are of considerable interest today. They appear to have a long history of academic scholarship in the West and one might assume that knowledge about them has reached an advanced state. This assumption is incorrect, however. Today’s knowledge about Japanese construction principles is still comparatively limited outside Japan, since the topic was largely ignored by European civil engineers and architects during the late nineteenth century, when modern academic research on Japanese architecture began.
The paper uses the discourse regarding the earthquake resistance of Japanese buildings as a means to gain insight into the formation of modern Western building sciences and their intentional dissociation from craft tradition. It traces actors and their patterns of argument through popular and specialized journals and shows the discourse to be a complex negotiation of cultural expectations, claims about the hegemony of Western civilisation, specialists’ rivalries, and contemporary topics in European politics. The paper argues that this linking of building practices and building knowledge with paradigms of culture and civilisation had a lasting effect on the academic perception of Japanese architecture in general and wooden building construction in particular, and indeed impeded further research.
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Japan, earthquake, pagoda, Josiah Conder, Christopher Dresser, 19th, scholarship, history of science. |
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Martinez, M.M. |
2019 |
Origin of equilibrium methods applied to the structural calculation of long cylindrical shells. Construction History Vol. 34 No.2 pp 53-74 |
Assessing the state of stress of a cylindrical shell, according to elastic theory, originally consisted of formulating hypotheses about the conditions surrounding it, which were impossible to determine beforehand, and the type of structural material used, which had to be ideal, uniform and isotropic. However, even when it was possible to solve complex second-degree equations, there was no guarantee that this state of stress represented the ‘real’ state of the shell.
Plastic theory emerged as a consequence of the shortcomings of elastic theory. It was also the twentieth century’s most important contribution to structural theory. This study looks at a specific episode, which has barely been studied and is part of the history of plastic or breaking load calculations, and concerns the origin and subsequent application of the plastic method as an ideal tool for the structural calculation of long cylindrical shells. It meant that they could be calculated easily and accurately, as will be discussed below.
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Limit analysis, K.W. Johansen, equilibrium, cylindrical shell, calculation, beam method, shell structures |
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Marfella, G. |
2019 |
The zipper gasket: a flexible link between cars and curtain walls. Construction History Vol. 34 No. 2 pp 75-98. |
The zipper gasket was an innovative glazing method introduced after World War II to overcome problems of safety and installation in curtain walls. Invented at first for automotive windshields in the United States, the technique used neoprene compression gaskets to secure glass in window frames without wet sealants. The first application of zipper gaskets in a building dates from the mid-1950s in the curtain walls of the General Motors Technical Center, near Detroit. The glazing method was subsequently used in several prominent American high-rise commercial towers, most notably in the headquarters of glass manufacturer Libbey-Owens-Ford, in Toledo, Ohio. Zipper gaskets found discrete international success also outside the United States in Australian and British buildings of the 1960s. The technique was a transient but significant step forward on the development of curtain walls. The zipper gasket represents a case of successful technology transfer between the automotive and construction industries. The origin, technical characteristics, and construction implications of the technique highlight the successful alliance between architects, builders and glass manufacturers and their shared stake for innovation in sealing and glazing methods of modern curtain walls. |
USA, Australia, 20th, curtain walls, glazing, neoprene, gaskets, tall buildings, Libby-Owens-Ford (LOF), Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG). |
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Pedreschi, R. |
2019 |
The church of San Pedro Durazno (between the rational and the mystical). Construction History Vol. 34 No. 2 pp 99-130. |
The church of San Pedro located in, Durazno, Uruguay, suffered severe damage following a major fire in 1967. The engineer Eladio Dieste, became responsible for its subsequent re-construction. The project presented significant challenges, working with the existing fabric to a very limited budget. Despite this Dieste proposed and completed a remarkable transformation, to produce a contemporary, modern design. The work is almost entirely of reinforced brick, adapting and developing new techniques of masonry construction he had pioneered in numerous projects. The paper presents a short history of the church, background to the fire and describes the reconstruction; the design concept, structure and construction. To assist in understanding Dieste’s approach reference is made to some of his key writings, new contributions from his collaborators on the project and previously unpublished images from various archives. Key elements of the structure and construction are described in detail, such as the novel pre-stressing systems used in both the roof and walls of the nave and the remarkable rosette window of minimal brick structure. The discussion is supported by further structural analysis and prototype construction studies at the University of Edinburgh. The church occupies a particular place in the work of Dieste, as an outstanding exemplar of his search for ‘cosmic economy’, in which architecture, structure and construction are integrated seamlessly. |
Uruguay, 20th , church, Dieste, brick, pre-stressed, fire |
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Villate-Matiz, C., et al |
2019 |
Construction innovations in a suspension structure: The Domenico Parma bridge. Construction History Vol. 34 No. 2 pp 131-148. |
This article describes and analyses the construction process of a suspension bridge built on the Chinchiná River (Colombia) in 1986, which is characterised by having only one tower, shaped like a tuning fork, located at the midpoint of span. The designer, an Italian engineer resident in Colombia, Domenico Parma, was also at the forefront of the construction process, in which he introduced innovations that were learned and replicated by other Colombian engineers. Special attention is paid to the construction equipment that Parma himself designed and assembled during the construction of the bridge. |
Colombia, 20th, Domenico Parma, bridge, suspension, equipment. |
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Summerson, J. |
1985 |
What is the history of construction? Construction History Vol. 1 pp 1-2. |
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Tough, A. |
1985 |
Sources for construction history in the Modern Records Centre at the University of Warwick. Construction History Vol 1 pp 3-5.
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A summary of the business records of the main trade and employers’ organisations of the British construction industry from the 19th to the late 20th century, held by the Modern Records centre at the University of Warwick. Also holds business records of some building firs, such a Parnell of Rugby, who worked for the LNWR, Butterfield and Lutyens. |
CBI, FBI, BEC, NFBTE, EETPU, ISTC, TGWU, UCATT, PTU, SPU, OSM |
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Trowell, F. |
1985 |
Speculative housing development in Leeds and the involvement of local architects in the design process 1866-1914. Construction History Vol. 1 pp 6-12
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Based on thesis examining the process in which agricultural land was urbanised in the 2nd half of the 19th century in Britain, using the Leeds suburb of Headingley as a case study, and the extent to which the emerging profession of architect and early local government were involved. A good study of the industry at that time. cf, Clarke, 1993. |
Britain, 19th, housing, speculative, pattern books, approval, bye-laws, designer, architect, government, control. |
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Powell, C.G. |
1985 |
Case studies and lost tribes: the Bristol firm of James Diment and Stephens, Bastow& Co. Construction History Vol. 1 pp 13-24.
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Detailed analysis of the business life of a small building firm in Bristol (Britain) during the 19th century, examining reasons for success and failure. Catalogues the scale and nature of contracts undertaken, their economic value and geographic spread. Lists a large number of other firms operating in the area at that time. |
Britain, 19thC, Bristol, firm, failure, success, workload |
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Donnelly, T. |
1985 |
Structure, technology and demand in the Aberdeen granite quarrying industry 1880-1914. Construction History Vol 1 pp25-25.
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Cooney, E.W. |
1985 |
Innovation in the postwar British building industry: a historical view. Construction History Vol. 1 pp36-51.
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Examines the lack of innovation evident in the British construction industry by the mid 20th C and the steps taken to redress that. |
Britain, 20th, innovation, costs, investment, pre-fabrication, prefabrication, housing, high-rise |
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Finnimore, B. |
1985 |
The A.I.R.O.H. house: industrial diversification and state building policy. Construction History Vol. 1 pp52-.
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Coates, C. |
1986 |
Sources for construction history in the library of the Trades Union Congress. Construction History Vol. 2 pp 1-2
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Britain, 19th, 20th, TUC, Burns, housing, Ritzema, Tuckwell, labour, union |
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Calabi, D. |
1986 |
Construction history and urban sites:recent work by the Venetian school on the construction history of Venice during
the Long Renaissance. Construction History Vol. 2 pp3-12.
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A study of the processes, people and organisations that created Venice |
Italy, 16th, Tafuri, Foscari, Spavento, Bon, Lombardo, Samnsovino, Giacondo, Guberni, Vignola, arsenal, naval, ship-building, Fausto |
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Yeomans, D.T. |
1986 |
Early carpenters’ manuals 1592-1820. Construction History Vol. 2 pp 13-33. |
The definitive study of the influence of literature on the development of structural carpentry in Britain during the 16th to 19th centuries. |
Primat, Neve, Gerbier, Digges, measurement, calculation, Leybourne, Stirrup, Hoppus, Moxon, Halfpenny, geometry, Price, langley, pain, trusses |
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Houldsworth, H.K. |
1986 |
Changing practices in labour relations: the Society of Master Carpenters, London 1783-99. Construction Hstory Vol. 2 pp 34-47.
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A study of the painful transition from artisan to wage-based labour in London during the 18th century. |
strike, wages, artisan, combination, capitalism, London, Britain |
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Roger, R. |
1986 |
Structural instability in the Scottish building industry 1820-80. Construction History Vol. 2 pp 48-60.
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Powell, C.G. |
1986 |
He that runs against time: life expectancy of building firms in nineteenth century Bristol. Construction History Vol. 2 pp 61-67.
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Detailed analysis of the construction industry of Bristol during the 19th century, examining the number and size of firms, their life expectancy and the reasons for their success and failure. Applicable to all larger British towns. |
Britain, 19thC, Bristol, provincial |
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Russell, I. |
1986 |
Researching a company history: the McAlpine project. Construction History Vol. 2 pp 68-75.
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History of the McAlpine construction dynasty, examining its business life and the challenges facing historians of such organisations. Traces company from origins in Lanarkshire, Scotland in c. 1868, through bankruptcies and other crises, examining the important role of public works, railways, government and war in the expansion of the company. |
Britain, Scotland, 19th, contractor, civil. |
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Davison, K. |
1986 |
Sources for the construction history of the Second World War. Construction History Vol. 2 pp 76-80.
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Dunkeld, M. |
1987 |
Approaches to Construction History. Construction History Vol. 3 pp 3-16. |
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Morley, J. |
1987 |
Building Themes in Construction History: recent work by the Delaware Valley Group. Construction History Vol. 3 pp 17-30.
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Historiographical review article |
USA |
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Louw, H. |
1987 |
The Rise of the Metal Window during the Early Industrial Period in Britain, c.1750-1830. Construction History Vol. 3 pp 31-54.
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Charlton, T.M. |
1987 |
Innovation in Structural Theory in the Nineteenth Century. Construction History Vol. 3 pp 55-60. |
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Cusack, P. |
1987 |
Agents of Change: Hennebique, Mouchel and ferro-concrete in Britain, 1897-1908. Construction History Vol. 3 pp 61-74.
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Examines the introduction of reinforced concrete to Britain in the late 19th C, identifying the principle people, systems, agents, contractors and buildings. |
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Abram, J. |
1987 |
An Unusual Organisation of Production: the building firm of the Perret Brothers, 1897-1954. Construction History Vol. 3 pp 75-94.
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A history of the Perret Brothers company, from Burgundian builders to architects and main contractors specialising in civic buildings. identifies the principal people, systems and buildings. A good evocation of the construction industry in late 19th and early 20th C France. |
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Hellgardt, M. |
1987 |
Martin Wagner: the work of building in the era of its technical reproduction. Construction History Vol. 3 pp 95-114.
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An examination of the professional life and influence of the German architect (1885-1957) on the design, economics and construction management of buildings, with particular attention to pre-fabricated and modular buildings, including large residential Grosssiedlung buildings, and the importance of site layout to efficient construction. |
Germany, 19th C , modular, management |
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Cooney, E.W. |
1987 |
Innovation and Contracts in the Postwar British Building Industry. Construction History Vol. 3 pp 115-124. |
The second of two articles on this theme, examining the influence of different types of pro-forma contracts on the construction design and management. |
Britain, JCT,. RIBA, contracts |
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Yeomans, D.T. |
1988 |
Managing Eighteenth-Century Building. Construction History Vol. 4, pp 3-20. |
Examines the changes imposed on the British construction industry by the demands of the Great Fire rebuilding of London, the expansion of London and govt-funded projects such as the Queen Anne churches; and the emergence of the architect as a profession in Britain. |
Britain, Enlnand, London, 17th, 18th cnetury, Wren, Vanbrugh, Hawksmoor, contracts, trades, supervision, surveyor, architect, quality control |
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Picon, A. |
1988 |
Navier and the Introduction of Suspension Bridges in France. Construction History Vol. 4 pp 21-34 |
Examines the changes imposed on the French construction industry by the introduction, from America via Britain, of the suspension bridge in 1820-30. Cites the principle institutions, people and structures and the instructive failures. |
France, USA, Britain, 19th, Basse-Chaine, Roche-Bernard, Seguin, Tournon, Invalides, failure, Cubzac, Vicat, Dutens, Gauthey, Pope. |
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Stratton, M. |
1988 |
Science and Art Closely Combined: the organisation of training in the terracotta industry, 1850-1939. Construction History Vol. 4 pp 35-52.
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Examines the changes imposed on the British construction industry by the adoption of moulded terracotta as a decorative cladding material in the mid 19th century. Cites people, institutions and the principal buildings. |
Britain, 19th, faience, terracotta, Hathernware, Coade, ceramics, Blashfield, Blanchard, caryatids, training, education, mass-production, artistry |
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Bonshek, J. |
1988 |
The Skyscraper: a catalyst of change in the Chicago construction industries, 1882-1892. Construction History Vol. 4 pp 53-74.
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Examines the challenges imposed on the American construction industry by the demand for tall building, initially in Chicago; the emergence of specialist contractors and materials suppliers and the de-skilling that accompanied the systematised construction under challenging timetables and budgets. Presents a short history of the skyscraper, then cites the principle people, organisations and buildings. |
USA, America, 19th, 20th, unions, elevator, Otis, fire-proof, manhattan, chicago, auditorium, division |
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Erhlich, M., & Goldberg, D.J. |
1988 |
Work not Relief: Massachusetts carpenters, craft unionism and the Great Depression. Construction History Vol. 4 pp 75-
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Examines the effects of the Great Depression on craft and union organisations in the world’s largest and most rapacious capitalist economy and the role of government in normalising the working lives of craftsmen such as carpenters. |
USA, 20th, unions, trades, New Deal, Roosevelt, government schemes, work-creation |
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Louw, H. |
1989 |
Demarcation Disputes between the English Carpenters and Joiners from the Sixteenth to the Eighteenth Century. Construction History Vol. 5 pp 3-20.
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Analysis of the causes and consequences of the separation of carpenters from joiners in late 16th C Britain, how the division was first manifest in civic processions, the influence of Renaissance artistic imperatives and the difference between London and the rest of the country. |
Britain, England, London, 16th, carpenter, joiner, craft, demarcation, organisation, dispute. |
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Gasparini, D.A., & Provost, C. |
1989 |
Early Nineteenth Century Developments in Truss Design in Britain, France and the United States. Construction History Vol. 5 pp 21-34.
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The influence of the railways on truss development in Britain, America and France. A short summary of the history of the truss as a mechanism, followed by the specific imperatives of railway and engineering requirements. The principle people, publications, structures such as the Gaunless Viaduct and truss forms such as: the Lattice truss, tube girders, Warren’s girder, bowstring bridge. |
Galileo, Stevin, Newton, Varignon, Bernoulli, Lagrange, Navier, Polonceau, Stephenson, Long, Whipple |
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Brooke, D. |
1989 |
The Railway Navvy-a reassessment. Construction History Vol. 4 pp 35-46. |
Analysis of the working lives and importance of the manual excavator to the development of railways in Britain and Europe before the advent of mechanical excavators; their emergence from agricultural and canal contracting and their eventual decline in the early 20th C. Also examines the efforts of philanthropists to limit the worst excesses of the ’lump’ and ’truck’ systems. Essentially a summary of Coleman’s 1965 book ’The Railway Navvies’ . |
Britain, Europe, railways, 19th, contractor, sub-contractor, welfare, fatalities, tunnel, excavation, docks, cuttings, labour. |
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Spencer-Silver, P. |
1989 |
George Myers, 1803-75, Stonemason, Builder, Contractor. Construction History Vol. 5, pp 47-58. |
A rare example of a detailed history of a British building contractor in the 19th C, charting his entry into the trade and eventual success as a contractor for Pugin and others; presenting a comprehensive picture of the social and economic circumstances and the importance of public/government works to the success of contractors. |
Britain, England, 19th, contractor, firm, sub-contractor, asylum, workhouse |
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Chrimes, M.M. |
1989 |
The Institution of Civil Engineers’ Library and Archives: a brief introduction. Construction History Vol. 5 pp 59-66.
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A guide to the historical sources curated by the ICE in London, comprising: books and serials, tracts and treatises, government publications, biographical information, archives and drawings. The sources cover civil engineering projects undertaken around the world |
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Guillery, P. |
1990 |
Building the Millwall Docks. Construction History Vol. 6 pp 3-22. |
An analysis of the challenges facing promotion, financing and construction of Millwall Docks in London, c. 1860-1868. An object lesson in how not to do it, involving an over-ambitious project, inexperienced developers and contractors, fraud and macro-economic failures. Provides an important counterpoint to the otherwise celebratory history of Victorian enterprise. |
Britain, London, 19th, docks, speculation, financing, crash, fraud, development, corruption |
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Lawrence, J.C. |
1990 |
Steel Frame Architecture versus the London Building Regulations: Selfridges, the Ritz and American Technology. Construction History Vol. 6 pp 23-46.
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Explains the challenges to the British commercial and construction industries and the regulatory frameworks under which they operated, caused by the introduction of large, open-plan department stores and hotels from the US in the early 210th century. Principle people, organisations, buildings and legislative instruments. |
Britain, America, 20th, Selfridge, Selfridge’s, Ritz, concrete, steel, regulation, fire |
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Korvenmaa, P. |
1990 |
The Finnish Wooden House Transformed: American prefabrication, war-time housing and Alvar Aalto. Construction History Vol. 6 pp 47-62.
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Describes the industrialisation of pre-fabricated timber buildings in Finland during the early 20th C and the involvement of America in that process. Presents a short history of timber construction in both countries and then focuses on research and exchanges during 1935-45 and their legacy. Names the principal people, organisations, events and projects. |
Finland, America, 20th, prefabrication, timber, housing, Aalto, bemis |
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Kenney, A. |
1990 |
Sources for the History of Housing in English Provincial Towns in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. Construction History Vol. 6 pp 63-
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Methodological paper summarising the sources available and where they can be examined. |
Britain, England, 18th 19th, housing |
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Schofield, J. |
1991 |
The Construction of Medieval and Tudor Houses in London. Construction History Vol. 7 pp 3-28. |
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Britain, England, London |
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Cooney, E.W. |
1991 |
Eighteenth Century Britain’s Missing Sawmills: A Blessing in Disguise?. Construction History Vol. 7 pp 29-46. |
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Britain, timber, materials |
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Louw, H. |
1991 |
Window-Glass Making in Britain c.1660-c.1860 and its Architectural Impact. Construction History Vol. 7 pp 47-68.
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Darnell, V.C. |
1991 |
The Pioneering Iron Trusses of Nathaniel Rider. Construction History Vol. 7 pp 69-82. |
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Loader, R., & Skinner, J. |
1991 |
Management, Construction and Architecture: The Development of the Model Factory. Construction History Vol. 7 pp 83-105.
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Carvais, R., & Negre, V. |
2006 |
The Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers and the preservation, dissemination and innovation of construction know-how (1794-1971). Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1, pp 7-34. |
Keynote lecture at the 2006 Cambridge conference that summarises the history of the CNAM as a medium of knowledge curation and transfer and a font of innovation. |
France, 18th, 19th, Abbe Gregoire, teaching, knowledge transfer, Dupin, Gourniere, Rouche, Trelat, Mesnager, Ache, Poupee, Prouve, Liet-Veaux, Morin, Ragey |
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Clarke, L. & Wall, C. |
2006 |
Omitted from history: Women in the building trades. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 35-60. |
Keynote lecture that demonstrates that, despite the dominance of the construction industry by men, there have been episodes when women made significant contributions to the industry. It explains why and how women were included or excluded from the industry and from historical accounts of it. |
women, wage labour, capitalism, wartime expediency |
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Giron, J. |
2006 |
Drawing and construction analysis: from Piranesi to Choisy. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 61-88. |
Keynote lecture to the 2006 congress demonstrating the historical importance of drawing and drawings as an analytical tool. |
Viollet-le-Duc, Choisy, Piranesi, Spini, geometry, Cuvier, graphic, Vitruvius, Belidor, Perronet, Gaudet, |
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Ochsendorf, J. |
2006 |
Engineering analysis for Construction History: opportunities and perils. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 89- 110. |
Keynote lecture at the 2006 Congress demonstrating the special insights that engineering analysis brings to history, often identifying themes not hitherto recognised by social, economic or architectural histories. Using flying buttresses, Inca suspension bridges and Guastavino’s thin shell vaults as case-studies. |
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Abbate, F. |
2006 |
The planning and building instruments of architects in the late Middle Ages. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 111-126. |
Using inferences from documentary and graphic sources, the few architectural treatises that refer to drawing instruments, and examination of the buildings, the author demonstrates the range of measuring and drawing implements available to the medieval designer and builder and how they were used. |
Villard de Honnecourt, Hugues Libergier, compass, Stevin Hipomnemata Mathematica, catenary, Gauzon, Druid’s Rope, Plumb rule, anthropometric unit |
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Addis, B. |
2006 |
The use of scientific calculations in design procedures for heating, ventilating, day-lighting and acoustics from the eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 127-152. |
The paper explains how methods of scientific calculation were developed from the 16th century; and then how these were applied to the design of building services and environments. |
calculation, arithmetic, logarithms, slide rule, graphical calculation, nomography, Facit, BRE |
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Alonso, P. I. |
2006 |
Diagrams of a universal system of construction in the work of Konrad Wachsmann: between representation and technology. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 153-166. |
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Germany, 20th , pre-fabrication, prefabrication, modular |
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Amici, C.M. |
2006 |
The basilica of Maxentius in Rome: innovative solutions in the organisation of construction process. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 167-178. |
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Rome, roman, 4th, concrete, formwork, scaffolding, setting-out, control |
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Antuna, J. |
2006 |
The evolution of the work of Eduardo Torroja: shell roofs with and without reinforcement rings. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 179-194. |
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Freyssinet, Istres, Bagneaux, Bauersfel and Dischinger, Jena, Flugge, geodesic, thin shell |
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Arce, I. |
2006 |
Umayyad arches, vaults and domes: merging and re-creation. Contributions to Early Islamic Construction History. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 195-220. |
The paper demonstrates how the Umayyads merged Late Roman and Partho-Sassanian construction techniques, a process initiated by the disappearance of the Levant border under Alexander the Great, to create a new ’aulic’ imagery and architectural framework for their new empire. This is exemplified by their structural roofing systems, which represent one of the most remarkable stages of technical development in the key transitional period from Late Antiquity to Early Medieval. |
Levant, Arab, Muslim, Islam, Syria, Egypt, diaphragm arch, vault, ribbed, horsehoe, centerings, Persia, Mesopotamia, squinch, Byzantium, dome, pendentive, |
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Arciniega, L. et al |
2006 |
The representation of architecture in construction during the Hispanic Early-Modern period. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 221-238. |
The paper explores the manner in which construction as an activity is represented in Spanish graphic art of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. |
Spain, 16th, 17th, 18th, Esturmio, El Escorial, Montufar, Avila, Tibaldi, Alegre, art, graphic, painting, sculpture |
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Arellano, J.F. |
2006 |
Earthen industrial buildings in the Canal of Castilla: Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 239-250. |
The paper explains how and why upcast materials from canal construction were used to produce industrial and wharfage buildings along the Spanish Canal of Castilla in the 18th and 19th centuries. |
Spain, 18th 19th, canal, adobe, earthen,warehouse, mill |
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Bachmann, M. |
2006 |
Divine staging. The civil engineering peculiarities of the Hittite Spring Sanctuary Eflatun Pinar. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 251-266. |
The paper describes the recently-discovered religious sanctuary of Eflatun Pinar near Konya in Turkey, and postulates how it was constructed. |
Turkey, cyclopean |
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Bardati, F. |
2006 |
A building site in early sixteenth century Normandy: the Castle of Gaillon, organisation, workers, materials and technologies. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge, Vol 1 pp 289-308. |
Detailed contemporaneous accounts allow an analysis of how the castle was built, the people involved, the sources of materials and the techniques employed. |
France, Renaissance, 15th, 16th, archives, d’Amboise |
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Barthel, R., Maus, H., Jagfeld, M. |
2006 |
Artistry and Ingenuity of Gothic Vaults at the Example of St Georg in Nordlingen. Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1, pp 309-324 |
An historical and statical analysis of the gallery vaults of the parish church of St Georg at Noerdlingen in Germany, built 1427-1519, and the reasons for their failure and historical repair.. |
Germany, vaults, statics, 15th, 16th, Weyer |
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Beckh, M. |
2006 |
Traditional construction techniques of the Newars at the Itum Baha monastery in Kathmandu. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1, pp 325-340 |
Describes the vernacular buildings and construction methods of this area of Nepal, with specific reference to the various types of Buddhist monasteries. |
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Larena, J. B. |
2006 |
The iron-wood composite section of the Carrousel Bridge in Paris (1834). Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1, pp 341-356. |
An historical and engineering analysis of Polonceau’s innovative combination of iron and timber in the tubular beams of the Carrousel Bridge, in which the sectional iron tubes are filled with timber sealed with bitumen. The article identifies subsequent bridges influenced by Polonceau and the physical properties and performance of the metal and timber components. |
France, Paris, bridge, 19th, Polonceau. |
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Bernabeu, A. |
2006 |
Origin of the collaboration between engineers and architects in Great Britain in the Thirties. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1, pp 357-378. |
An examination of the development of collaborative working in Britain during the early 20th century, focussing on the engineers and the structures they created. |
Mendelsohn, Arup, Samuely, Williams |
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Bertels, I. |
2006 |
The contractors’ intellectual profile: knowledge and training in nineteenth century public works contractors in nineteenth century Antwerp, Belgium. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1, pp 379-392. |
An analysis of the importance of education and training in the improvement of contractors’ lives and building design in 19th C Belgium. |
Nijverheidsschool, Industrial School, Belgium, 19th |
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Sabatini, P.B. |
2006 |
Antoine Chrysostome Quatremere de Quincy (1755-1849) and the rediscovery of polychrome in Grecian architecture: colour techniques and archaeological research in the pages of Olympian Zeus. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 393-408 |
The birth of modern archaeology in Sicily in the 18th century. |
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Bodolec, C. |
2006 |
Uncommon public buildings with vault and abutments in the Chinese landscape of wooden construction (sixteenth - eighteenth centuries). Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 409-416. |
An explanation of the rare 16th, 17th and 18th century masonry ’wuliang diam’ - or ’beamless hall’ - buildings of China. |
China, Miaofeng, |
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Brucculeri, A. |
2006 |
Renewal and tradition in the teaching of building construction at the Ecole des Beaux Arts of Paris: the course of Edouard Arnaud, 1920-1934. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 417-440. |
An analysis of the manner in which architecture and construction were taught at the Ecole des Beaux Arts during the early 20th C; the principle persons, techniques and example buildings . |
France, 20th, Monduit, Arnaud, |
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Buonopane, S. |
2006 |
The Roeblings and the Stayed Suspension Bridge: its development and propagation in nineteenth century United States. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 441-461. |
A study of the involvement of two generations of the German Roebling family in the development of suspension bridge design and construction in 19th C America. Presents the engineering background, especially the involvement of Navier (Fr) and Telford (GB); Roeblings’ design methods; analysis of load distribution between cables and stays, the role of the ’stiffening truss’ and their selection criteria for cable and stay sizes. Examines their design of the Lowelville Bridge using archive sources and assesses their influence in the work of others, spec. Thomas Griffiths and James W. Shipman. |
USA, 19th, suspension bridge, cable. Brooklyn Bridge |
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Bustamante, R. |
2006 |
Similarities and differences in barrel vaults of traditional stately houses in the historic centre of Arequipa, Peru. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 461-472. |
Analysis and description of the distinctive 16th, 17th and 18th century aristocratic houses of central Arequipa that are based on the barrel vault as the standard roof and floor structure, most of which were destroyed in an earthquake of 1868. Presents a geometrical analysis of the vaults, a spatial analysis of the floor plans, buttress configurations, decorative treatments and natural lighting. |
Peru, 16th 17th 18th, traditional, vault |
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Calderini, C., et al. |
2006 |
Structural framework evolution from the seventeenth to the twentieth century in the Genoan Replublic’s shipyard. Architectural archaeology investigates the layers of the structure. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 473-492. |
An archaeological, historical and finite element analysis of the 17th - early 20th century shipyard and arsenal at Genoa, revealing the structural and technological evolution of this substantial structure and the people involved. |
Italy, Genoa, arcate nuove, D’Oria, Assereto, Giustiniani, Senarega |
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Lopez, J.C. |
2006 |
Sixteenth century Spanish cranes and Lazaro de Velasco’s translation of Vitruvius. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 493-508. |
An analysis of the professional life of Lazaro de Velasco (b. 1520-1526) and his speculative reconstruction of cranes and lifting devices described by Vitruvius. Includes reproductions of his graphical reconstructions and a comparison with the cranes shown in Hatfield’s drawing the Escorial Palace under construction. |
Torno, tryspast, cabrita, cabrilla, |
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Camino, S., et al |
2006 |
The subsoil network of bridges and vaults which cover the Esgueva River crossing ih the town of Valladolid in Spain. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 509-524. |
An archaeological, historical analysis and description of the 18th and 19th century fluvial and drainage infrastructure of Valladolid in Spain. |
Spain, rain, plain, drain |
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Campa, M.R. |
2006 |
"Le Nouvelles Inventions pour Bien Bastir at a Petits Fraiz" by Philibert de L’Orme: a new way to conceive wood roof covering. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 525-542. |
A summary of the innovative timber structures of Philibert de L’Orme’s (1514-1570) that examines the political and intellectual context of his work, and its influences. |
France, Italy, timber, 16th, roofs, lamination, laminated, modular, pre-fabrication |
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Garcia, J. L, C de G, |
2006 |
Juan Bautista de Toledo, architect and master builder at Monastery of Escorial (1563-1567). Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 543-560. |
An analysis of construction management practices in 16th century Spain as exemplified by El Escorial, based on documentary sources such as government regulations, diaries and contract documentation. |
Spain, 16th, Escorial, contaduria, veeduria, aparejadores, tenedor, mayorales, sobrestantes, capataces, obrero, maestro |
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Cantabene, G., Dodaro, L., Lippiello, M. |
2006 |
The repairs to the dome of the Chapel of St, Gennaro’s Treasure: the eighteenth century dispute between F. Sanfelice and G. Lucchese. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 561-578. |
Historical, archaeological and static analysis of the challenges attending the addition of a classically inspired dome to the gothic chapel of St Gennaro at Naples in the early 17th century, designed by the architect Francesco Grimaldi, and how those challenges were overcome. Illustrates the state of engineering knowledge in Italy at that time. |
Italy, naples, 17th, Grimaldi, Lamberti, church, dome |
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Caston, P. |
2006 |
Historic roof trusses between 1500 and 1700 in German-speaking central Europe: documentation, analysis and development. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 579-598. |
The definitive analysis and description of the development of large timber roof structures within the Deutschersprachraume during the late Middle Ages and 17th century, based on documentary research, measured survey and tree ring dating. Well illustrated, including scale models. Principle examples: Church of St Andreas in Leoben-Goess (Austria); Church of St Martin in Baar, Canton Zug, (CH); Church of St. Saver, Leoben (Austria); Castle Weissenstein, Pommersfelden, Bavaria; |
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, 16th 17th , roof trusses, Wilhelm,timber |
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Ceraldi, C., Ermolli, E.R., Tempone, V. |
2006 |
The Riding School in the Royal Palace of Naples: transformations in the timber covering structure. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 599-618. |
Historical, archaeological and engineering analysis of the 19th century repair of the 17-19th century roof structure of the Riding School of the Royal Palace at Naples, designed by landscape architect Antonio Niccolini (1772-1850). It presents a short introduction to the design of riding schools throughout Europe and then shows how the replacement trusses were built and how they performed in comparison to their predecessors. Well illustrated with copies of primary sources, 3D graphic models and analytical drawings. |
Italy, Naples, 19th, Fontana, Noccilini, BIM |
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Fusco, A.C. |
2006 |
Giuseppe Venturoli (1768-1846) hydraulic engineer in the Papal State. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 619-630. |
The paper illustrates the history of the applied sciences, architecture and civil engineering in the early years of the Papal State, using the life of Giuseppe Venturoli as an example. Cites the principle people, institutions and types of structures erected. |
Italy, 18th, 19th, Bologna, Rome, Papal State |
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Chamorro, M.A., Cuernca, B. |
2006 |
Ignasi Bosch Reitg and the construction of ’timbrel’ vaults during Post-War Girona, Catalonia. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 631-640. |
An historical biography of the early 20th C Spanish architect Ignasi Reitg, focusing on his adoption of the mediterranean thin-shell tile brick vault as a practical solution to shortages of steel and Portland cement in Spain after the Civil War. Cites the principal buildings, explains the operation and construction of the vaults and his patent for double curvature vaults. |
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Chieti, V. |
2006 |
The role of the three-dimensional virtual model in the ’Replica’ project of architectural elements: the case of the Athenian Academy by Th. Hansen. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 641-656 |
Methodological study of ’plastico muraria’ architecture focusing on the 19th C Athens Academy of the Danish Hansen arcvhitects, and the value of 3D virtual models to understanding a structures history and performance. |
Greece, Danish, 19th, reconstruction, CAD, virtual. BIM |
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Chiou, B-S. |
2006 |
Traditional master carpenters’ manuals in Taiwan. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 657-674. |
The paper considers four of the late medieval to 18th C master carpenters’ manuals of Taiwan that reflect the diversity of masters’ knowledge and concerns. The traditional apprenticeship of carpenters in Taiwan is outlined, followed by a brief outline and tabular comparison of the contents and key aspects of the manuals, including references to the role and importance of carpentry, rituals, animism,’fengshui’ and the different carpentry traditions of the southeast Asian nations. |
Taiwan, China, medieval, carpentry, Luban, Wang, Liu, animism, geomancy, |
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Chrimes, M.M. |
2006 |
British and Irish civil engineers in the development of Argentina in the nineteenth century. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 675-694. |
One of a series of studies by the ICE examining the working lives of British and Irish engineers working abroad during the 19th century. Presents a summary of the emergence of the civil engineer as a recognised profession from the late 18th C and the importance of emigration to individual careers and the host countries, then focuses on those working in Argentina. Cites people, countries and projects and provides numerical analyses. |
Britain, Ireland, Argentina, emigration, engineers, railways, hydraulic, harbour, |
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Cipriani, B., Lau, W.W. |
2006 |
Construction techniques in Medieval Cairo: the domes of the Mamluk Mausolea (1250AD-1517AD). Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 695-716 |
Analysis of the masonry domes constructed in Cairo between 1250AD and 1517AD, a period of exceptional experimentation and productivity in the construction of funerary and charitable complexes, focusing on the funerary complexes of Umm Sultan Sha’ban (1369), Sultan Farag Ibn Barquq (1398-1411) and Amir Khayer Bek (1502). Presents metrical, structural, statical and aesthetic comparisons and suggests that domes might have been built without centring. |
Egypt, medieval, post-medieval, Mamluk, dome |
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Clarke, J.C. |
2006 |
Cones not domes: John Nash and Regency structural innovation. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 717-740. |
Conference paper (cf. CH Vol 20) describing and explaining Nash’s innovative tent-like structure The Rotunda at Woolwich in London of 1820, which combines aesthetic elegance and military allusion with structural efficiency. Originally built as a temporary ballroom, it now houses the RA’s artillery museum. The paper examines precedents, the principal people involved, and successor buildings. |
Britain, London, 19th, Nash, temporary, Carlton House, Polygon, Brighton Pavilion,laminated, prefabrication, pre-fabrication, modular |
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Cleary, R. |
2006 |
Lessons in tenuity: Frank Lloyd Wright’s bridges. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 741-758. |
Conference paper illustrating FL Wright’s collaboration with the engineer Jaroslav Joseph Polivka (1886-196) in the design and construction of aesthetically and structurally innovative bridges. Names the other people involved and the principal structures. |
America, USA, bridge, span, |
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Como, M. et al |
2006 |
Historical statical analysis of the Coliseum. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 759-777 |
Conference paper examining the statical performance of the roman Coliseum at Rome; evidence of failure and repair, the reasons for that failure, particularly seismic activity and the structure’s capacity for movement. |
Italy, Rome, Roman, statics, masonry, earthquake, repair, |
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Como, M.T. |
2006 |
Analysis of the statics of the Mycenaean tholoi. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 777-790. |
Conference paper examining the statical behaviour of the enigmatic Bronze Age tholoi tombs of Mycenaean Greece. Summarises foregoing archaeological and architectural analyses; analysis the statics of an exemplar tholoi and concludes that, contrary to received wisdom, tholoi suggest that dome construction preceded the masonry arch. |
Greece, Crete, Bronze Age, tomb, tholoi, dome, statics |
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Conchon, A. |
2006 |
Road construction in eighteenth century France. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 791-798 |
Conference paper discussing how technical improvements and standardisation of road construction in 18th C France lead to changes in the organisation of labour. It examines: the institutional and financial arrangements; the techniques of road construction; and finally posits that improvements in fact affected a minority of roads because the system of feudal tolls and statute labour prevented widespread adoption. |
France, 18th, roads, corvee, Tresaguet, Perronet, Saint-Andre, labour, roadworks, Navier, Schwilgue, Coriolis |
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Condorelli, S. |
2006 |
The reconstruction of Catania after the earthquake of 1693. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 799-816. |
Conference paper using a wide variety of archives (government, institutions, families) to explain how the city of Catania was rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1693 that killed 80% of its population and destroyed nearly all of its buildings. The paper examines: the conditions prior to reconstruction; the reaction and strategies of the various civic groups and social classes; duration of reconstruction; comparison with the reconstructions of Lisbon (1755) and London (1666). |
Italy, Sicily, Catania, 17th, 18th, earthquake, reconstruction, seismic |
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Copani, P. |
2006 |
Ancient wooden roofs in Sicily: the heritage of Taormina. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 817-836. |
Conference paper examining the structural and decorative characteristics of late medieval timber roofs, floors and wall frames in Sicily, using the Corvaja Palace and the principal churches of Taormina as examples. . |
Italy, Sicily, Taormina, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, roof, floor, timber, carved, ancones |
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Corradi, M. |
2006 |
A short account of the history of structural dynamics between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 837-854. |
Conference paper summarising the historical development of the science of structural dynamics from Aristotle (384-322BC) to the present day. |
Science, Aristotle, Aristarchus, Hipparchus, Ptolomey, Brahe, Kepler, Newton, Leibnitz, Euler, Lagrange, Bernoulli, Laplace, Poincare, Lie, Strutt |
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Cossu, G.P. |
2006 |
Technologies in comparison. Glass tube production, project and implementation: from S.C. Johnson & Son’s research laboratory tower by Wright to today’s experimentations. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 855 - 876. |
Conference paper examining the manner in which different structural forms, materials have interplayed to drive architectural development., I think!. Focussing oh the work of F.L.Wright. |
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Croize, J-C. |
2006 |
A time when France chose to use prefabricated panel construction systems: the ’4000 Logements de la Region Parisienne’ Programme (1952-1958). Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 877-886. |
Conference paper examining the political decision, and consequences, of the Post-War French government to use mass produced prefabricated construction for housing, against the advice received at the time. |
France, 20th, prefabrication, pre-fabrication, mass housing, INSEE, SERPEC, MRU, CPTG, |
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Cross-Rudkin, P. |
2006 |
Centres for large span masonry arch bridges in Britain to 1833. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 887-902. |
Conference paper with excellent illustrations explaining how bridge centring was undertaken in Britain prior to the railway age. |
Britain, 18th, 19th, bridge, centring, temporary works, striking |
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Guerrieri, C, D’A., & Fallacara, G. |
2006 |
Helicoidal construction geometry and oblique architectural arrangement. The spiral staircase of the Belvedere and the argument between de L’Orme and Bramante: digital models compared. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 903-916. |
Conference paper examining the cultural and methodological changes imposed by the adoption of stereotomy in France in the 16th C, which required more than just a nice drawings, using 3D digital models of celebrated spiral staircases such as the Belvedere in Rome and Saint-Etienne-du-Mont in Paris to examine the efficacy of the ’Italian’ and ’French’ schools. |
France, Italy, 16th, 17th, de L’Orme, Bramante, stereotomy, BIM |
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Dahmen, J. |
2006 |
Moorish bridges of Andalucia. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 917-934.. |
Conference paper examining the contribution of Islamic builders to developments in post-Roman bridge design, using those of southern Spain as exemplars. Cited bridges: Nogales, Cantarranas, Guadiato, Quebrado, Guadalbacar, Pinos Puente, Tejera. |
Spain, Umayyad, Abbasid, medieval, bridge, horseshoe arch. |
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Dominguez, L. de V., & Cossio, F.V. |
2006 |
The horseshoe arch in Toledo. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 935-951. |
Conference paper presenting the results of a survey of horseshoe arches in the Spanish city of Toledo, that characterised their geometry, uses and dates. |
Spain, medieval, Visigoth, arch |
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Defilippis, F. |
2006 |
Architecture and stereotomy: the relation between the ’construction apparatus’ and the ’decorative apparatus’ of the cut-stone vaults and domes of Philibert de L’Orme and Andres de Vandelvira. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 951-9658. |
Conference paper examining the cultural and methodological differences between the French engineer and the Spanish architect in their use of stereotomy. Uses the Chapel of Salvador at Ubeda and the Chapel at Anet as case studies. |
France, Spain, 16th, stereotomy, dome, vault. |
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Delemontey, Y. |
2006 |
The MRU experimental building competitions (1947-1951): the birth of industrialised building in France. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 969-988. |
Conference paper examining the role of the French government department Ministere de la Reconstruction et de L’Urbanisme in the rebuilding of France after the Second World War using mass-produced and industrialised systems. |
France, 20th, prefabrication, pre-fabrication, industrialised, mass-production. |
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Durbin, L. |
2006 |
Nineteenth century tiles. Industrial mass production and construction methods of interior tile schemes in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 989-1006. |
Conference paper illustrating the manufacturing methods and architectural consequences of industrialised tile production in 19th C Britain. Cites the main manufacturers, exemplar buildings and the architects responsible for them. |
Britain, 19th, tiles, mass-produced, industrialised, Minton, Carter, Wright, Maw, Godwin |
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Arsan, Z.D. |
2006 |
The use of Saint-Gobain glass roof tile in the new urban districts of turn-of-the-century Izmir. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1007-1022. |
Conference paper examining the cultural and trade links between France and Turkey in the late 19th century as exemplified by the use of Saint-Gobain glass tiles in private housing in Izmir. |
Turkey, France, 19th, 20th, glass, glazing, tiles, trade, mediterranean |
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Eggemann, H. |
2006 |
Simplified design of composite columns, based on a comparative study of the development of Building Regulations in Germany and the United States. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1023-1042. |
Conference paper proposing a method for determining load resistance of early columns of composite construction, based on the analysis of historical sources, specifically building regulations and codes, and citing exemplar buildings in the US and the German-speaking world. |
USA, Germany, 19th, 20th, composite columns, McGraw, Ericsson |
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Gallo, E. |
2006 |
Jean Simon Bonnemain (1743-1830) and the origins of hot water central heating. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1043-1060. |
Conference paper exploring the life and influence of the French inventor Jean Simon Bonnemain on the invention and development of hot water central heating and other heated devices. |
France, 18th, heating. |
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Ewen, S. |
2006 |
The problem of fire in nineteenth century British cities: the case of Glasgow. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1961-1074. |
Conference paper examining improvements in fire prevention and fire control in British cities from the late 18th C. Presents data on fire frequency, building control and fire control mechanisms. |
Britain, Scotland, 19th, fire |
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Fallacara, G. |
2006 |
Digital stereotomy and topological transformations: reasoning about shape- building. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1075-1092. |
Methodological conference paper exploring the use of 3D digital modelling in the analysis of complex curt-stone structures. Presents a brief summary of the subject history, the principal people and buildings and then uses 3D modelling to compare the structures as-built with the historical designs. |
France, Spain, 16th, stereotomy, Curabelle, Desargues, de L’Orme, Vandelvira, Arenas, Frezier, Truchet, Abeille, BIM |
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Fedorov, S. G. |
2006 |
Construction History in the Soviet Union-Russia 1930-2005. Emergence, development and disappearance of a technical discipline. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1093-1112. |
Conference paper examining the relatively long history of Construction History as an academic and technical discipline in the former Soviet Union; it’s role in fomenting national consequence and the industrialisation of construction. |
USSR, Soviet Union, Russia, 20th, history, nationalism, industrialisation. |
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Ficarelli, L. |
2006 |
Town morphology: the relationship between form and building. Preservation and recovery of dwelling houses in historical centres and in particular the ’Double-Reservoir’ building type of Corato (Bari). Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1113-1124. |
Conference paper proposing an archaeology-based methodology for town-planning analyses of historic towns, using Corato in Italy and its problematic water supply as a case study. |
Italy, archaeology, town planning, spatial analyses. |
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Fleury, F., & Lacroix, A. |
2006 |
Analysis of the sub-rafter (sous arbaletrier) in French medieval timberwork. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1125-1136. |
Conference paper presenting an historical and structural analysis of a French type of roof truss, specifically the ’sous arbaletrier’ or secondary rafter |
France, medieval, roof truss, rafter, carpentry. |
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Fontana, L. |
2006 |
Molding earth outline: typology, technology and morphology of earth building. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 1 pp 1137-1154. |
Conference paper presenting an historical, structural and chemical analysis of earth-based construction techniques around the world. |
Global, Europe, America, Africa, Asia, cob, adobe, pise, earth. |
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Franco, J.A, et al |
2006 |
Vaults and other constructive singularities in the monastery of San Martin Pinario. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1155-1170. |
Conference paper presenting an historical, archaeological and engineering analysis of the medieval monastery of San Martin Pinario in Santiago de Compostela. |
Spain, medieval, church, monastery, vaults, statics, stereotomy |
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Friedman, D. |
2006 |
Building Code enforced evolution in early skeleton buildings. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1171-1188. |
Conference paper examining the factors that influenced the evolution of framed high-rise buildings in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including a detailed comparison of construction costs for the different types of frame. |
USA, America, 19th, 20th, sky-scraper, high-rise, bearing-wall, cage, skeleton, costs, |
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Garcia, R. |
2006 |
Concrete folded plates in the Netherlands. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1189-1208. |
Conference paper examining the use of complex ’folded plate’ concrete structures in Dutch buildings in the late 20th C. Summarises the history of the technology in Germany and identifies exemplar buildings, particularly the Delft PS Auditorium, and people. |
Netherlands, Germany, 20th, Ehlers, Glanerbug, Den Helder, Zeist, Hoensbroek, Scheveningen, Delft, |
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Gargiulo, M.R, and Bergamasco, I. |
2006 |
The use of earth in the architecture of Hassan Fathy and Fabrizio Carola: typological and building innovations, building technology and static behaviour. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1209-1220 |
Conference paper examining the use of earth as a wall and vault material in 20th century buildings in Egypt and Mali designed by the Egyptian Hassan Fathy and the Italian Fabrizio Carola, including a brief history of its use in the Middle East. |
Earth, Africa, Egypt, Mali, adobe, pise, 20th |
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Mascarenhas-Mateus, Joao |
2020 |
Construction History and the History of Construction Cultures: Between Architecture and Engineering in PortugaL |
This paper aims to debate the epistemological boundaries of construction history, in relation
to the fields of history of architecture and the history of engineering, using Portugal as a case study. The concept of construction culture is used to broaden the analysis, avoiding the old dichotomy between architects and engineers. Instead, construction history (understood as the history of construction cultures) aims to integrate the contributions of all actors in this sector of activity, such as contractors, materials and machine producers, traders, and public and private institutions. The history of architecture and the history of engineering in Portugal serves to illustrate the extent to which the study of how a community built in a particular space, at a particular time, is fragmented in the present age. The conclusions highlight the limits of a history that has been interpreted mainly from the point of view of the activity of architects and engineers. This paper also explores the potential of a history of construction cultures as a constructum in constant transition and under constant discussion, capable of explaining the set of problems involved in this millennia-old human activity. |
Epistemology, Architecture, Engineering, Construction History, Portugal |
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Gasparini, D.A., & Provost, C. |
2006 |
The Prestressing of Structures: a Historical Review. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2 pp 1221-1232. |
Conference paper examining the historical use of pre-stressing from ancient Egypt to the present. Identifies the use of the technique in ancient Egyptian boats; 19th C trusses and the Ferris Wheel; the Wright Brothers’ Flying Pratt truss in their aeroplanes; reinforced concrete; Roebling’s San Marcos Bridge; and then presents a short analysis and explanation of how it works. |
Pre-stressing, prestressing, pre-stressed, prestressed. |
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Giacomini, L. |
2006 |
The Management of Private Building Yards in Milan between 1550 and 1650: a History Reconstructed through Building and Supply Contracts. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2 pp 1233-1250. |
Conference paper examining 40 building contracts from mid 16th to mid 17th century Milan, mainly for patrician houses, villas and chapels of the Medici di Melagnano, Cicogna, Cusani, Visconti and Trivulzio families. The buildings were designed by architects such as Galeazzo Alessi (1512-1572), Giovanni Ambrogio Alciati (/-1590), Vincenzo Seregni (1509-1594), Pellegrino Pellegrini (1527-1596), Martino Bassi (1542-1591), Giuseeppe Meda (/-1599), Fabio Mangone (1587-1629) and Francesco Maria Richini (1583-1658). The contracts are between the client and the contractors: no record of the relationship between client and architect has been identified. The paper examines the different types of contracts and payment criteria; the hierarchies and relationships between the designers/architecdts, master builders, masters, labourers and garzoni. |
Italy, Renaissance, 16th , 17th, contracts, payment |
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Giglio, A. |
2006 |
The Decorative Use of Concrete in an ’Other’ Modernism: Italian Architecture of the Dodecanese (1912-1943). Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2 pp 1251-1270. |
Conference paper examining the attempt of the Italian government to create a local architectural style for the Aegean Islands under its occupation between 1912 and 1943, that was neither wholly Italian or Greek, and the role that concrete played in that architecture. |
Aegean, Italy, Greece, mediterranean, Fascism, 20th C, concrete |
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Giustina, I., Tomasoni, E., & Giuriani, E. |
2006 |
The Early Dome of Sant’ Alessandro in Milan (1627): a First Study of the Behaviour of the Structural Core with a Dome Resting on Four Free-Standing Pillars. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2 pp 1271-1292. |
Conference paper examining the statics of quincunx plan buildings, specifically the church of S. Allessandro in Zebedia, of the Barnabite Order, built at Milan from 1602 to the designs of Lorenzo Binago(1554-1629), the dome of which failed and was demolished within a year of completion. |
Italy, 17th C, quincunx, failure, dome. |
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Godier, P., & Tapie, G. |
2006 |
The Contemporary French Model of Architecture and the Construction Professions (1970-1990). Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2 pp 1293-1305. |
Conference paper examining changes in the working lives of construction professionals during the last quarter of the 20th C. |
France, 20th C, professions, collaboration. |
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Gonzalez-Tascon, I., Cardiel, I.B., & Velazquez, I |
2006 |
The organization of building work and construction of siphons in Roman aqueducts in Hispania. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2 pp 1305-1322. |
Conference paper examining, in detail, how the siphons of Roman water supply systems in Spain were designed, procured and constructed. Explains and names the roles and offices; the materials and how they were supplied; the components; the tools and machines employed and then describes key surviving examples at Almunecar (Roman Sexi), Cadiz (Gades), Saelices (Segobriga), Zaragoza (Caesaraugusta) and Toledo (Toletum). |
Spain, Hispania, Roman, infrastructure, water supply, siphon, civil engineering, sur4veying. |
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Gonzalez, J.L. |
2006 |
The square cube law: from Vitruvius to Gaudi. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2 pp 1323-1340. |
Conference paper examining the meaning, origins and application of the so-called ’square cube law’ in historic construction and architecture, with special reference to the work of Gaudi. |
Vitruvius, Galileo, Gaudi, Guell, Sagrada Familia |
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Gonzalez-Longo, C. |
2006 |
Giacomo Boni at the Musee Forense: Construction History as a source for architectural innovation. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2 pp 1341-1362. |
Conference paper examining how the archaeological work of Giacomo Boni (1859-1925) at the forum in Rome, and his friendship with John Ruskin and correspondence with members of SPAB, influenced his innovative structural conservation of the monastery of Santa Francesca Romana-Santa Maria Nova in Rome. The paper explains his brief, his outline proposal, his preliminary studies and surveys, procurement, changes to the strategy and design, the consolidation and temporary works, conservation techniques and materials, and the criteria and cultural context that informed the decisions made. |
Italy, Rome, 20th, conservation, professionals, philosophy |
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Vitti, P. |
2016 |
Building Roman Greece. Innovation in Vaulted Construction in the Peloponnese |
This book discusses a selection of 29 vaulted Roman buildings in the Peloponnese dating from the 1st century BC to 3rd century AD. The study fills a gap in the studies of Roman construction, which have generally failed to seek innovation in the building techniques outside Central Italy. The research revealed the importance of Roman architecture in the Peloponnese and its contribution to the development of construction techniques. |
vaulted roman building, construction techniques |
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Amici, C.M. |
2016 |
Architettura romana. Dal cantiere all’architetto: soluzioni concrete per idee progettuali.
(with english abstracts) |
It was standard practice in Roman times for the architect’s construction program to be taken over and given material form by the foreman and his workers, who adopted a distinctly operational process. It was a seemingly one-way process, which appeared to give a purely technical, marginal role to those in charge of the construction site, who were entrusted solely with the practical aspects of the project.
Actually, it was in many ways an authentic dialogue, generally in a lower key in the case of the role played by the construction site, with the building itself as the true response to the design. However, a reversal of this trend can be seen in those cases where construction requirements led to innovative technical solutions, with some special measures formulated on the ground being taken up and adopted by the architect, who would then make use of them, adapting and converting them, in later projects, providing an extremely clear indication of the vitality and dynamism of Roman architecture.
The conditions for innovations of this type to come about were the result of a very particular cultural climate, in which the considerable economic power of the patrons was coupled with extraordinary skills applied to projects that were demanding in terms of both size and techniques.
1) The use of metal grids; 2) Modular ceiling slabs; 3) The introduction of metal chains; 4) Use of columns and reinforced flat arches; 5) Technical innovations in vaulting systems.
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technical solutions,iron devices, logistical organization |
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Amici, C.M. |
2015 |
“Unusual Examples of Sophisticated Iron Technology in the Heating System of Roman Imperial Baths” |
In Roman imperial times, metallurgy reached a high degree of specialization and complexity. The use of iron extended even to building technology, leading to some very particular results, achieving a sophisticated mastery of the technology with a complete understanding of metal properties, in a social and economic context characterized by large financial resources and a high level of creativity applied to architectural projects. |
heating system, iron device |
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Amici, C.M. |
2016 |
"The Roofing System of the Tripartite Building at Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli (Italy)".
In Further studies in the Construction History, vol. 1, Cambridge 2016, pp. 109- 118.
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The reconstruction of the roofing system of the three large halls of the Edificio Tripartito at the Villa Adriana, Tivoli, has always been problematic because they have spans between 7.0 and 9.0 meters with supporting walls only 60 cm thick. Lying on the ground are fragments of very peculiar flat concrete ceiling slabs up to 90 cm thick, apparently built on wood formworks, which have provoked several unsatisfactory attempts to resolve the roofing problem. However, a careful analysis of the slabs, made in several layers of opus coementicium, opus spicatum and cocciopesto, and a final layer of mosaic, allows for a new reconstruction revealing an innovative system for building a flat concrete roof. Moreover, remains of lead sheets, inserted in one of the best preserved specimens of the slabs, show the provision for the drainage of rain water on the exterior terrace. The technique employed is very unusual, and at the moment is not documented elsewhere in the context of Roman architecture; clearly, this arrangement was conceived and tested during the construction of the building by a particularly skilled group of workers, once again highlighting the role of Villa Adriana during Emperor Hadrian’s time as a laboratory for technical and architectural experimentation. |
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Lancaster,Lynne |
2005 |
Concrete vaulted construction in Imperial Rome |
Merthod and techniques that enabled builders to construct some of the most imposing monuments of ancient Rome, focusing on structural innovative vaulting and the factors that influenced its advancement. |
vaulting construction, vaulting technique |
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Martin-Talaverano, R., and Murillo-Fragero, J.I. |
2020 |
Construction materials and scaffoldings during the Middle Ages: A comparative analysis of case studies in Castile and Leon, Spain (XI XVI centuries). Construction History, Vol 35 No 2, pp 1-24 |
The construction technology of the Middle Ages has been analysed in several researches and, except for some studies regarding the early medieval period, most of them are generally focused on the vaults and they cover just a particular historical period. For this reason, this work has two main objectives. Firstly, to study other complementary issues of the constructive process which are also related between them, namely the amount of stone which was used in the building and the scaffolding system. Secondly, to understand the evolution of the constructive techniques during the Middle Ages thanks to a diachronic approach over several historical periods. For that purpose, a comparative analysis of six buildings has been developed, including an on-site inspection and three-dimensional modelling. Thus, specific data has been obtained and it is worth underlining that on the one hand, the constructive benefits carried out by the evolution of the vaulting system since the use of ribbed vaults (from the XIII century) have a direct relationship with the saving of material in comparison with the use of Romanesque barrel vaults. On the other hand, such a reduction in the amount of material used, together with the advances in the development of lifting machinery, could have allowed the use of lighter scaffoldings. |
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Yazgan, E.O., and Boothby, T.E. |
2020 |
Describing the historical and technical context of mill buildings around 1900: The Whiting Foundry Equipment Company Complex in Harvey, Ill. Construction History, Vol 35 No 2, pp 25-42. |
This article aims to analyze a 19th century mill building in a historical and technical context. The former home of the Whiting Foundry Equipment Company is a significant industrial complex, representative of the history of manufacturing in south suburban Chicago. The nucleus of the plant, built in 1894, underwent a number of additions and modifications throughout the first half of the 20th century. The complex is significant in three categories: industrial architecture, industrial construction, and industrial expansion. It is also among the few major industrial buildings in this area that are still used for some form of manufacturing, with the majority of such buildings having been vacated and razed. A particular focus will be a linear complex known as the machine shop, built in five phases from 1894-1916. With data obtained by archival research, site surveys and comparative study, this study examines the construction history, key features, construction type, and structural components of the machine shop of this unique building complex. Beyond the details of the case study, this paper also comprises methods used for analyzing an industrial heritage site. More general conclusions concerning industrialization and industrial construction result from these studies. |
industrial heritage, industrial construction, 19th century, mill building, Chicago, Harvey, Illinois |
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Cruise, R. |
2020 |
The 300m Eiffel Tower: The role of a structural principle. Construction History, Vol 35 No 2, pp 43-66. |
The Eiffel Tower has an iconic curved silhouette which was declared by the Tower’s designer, Gustave Eiffel, to have been determined by the pattern of wind loads acting on the Tower, using a structural principle. Adherence to this principle removed the need for cross-bracing to achieve stability, increasing the structure’s efficiency. When proposed, nothing equalling the Tower’s 300m height had ever been built and there was concern over whether wind loads at this height could be resisted, as well as the visual impact of the Tower. The principle was used to address both concerns, portraying the unusual profile as a technical necessity, rather than an aesthetic choice. However, cross-bracing has been used in the Tower’s top two-thirds, so the role of the principle in the Tower’s design isn’t completely clear.
The analysis presented here demonstrates a lack of adherence to the principle in the initial proposals, a good adherence later on, but the final design shows a fundamental deviation from its use. Eiffel’s proclaimed use of the structural principle for reasons of structural efficiency can therefore be seen as a justification of the feasibility and aesthetics of the proposal, masking the uncertainties inherent in designing the tallest Tower at that time.
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Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel, 1880-1900, wind loading, iron structures, design processes. |
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Kroll, D. |
2020 |
Speculative House Builders as Designers: The Case of the Reader Brothers 1898-1939 in Greater London. Construction History, Vol 35 No 2, pp 67-88. |
Speculative house building in the early 20th century has significantly shaped the London we know today. Yet, the design of that housing, and who was responsible for it, is still an under researched topic. One assumption expressed in the literature is that much of London’s housing before 1939 was built from pattern books without the need for architectural drawings or design. Recent studies, however, have begun to question that assumption and have shed more light on the roles, relationships and processes in housing design at the time. This paper contributes to this body of research with a case study of the Reader Brothers, a small family business of builders that constructed housing 1898-1939 in today’s Greater London. The Readers are a rare example of a firm involved in the design of speculative housing at the time and for which substantial archival material is available. This paper discusses the role of the Readers in the design and development of their houses and shows how they crossed occupational boundaries of builder, developer and designer. |
Readers, builders, London, speculative, housing design, inter-war, Edwardian |
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Leslie, T. |
2020 |
Fluorescent Lamps: Visual and Thermal Comfort in Modern Interiors. Construction History, Vol 35 No 2, pp 89-112.
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Air conditioning’s impact on the modern office interior was immediate and profound but lost in historical
concentrations on thermal comfort has been the importance of fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lamps and fixtures were key components of what Reyner Banham called “power-membrane ceilings,” key counterparts to the glass curtain walls of the 1950s and 1960s. Fluorescent lamps relied on 19th century advances, but they were spurred on by the expiration of incandescent patents in the 1930s. Keen to find new markets to corner, General Electric and Westinghouse developed commercially viable lamps that offered greater electrical and thermal efficiency. Avoiding the heat gain of incandescent lamps, however, was only part of fluorescent lamps’ impact on thermal comfort. Their cool operating temperatures allowed the use of easily-formed plastics to house them, leading to reflectors and diffusers that distributed or focused their light with precision. Fluorescent lighting’s success can be measured by the evolving standards for light levels—which leapt from 3-4 foot-candles (32-40 lux) for clerical work in 1918 to 100 foot-candles (1,000 lux) in 1960. This matched air conditioning’s influence on comfort standards as well as its ability to homogenise office floor plates,tuning light levels to tasks below and adding regimented, gridded order to open plan office floors.
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Lighting, Office Planning, Interior Design, Fluorescent, Air Conditioning. |
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Madrid, J.F. |
2020 |
Some notes for the history of rain-screen wall: Precedents of this constructive assembly (1950-1965). Construction History, Vol 35 No 2, pp 113-132.
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This paper presents the state-of-the-art construction technology from the 1950s and 1960s (in western architecture) for the prevention of water ingress through building façades, as well as more traditional construction solutions that can be considered antecedents of the ventilated façade. Three different construction systems have been combined in the development of the rainscreen wall as a new independent façade system. The tabique pluvial, the cavity wall and the curtain wall, successively provided the mechanisms to control water ingress and condensation in a façade exposed to wind driven rain.
This paper offers some case study examples - Crane (1952), Rogers (1955), Ortiz Echagüe (1956), Schaal (1961),
Eichler (1969) - which exemplify the state-of-the-art technical solutions to protect façades against water, not always
with the same purpose, but with designs very close to a ventilated façade. Finally, a careful chronology is established which helps to order the contributions of specialists and professionals from different cultures, who helped the invention of the ventilated façade as a new and definitive construction assembly.
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Construction history, rainscreen wall, ventilated fa.ade, construction assembly, tabique pluvial, cavity wall, curtain wall. |
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Guy Lambert et Franz Graf |
2004 |
The Sheds of the Voirin-Marinoni Factory in Montataire. |
Industrial architecture in the Perret brothers’
work between the two wars has been well
documented in the past few years.
In the economic context of reconstruction,
this aspect of their activity is predominant in
their professional strategy. It differs markedly
from the usual running of the “Perret entity,”
which rests on the close association between
the building firm and the architecture practice. |
Perret, Reinforced Concrete, Interwar Years |
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Addis, B. |
2014 |
The contribution made by the Journal Construction History towards establishing the history of construction as an academic discipline in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. iii-x |
This short paper takes a look back at papers published in Construction History, the peer-reviewed journal of the Construction History Society, presenting the range of subjects covered under headings such as main theme, period of history, location of subject, type of building or other structure and aspect of the building design and construction process. In an important sense, the 179 papers published in the journal have greatly helped to define the scope of the subject during the 29 years since its first publication. Finally, this paper comments on the state of development of the history of construction in Britain, and in the wider context of the EU, towards being a fully-fledged academic discipline in the way that history of science now is. |
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Aprea, S. |
2014 |
The early German production and use of modern hydraulic binders: between English influences and the search for a scientific approach, 1817-1839 in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 1-8 |
The preface to the first issue of the periodical Sammlung nützlicher Aufsätze und Nachrichten, die
Baukunst betreffend published by the Preußisches Ober-Bau Departement from 1797 to 1806 can be
considered as a manifesto of the technical approach to architecture. Art and science should merge
together in architecture otherwise “the artist risks weirdness”, asserts one of the focal concepts of this
preface. It is in such a context that the interest in hydraulic binders increases and it was driven by the need for
more efficient and durable mortars in hydraulic engineering as well as for plasters and artificial stones.
The ability to produce and apply efficient hydraulic binders in Germany seems to have lagged behind
France and England. |
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Beech, R. |
2014 |
Form v function: the structural development of early fifteenth-century hammer-beam roofs in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 9-16 |
The earliest hammer-beam roofs were carpentered in the south of England at the turn of the thirteenth
century. Whether to provide clear circulation in a busy kitchen, (Bishop’s Palace, Chichester), or to
provide an open area in an aisled hall (Pilgrims’ Hall, Winchester), the intent behind the new
construction was to create a space uncluttered by vertical posts. Yet despite its ingenuity and utility,
patrons seemed little interested in the new construction, and only five hammer-beam roofs are known to
predate the 1390s. By contrast, the fifteenth century saw an explosion in hammer-beam construction.
Carpenters constructed 161 such roofs in Norfolk and Suffolk alone. This paper examines what
propelled this sudden upsurge in construction, and considers subsequent developments in hammer-beam
carpentry. |
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Bell, P. |
2014 |
early fifteenth-century hammer-beam roofs in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 17-24 |
The nineteenth century in England was a time of reaction in architecture, particularly church
architecture. The Gothic Revival was a reversion to traditional patterns in liturgy, in decoration and in
construction. A large part of the work of the architectural profession was the design of churches, while
non-architects produced secular buildings, employing all the technical innovations that had become
available during the Industrial Revolution. However there was cross-over between these two worlds,
often when maverick builders with their own area of expertise were able to influence or interfere with
the design of a particular church. There were also Architects, who were prepared to be more innovative
than the mainstream. Cost played a part, when a cheaper method of achieving the desired architectural
effect was acceptable. So advances in technology were able to leak into even this most conservative area
of construction. The examples of structural innovation are categorised and examined by the material used, dealing with
laminated timber, with iron and with concrete. Where possible, connections are made between the
builders and engineers working elsewhere in these materials and their use in the church buildings
illustrated. |
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Byng, G. |
2014 |
‘Fabric wardens’ and the organisation of parish church construction in the late Middle Ages in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 25-34 |
Between the artistic skills of medieval architects and the glamorous munificence of their patrons, the
managers of late medieval and early modern church construction are a quotidian and mysterious group.
Although the recent researches of Beat Kumin, Eamon Duffy, Katherine French and numerous others
have thoroughly surveyed the administration of parishes in this period, they have only rarely looked
beyond the financing of church construction. Historians have largely focussed their attention on the
work of churchwardens, who only occasionally ran building work, and the manor court. Clive Burgess
stands as an important exception to this rule, and has suggested the importance of the ‘masters’ of the
parish in running construction, a point which will be further explored in this paper. |
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Calderón-González, A. |
2014 |
Strategies for the accord of Gothic and Classical stone construction systems in 16th- and 17th-century buildings in Northern Spain in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 35-46 |
It is an increasingly attested fact that Gothic architecture, rather than fading away into irrelevance, kept
developing through the whole sixteenth century and remained in existence much longer. Thus, the
introduction of Classical aesthetics – together with a new constructive logic based on surface definition –
far from causing the disappearance of the line-defined Gothic system, meant that both would reach their
peak simultaneously, coexisting well into the seventeenth century.
Although purely stylistic overlapping and incidental juxtaposition abound, deliberate conjunctions of
both systems are rarer and have generally been overlooked. This paper will focus on these, showing how
formal concerns become inextricable from construction-related issues, particularly in the need to address
the accord along contact surfaces of two stereotomy systems with oft-conflicting logics, work strategies
and singular points.
A case study will be undertaken of buildings in Northern Spain showcasing these features. These
demonstrate a range of solutions, with specific technical and aesthetic implications which will be
discussed. Strategies of varying complexity have been recognized, ranging from simple instances of
vault juxtaposition to the remarkable case of the Villasidro parish church, in which the search for formal
continuity through the use of shared vault elements triggered a learning process, with multiple solutions
being tried and perfected over time. |
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Cardellicchio, L. |
2014 |
Pier Luigi Nervi vs Fazlur Khan: the developing of the outrigger system for skyscrapers in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 47-58 |
The structural development of tall buildings has been a continuously evolving process. There is a distinct
structural history of tall buildings similar to the history of their architectural styles. In this structural
history it might be interesting to investigate how one of the most popular system used nowadays to build
super tall skyscrapers, the outrigger structure, was designed for the first time. The paper focuses on how
this particular structural system was first developed, trying to link the experience of two outstanding
engineers who worked after the Second World War, the Italian Pierluigi Nervi (1891–1979) and the
Bangledeshi-American Fazlur Rahman Khan (1929–1982). |
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Carvais, R. |
2014 |
A digital edition of the didactic knowledge of construction: a critical edition of the courses of Antoine Desgodets, professor at the Académie Royale d’Architecture (Paris, 1719-1728) in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 59-70 |
For a long time, the history of architecture was based on analyzing published treatises, rarely were there
hand-written or unpublished courses. These, however, represent the first and fundamental part of
knowledge passed on to future architects. Our contribution aims to present the digital edition of the
courses taught at the Académie Royale d’ Architecture by Antoine Desgodets from 1719 to 1728. |
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Chou, Y. & Theodossopoulos, D. |
2014 |
Building material migration: imported brick and localization in Taiwan in the seventeenth century in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 71-80 |
In certain circumstances, the evolution of architecture is highly connected with construction technique
development, which in turn may be generated by external cultures. This paper gives insight to such
developments by discussing how brick was established as a new imported building material into Taiwan
in the 17th century under Dutch influence.
Taiwan’s architectural system was essentially started by the Dutch from 1624, who built the first major
permanent structures, three fortresses with associated burghs. Research into archives shows that the
Dutch East India Company (VOC) brought for this purpose a new building material, brick, first by
importing finished products from Southern China, then gradually moving to local production in Taiwan,
which spread to several places within the island, even exporting to their strongholds in Japan. However,
after the VOC left in 1662, the brick making industry supported by the VOC seems to have ended in
Taiwan, as did the brick architecture.
Studies in this field have concentrated on the historic aspects of the VOC presence rather than their
architecture. This study attempts for the first time a comprehensive dating of the key stages based on
archival research. In addition, analysis of the masonry techniques of the scant remains serves to frame
the technology transfer process within the context of Dutch construction of the time. |
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Clarke, L. |
2014 |
Building by Direct Labour: the significance of Direct Labour Organisations (DLOs) in the provision of public housing in the UK 1890-1980 in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 81-90 |
“When the honourable member says that the number of completed houses is not so great as he had hoped it
would be, he must enquire for the reason into the organisation of the building industry, and not in the
government’s plan for housing” Aneurin Bevan 1946
This statement by Aneurin Bevan well expresses some of the innate limitations of the private
construction industry under capitalism to meet housing need and hence the reason why, at different
periods of time in Britain over the past 120 years since 1894, local authorities have taken the
responsibility for building with their own direct labour forces – or Direct Labour Organisations, DLOs,
as they came to be known. These periods have tended to coincide with major social housebuilding
programmes, including the first social housing under the Housing of the Working Classes Act in the
1890s, and then again after the first and second world wars, and – to an extent – with the Labour
government in the 1960s. The role of the local authorities and the building workers they employed has
thus been critical to the successful realization of public sector investment in social housing and public
infrastructure construction, including the repair and maintenance of the public building stock. |
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Dekeyser, L. & Verdonck, A. |
2014 |
Knowledge transfer of vernacular finishing techniques in the interwar period: on the history of cimorné render in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 91-100 |
This paper sheds light on cimorné render and technique, the cimorné company and its founder.
Moreover, the geographical spread of this technique and accompanying transfer of know how amongst
contractors is questioned and investigated. |
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Domin, C. |
2014 |
Hang the roof: building the aerial site in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 101-12 |
A technologically innovative culture of architecture developed along the West Coast of Florida, USA
immediately after World War II. Sarasota, FL became the epicenter for a regionally specific and
technologically astute strain of post-war modernism in the United States. Paul Rudolph (1918-97)
and Victor Lundy (1923-) both established architectural practices in Sarasota in the 1950s after
graduating from Harvard University Graduate School of Design under the direction of Walter Gropius.
Each separately began to produce a body of work that was fed by healthy competition and critical
friction supplied by a robust cohort of young architects in the area. As a result, Lundy and Rudolph
forged a unique trajectory for their generation and continue to inspire innovative work. |
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Fleming, P., Singler S. & Ramage M. |
2014 |
Construction history and alteration of the oak roof structure of the Sidney Sussex College Hall in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 113-20 |
In the following paper we present a study on the roof structure of the Sidney Sussex College Hall in
Cambridge. The tie-and-collar-beam roof was originally constructed in the last decade of the sixteenth
century as an exposed oak structure. Since its construction, however, the roof has undergone significant
alterations, in part to address structural concerns, but also to attract more students by remodeling the
College to make it appear more ‘fashionable’ in the eighteenth century. The original Elizabethan timber
structure was at that time hidden behind a Rococo ceiling that still defines the space today. To better
understand the roof’s original construction and later conversion, we have performed on-site
measurements, including the location and dimensions of key structural components and joints. Archival
drawings also provide valuable insight into the roof’s history and complement observations made onsite.
The documentation and analysis of this roof presents a case study for the transitional period in
English carpentry in the seventeenth century and brings to light a little-known but wonderfully wrought
timer roof. |
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Fuertes Dopico, O. & Madrid, J. F. |
2014 |
The traditional wooden shipyards on the northwest coast of Spain in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 121-30 |
Wooden boat building (known in Portugal and Spain as “Carpinteria de Ribera”) is today a traditional
activity with a craft characteristic carried out by small companies dedicated to the construction, repair
and maintenance of small boats where wood is the major element of construction.
The traditional shipyards are located in strategic places along the northwest of Spain and in the Atlantic
seaboard. All countries of the Atlantic seaboard have a similar historical evolution of boatbuilding, but
only in Galicia (Spanish autonomous community in the northwest) are there shipyards that still build
wooden boats for the fishing industry.
The shipwright built their shipyard with the same tools and technology used to build a boat. Originally
the shipyard started as a small facility to store tools and materials, but finally become a building which
provided shelter during the process of building the craft. In this way the traditional shipyards are directly
linked to the conservation of the local culture and landscape, and are part of the ethnographic heritage of
the Galician coast.
It was in the late nineteenth century when they started to settle down and build their own shipyards:
wooden structures, primarily large airy decks like upside down ships, perfectly prepared to withstand
strong gusts of wind and to shelter both the carpenter and the boat from the rain in winter and the sun in
summer. This paper presents a study of the shipyards still present in Galicia and focuses on the analysis
of the structural similarities of both constructions: the boat and the shipyard. |
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García-Ares, J. A. & Tellia, F. |
2014 |
Some instances of arch and vaulting construction at the New York Public Library in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 131-44 |
On May 24th, 1911, the main branch of the New York Public Library opened its doors to the public. Its
architects John Merven Carrère and Thomas Hastings had both studied architecture in Paris at the École
Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and met later in New York when working for McKim Mead &
White. From there they moved on to set up their own practice and become well established architects. In
1897, with a bold design in their own fresh Beaux-Arts style, they won the competition to design the
New York Public Library building beating their former employers. This was to become their masterpiece
and, as their best works, coupled monumentality with practicality. |
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Gelder, J. |
2014 |
Two Egyptian curves revisited in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 145-56 |
Construction drawings of two vault curves survive from ancient Egypt. One has been described in the
literature as an arc of a circle, with most authorities agreeing on a 5 cubit radius, and the other as an arc
of an ellipse constructed using a pair of 3:4:5 right-angled triangles. Again, this has been accepted by
most authorities. The contention here is that both curves actually describe arcs of a circle of 6 cubit
radius. This would mean that there is no hard evidence that the ancient Egyptians understood the
construction of true ellipses. |
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Gilento, P. |
2014 |
A proposal for cataloguing the building techniques in Roman-Byzantine and Islamic Jordanian Hawr!n. Stratigraphy and Chrono-typology: the Umm as-Surab village in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 157-68 |
The Building Archaeology in Jordan project is focused on the study of Roman-Byzantine and Islamic
architecture in Jordan. [3] Directed by Professor Roberto Parenti, this multidisciplinary project is funded
by the University of Siena and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and supported by the Department
of Antiquities of Jordan. One of the project’s topics is the analysis of building techniques and materials
of the Provincia Arabia from the Nabataean period to Umayyad times. One of the goals is to compare
the large ‘local’ eastern building traditions with Roman building techniques. In three seasons (2009,
2011, 2012) we focused our research on the Umm as-Surab site and on the northern area of
Jordan (Mafraq governorate), studying building techniques and materials with archaeological and
archaeometric tools (mortar analysis) and developing a new approach to the building survey of complex
sites with photogrammetric tools to obtain high-definition 3D models of buildings and surfaces. |
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Gonzalez-Longo, C. |
2014 |
The transformation of Drumlanrig Castle at the end of seventeenth-century in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 169-80 |
The transformation of Drumlanrig Castle between 1679-98 makes it one of the most original and
interesting buildings of its time in Britain. It was carried out at almost the same time as the Royal Palace
of Holyrood, whose design, construction and procurement influenced the making of Drumlanrig. James
Smith, one of the mason-contractors at Holyrood, went to work at Drumlanrig as an independent
architect for the first time, providing a unique design that was in continuity with local practices but also
aware of contemporary Continental architectural developments. The careful selection of craftsmen,
techniques and materials make this building one of the finest in Scotland. Although the original
drawings and accounts of the project have now disappeared, it is possible to trace the history of its
design and construction through a series of documents and drawings at Drumlanrig Castle and by
looking at the building itself. This paper will unravel the transformation of the building at the end of
seventeenth-century, identifying the people, skills, materials, technologies and practices involved and
discussing how the design ideas were implemented during the construction. |
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Govaerts, Y. et al |
2014 |
The introduction of ready-mix rendering mortars for stone imitation in Belgium [1920-1940] in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 181-90 |
In the late nineteenth century, the introduction of Portland cement led to innovative compositions
towards decorative rendering mortars. These finishes were often developed as a substitute for other,
more expensive materials, like sandstone. In order to create an almost perfect imitation of a natural stone
masonry, imitation renders were frequently applied on façades. After roughening the texture, simulated
joints were drawn into the wet surface. These artisanal imitation mortars were prepared on site by
craftsmen, according to their own formula and skills. Generally such mortars contained lime, white
cement, crushed stone and mica particles. Due to variations in composition and application technique,
almost none of these façade finishes had an identical appearance.
According to Belgian architectural periodicals and plasterer’s manuals (1900-1940), ready-mix mortars
gained popularity after World War I. Adding water to these dry prefabricated mixtures resulted in a
uniform stone-like surface, which met the standard requirements.
This paper sheds light on successfully imported foreign ready-mix mortars, such as Terranova, but also
on innovative Belgian renders like Dura and Supra.
Knowledge of how these stone imitating renders have been used, manufactured, mixed and applied is
essential to propose viable restoration strategies. By means of written historic sources such as journals,
patents, manuals and advertisements, this paper will focus on the technical aspects of the mentioned
ready-mix renders and their related socio-cultural background. |
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Greco, L. |
2014 |
The evolution of building techniques in the Italian Alpine context from the 1950s-1960s. The case of the Church in Corte di Cadore by Edoardo Gellner and Carlo Scarpa (1956-1961) in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 191-200 |
Alpine architecture in Italy underwent a powerful development in the twentieth century consequent to
the diffusion of winter sports. During this period, the repertoire of architectural types and construction
techniques revealed a renewal that took into account the general evolution in the Italian context. The
phenomenon was more intense in the Alps during the period from the 1950s to the mid-1960s, affecting
both the residential sector and hotels, in concurrence with the advancement of tourism.
The progress of building construction dealt with the utilization of steel, the employment of cast in situ
reinforced concrete elements and precast processes, the improvement of systems, and the development
of exterior wall insulation methods. In this frame of reference the use of reinforced concrete techniques
increased, whose effectiveness in renewing the aesthetic and technical paradigms of buildings was
predominant over other issues, which for several reasons were less significant. |
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Heath, J. & Miller, J. |
2014 |
A history of structural defects and repairs, the Iron Bridge, Shropshire in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 201-08 |
The Iron Bridge at Ironbridge in Shropshire was the first cast iron highway bridge in the world. The idea
and form were conceived by the architect Thomas Farnolls Pritchard in 1773, inspired by the revolution
that had been unfolding in Coalbrookdale, and encouraged by John Wilkinson, an ironmaster.
However, Pritchard died in 1777 just as construction of the bridge started. As the project proceeded, the
responsibility of financing and for the delivery fell progressively upon the ironmaster and shareholder,
Abraham Darby III, whose grandfather had first used coke instead of charcoal to fuel the production of
pig iron in the valley. The iron structure of the bridge was raised in the summer of 1779, although delay
in completing the very substantial stone abutments, constructed after the ironwork, meant that the
crossing did not open until New Year’s Day in 1781.
The structural form of the bridge, with its concentric semi-circular skeleton, is widely accepted as an
icon of the industrial revolution. However, as a prototype for cast iron it suffered from shortcomings in
the original structural concept, features that were better resolved in the cast iron bridges that followed
within twenty years. In particular, there was excessive redundancy and this, coupled with the inherently
inflexible material, made it unable to easily accommodate movement. The result has been a structure that
has accumulated extensive defects. |
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Heyman, J. |
2014 |
Wren’s domes in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 209-18 |
Wren introduced domes into England, and three different features of these may be distinguished in his
designs. First, masonry domes could be used to roof very much larger areas than was possible with
Romanesque or Gothic vaults, and Wren (with Hooke) was concerned to find the correct structural shape
for such domes. A prime example is of course to be found in St Paul’s Cathedral. Second, smaller
spaces (but still relatively large) could be given the appearance of having a domed roof, when in reality
the dome was non-structural and depended from a timber framework above. Two examples are to be
found among the 51 parish churches in London rebuilt by the Wren practice after the Great Fire. Finally,
in several of the rebuilt churches, the dome has no structural function, and is used as a decorative
element. |
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Holzer, S. M. |
2014 |
Mixing concrete – remarks on the early history of modern concrete in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 219-30 |
The early history of concrete, that is to say, the development from 16th century Vitruvianism to the
middle of the 19th century, has received very little attention since Collins’ groundbreaking monography.
This present article aims to provide some additional insight into this topic |
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How, C. |
2014 |
The British cut clasp nail in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 231-38 |
The cut clasp nail was the most common type of cut nail in general use in Britain for more than a
century, and its different forms provide clues to dating building stages between 1815 and 1920. Nails
found in a building present a useful matrix of dating information arising from their individual
chronologies. This paper, based on field and literature research, identifies the various forms of British
clasp nails with the aim of adding to the various dating spectra that nails provide.
British cut nails owe some aspects to American ingenuity, but they quickly took a different
developmental path. During the 1790s, the Americans had concentrated on developing a range of lighter
cut nails suited to softwoods. These offered possible ways to resolve nailed connections in Britain where
there was an increasing reliance on imported softwoods. Cut nails, however, for some time posed a
problem for both the British home market and the growing demands of the colonies, since the American
product lacked the necessary strength for use in hardwoods. Australia in particular rejected these
American cut nails as they broke in the hard eucalypt timbers. The British solution to the common
problems then went through several datable stages, traced below. |
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Lucey, C. |
2014 |
The developer, the builder, his contractors and their tradesmen in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 239-48 |
Since the publication of Sir John Summerson’s seminal Georgian London in 1945, our understanding of
the ‘typical’ eighteenth-century terraced house and its construction has grown exponentially. In recent
decades historians have addressed its myriad social, material and economic contexts including, but not
limited to, emerging capitalist modes of building production and the corresponding impact on labour
process; the methods and materials of individual building and decorating trades; and the financial
independence and social mobility achieved through property speculation. Others have endeavoured to
broaden the scope of enquiry beyond aristocratic housing, or have considered the historical implications
of house building for early modern urbanization. However, beyond describing the principle of
contracting labour, and the importance of site organisation and managerial competence, the particulars of
the contracting and subcontracting system – the social mechanism by which houses and terraces were
actually realized – have yet to be fully elucidated. With particular reference to Dublin’s Mountjoy
Square and tributary streets, this paper will consider the following questions: how were houses built by
contract – who contracted with whom? Did commerce or mutuality define these working relationships?
How did the practice of contracting and subcontracting impact on the scale of business portfolios? Who
were the most successful figures in the city’s house-building industry? Synthesizing archival evidence
from a variety of sources, in particular the accounts of the measurer Bryan Bolger (c1758–1834), this
paper will examine the correlation between building networks and building houses. |
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Mändel, M. |
2014 |
Dreaming of a cementless future: the story of silicalcite in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 249-56 |
Today calcium silicate boards are mostly known as fireproof insulation material. However, in the Soviet
Union, calcium silicatewas were widely used for large construction elements as an important alternative
to concrete panels. After World War II, the acute shortage of building materials in the USSR, resulting
from the devastation of war and the rapid growth of industrial cities, contributed to the developement of
low-cost and local materials. Building materials made of lime and sand became a promising field of
developement. Lime and sand were cheap and their deposits plentiful all over the USSR. Besides
widespread calcium silicate bricks, large blocks, panels and other products came into use. Silicalcite, a
new material invented in Estonia, was perhaps the most intriguing and ambitious among other sand
and lime–based materials. Despite its significant role in the Soviet Union at the time, silicalcite has
remained unknown among researchers of construction history outside of the Eastern Bloc. The aim of
the current paper is to fill in this gap and to provide insight into the fascinating story of silicalcite, its rise
and fall, and to explain the novelty of the technology, as well as to discuss its position in construction
history. |
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McWilliam, R. C. |
2014 |
Transferring construction technology and conflicts of interest - a century ago in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 257-62 |
The paper arises from the author’s role in the Editorial Board of the Biographical Dictionary of Civil
Engineers, which is currently examining the period from 1890 until 1920. Many ambiguities seemed to
have been tolerated through this period. Individual biographies bring out interesting examples. The
example selected is Thomas Aitken (1856-1918). He was able to have four concurrent careers all
associated with building and maintaining highways at a time when catering for motor vehicles began to
be considered. His achievements in the “silent majority” of British civil engineers, who had little to do
with the elites in Westminster with their influential imperial connections, were remarkable. His four
careers as County Surveyor, technical author, consultant and contractor resulted in certain ‘conflicts of
interest’ – but it was a very effective way of transferring technology in a hurry. Was he simply a man of
his time or is there a case for more contemporary changes in construction technology being accelerated
by concentrating on outcomes while ignoring bureaucratic niceties? |
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Méndez, F. J. R. |
2014 |
Spatial unification of Romanesque churches in Zamora and its influence on the buttress system in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 263-72 |
In addition to the Cathedral in Zamora there are twenty-two Romanesque churches registered, erected
between the eleventh and the thirteenth centuries. The most common typology – visible in twelve of
these churches – is a single nave, with the body wider than its chevet and without a visible transept. Of
the other ten churches, originally with three naves, only one has remained intact. The other nine at some
point underwent what we refer to as "spatial unification" by removing the interior columns in the
interests of providing more light and clarity.
The churches of San Juan and San Ildefonso showcase this perfectly, because of their size and the
diversity of solutions. The purpose of this paper is to study the consequences brought about by "spatial
unification" of the buttress system, the tectonic structure and the configuration of Zamora´s churches.
Ultimately, this research includes archiving and planimetric activity, as well as focusing on structural
stability. |
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Mobus, M. |
2014 |
Surviving late payments: strategies of Christopher Wren’s masons from Burford in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 273-80 |
This paper looks at the problem through the experience of three dynasties of stonemasons from Burford,
Oxfordshire: the Strongs, Kempsters, and Beauchamps. After the Great Fire, these stonemasons went to
London and took on many late paying contracts. The Strongs, working two quarries near Burford, were
established masons and stone suppliers of regional importance. By contrast, Christopher Kempster, also
in possession of a Burford quarry, was the first of his dynasty. Ephraim Beauchamp, born in 1661, was
the latecomer to this group. The outstanding masons were Thomas Strong and his brother Edward,
whose son Edward succeeded him; Christopher Kempster and his son William; and Ephraim
Beauchamp. They rapidly rose to become Wren’s foremost masons. Of the fifty-one churches rebuilt in
the City of London after the Great Fire, these three dynasties were involved in almost half of them. All
were mason-contractors at St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Strongs for over forty years having the distinction of
laying the first stone and the last. |
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Moksnes, J. |
2014 |
Concrete Platforms in the North Sea – a golden era for development of advanced concrete structures in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 281-88 |
A total of 25 concrete Gravity Base Structures of different designs and sizes, supporting large drilling,
production and storage facilities, have been delivered to international oil and gas industry in the North
Sea from 1973 to 1995.
From the early stages of being prototype structures with no history related to offshore oil and gas
production, the concrete GBS is now a proven concept with known characteristics and impressive
service records. National and international Codes and Recommendations for design and construction
have been developed over these years, and much progress has been made with respect to design,
materials and construction methods to ensure satisfactory performance and durability in very severe
marine environments. The early North Sea platforms have been in operation for 40 years and the
concrete hulls will perform with little maintenance for many years to come.
The history of the concrete GBS illustrates the ability of the construction industry to recognize
opportunities and meet new and challenging demands, to adapt to a new set of clients to work together to
develop Codes to ensure safe and predictable performance. |
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Nozhova, E. |
2014 |
Timber hyperbolic lattice structures: Shukhov revisited in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 289-300 |
In 1899 the polymath engineer Vladimir Shukhov (1853–1939) was awarded a patent in Russia covering
the principles he had devised for hyperbolic lattice towers. In their construction, these hyperbolic towers
are an assembly of straight elements connected together by complex three-dimensional joints, whose full
geometry is difficult to discern in the extant (orthographic) drawings. Until now, only structures made
of metal were thought to have been built. A research group at the IDB ETH Zurich has found
presumably the only surviving wooden structure built according to Shukhov’s structural principles. In
the course of investigations into the design of timber structures in Soviet Russia, another (unrealised)
project for a timber hyperbolic water tower from 1932 was unearthed. This paper sets out to analyse
these unique structures. |
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O’Dwyer, D. & Cox, R. |
2014 |
Old Ennisnag Bridge in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 301-12 |
This paper begins with a brief synopsis of previous work on Irish medieval bridges, particularly the work
of O’Keeffe and Simington on stone bridges, before detailing some recent discoveries.
The evidence for the forms of Irish medieval bridges and the techniques used in their construction comes
from a variety of sources, including surviving structures, archaeological investigations and, in some
limited cases, early texts. The paper presents a case study of the medieval bridge at Ennisnag. Ennisnag
is approximately six miles south of Kilkenny on the old road from Kilkenny to Waterford. The bridge
crosses the King’s river close to where it flows into the river Nore.
The paper considers the situation of the bridge and relates the characteristics of the bridge to features
found in other early medieval bridges. The bridge is one of very few bridges that retain evidence of the
wattle centring used to form the barrel vault. This technique was also used to construct vaults in
ecclesiastical buildings, castles and keeps. The link with ecclesiastical buildings is of particular
importance given that many surviving medieval bridges are located close to monastic sites. |
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O’Dwyer, D., Cummins, J. & Cox, R. |
2014 |
John Rennie’s Dublin cast-iron trusses in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 313-22 |
This paper examines the genesis of the early cast-iron trusses designed by John Rennie (1761-1821) for
the Stack A Warehouse, in Dublin’s Dockland. The Stack A building (now known as the CHQ building)
is located beside George’s Dock near Dublin’s International Financial Services Centre. The building was
erected in 1820 and the trusses used to support the roof are an early example of the use of iron for roof
trusses. The building was designed as a fireproofed warehouse and was used as a bonded tobacco store
for many years.
The Stack A trusses are of particular interest for two reasons. Firstly, they illustrate the move from
timber to cast iron, shown by the adoption of joints that are derived from traditional timber construction.
Rennie had designed and constructed similar warehouse buildings with both timber and iron roof trusses
previous to his Dublin designs and a comparison with these earlier structures gives an insight into the
development of the later cast-iron trusses. Secondly, the Dublin trusses were constructed before the
widespread use of truss analysis techniques, such as those developed and publicised by Bow and others.
However, static equilibrium was well understood by 1820. John Rennie had received lectures from John
Robison (1739-1805) when he attended the University of Edinburgh and remained a friend and
correspondent until Robison’s death. Robison published on methods of calculating the internal forces in
wooden frames and on the static analysis of masonry arches and there is evidence that Rennie
collaborated with Robison on some of these works.
This paper investigates the extent to which Rennie is likely to have applied calculation in the design of
the Dublin trusses. The analysis and design of Rennie’s trusses is considered against the development of
similar structures and the general advent of engineering calculation that was underway at that time. |
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Pan, Y. & Campbell, J. |
2014 |
Timber supply in colonial China, 1840-1940 in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 323-32 |
After the Opium Wars in the mid-19th century, the British brought many of the ideas of the Industrial
Revolution to Imperial China. The Treaty Ports, as the intersection of Chinese and Western cultures
played a crucial role in introducing Western technology. This article shows that, perhaps surprisingly, the
supply of timber provided the impetus for the wider adoption of western forms of carpentry construction
such as purlin roofs with king-post trusses. It also illustrates the story of how the competition between
timber suppliers ultimately led to Chinese nationalist back lash. This article brings together four sources
for the first time: (a) the Chinese literature and visual records for Chinese timber trades; (b) the accounts
on forestry published in the early 20th century by R. Rosenbluth (1912), N. Shaw (1914) and Y. Tang
(1935); (c) early articles from the China Year Book (1912-1939), etc.; (d) and Chinese building
construction manuals published in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The last few decades since 1985 have witnessed an increasing interest in the architecture of the Treaty
Ports. Although general works on the appearance of the colonial buildings in China are abundant, how
these buildings were constructed — and the relationship between Chinese and Western techniques—
remains largely unexplored. The combined construction methods, which marked the one hundred years’
Chinese building history under Western influence, had its origins in the two parallel systems: the Western
and Chinese building construction traditions. This article concentrates on one aspect of this broader
question: the relationship between the supply of a particularly important building material, timber, and its
use in building construction. |
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Pérez-de-los-Ríos, C. & Rabasa-Díaz. E. |
2014 |
Stretched templates in Gothic tas-de-charge construction in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 333-42 |
A tas-de-charge is the springing of Gothic vaults, where ribs are not yet separate, and their mouldings
may intersect or interpenetrate. Tas-de-charge form part of the wall or the support, and consist of several
pieces with horizontal courses, except the last one which ends with a sloped surface in order to connect
with the rest of the arch. In theory, the horizontal and sloped cross-sections are different; however, this
does not seem to have been a problem for Gothic builders, who either used or avoided stretched
templates for the horizontal courses depending on each specific case.
The presence of this topic in treatises is not common; the only historical drawings of a Gothic tas-decharge
with stretched templates are contained in the manuscript of Joseph Gelabert, a Spanish
treatise from the 17th century. Archaeologist Robert Willis made a fundamental contribution in this field:
he was the first to explain the construction of this part of the vault. His analysis was based on the
observation of the shape of the pieces in the vaults and their location. When dealing with disassembled
details, he could also measure and study traces that still remained in the pieces.
The example measured and explained by Willis will be critically analysed in this paper; as will other
cases where the use of stretched templates has been attested or would have been necessary. Variables
making the use of stretched templates either essential or unnecessary will also be pointed out. Some are
the result of practical experiences in tas-de-charge building, and others of full station surveys of actual,
historical buildings. |
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Pliego de Andrés, E. & A.S. Álvarez |
2014 |
Robert Willis’ contribution to understanding the Gothic Flamboyant style in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 343-54 |
Our paper analyses the contribution of the British scholar Robert Willis to the knowledge of the
Flamboyant style. His early interest in this architectural style has scarcely been considered until today. In
1832 Robert Willis travelled across a great part of France, Germany and Italy. He published the results
of this trip in 1835 as Remarks on the architecture of the Middle Ages, especially of Italy. Trying to
determine the origin of the Gothic style, Willis offered observations that provide an interesting
comparative review of the characteristics of the Gothic style in Europe, mainly in France, Germany,
England and Italy. Probably this travel and publication led him to develop this subject further in his 1840
essay On the Characteristic Interpenetrations of the Flamboyant Style, that has remained largely
unnoticed in the historiography of the Flamboyant style and even in the research on Robert Willis’
writings until now. |
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Pugnale, A. & Bologna, A. |
2014 |
Dante Bini’s air structures (1964-1979). From early Italian prototypes to the Australian experience in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 355-66 |
The construction of concrete shells has always been a difficult and expensive procedure. Preparation of
complex formworks, as well as placement of curved reinforcing rods, requires experience and increases
the overall cost. Building concrete shells is even more of a concern within the Australian context, where
the use of simple and rapid technologies has always been a priority. In the Sixties, Italian architect Dante
Bini developed and patented a form-finding and construction technique that aimed to solve this issue, the
so-called “Binishells”.
This paper investigates Dante Bini’s system, from its conception within the Italian environment until its
international success in the USA and Australia |
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Robson, K.F. & Ghosh, S. |
2014 |
Lean principles in the design and construction of the Empire State Building in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 367-76 |
The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world when it was officially opened on May 1,
1931. It held that distinction for over 40 years. In 20 months the building was designed, engineered,
permitted, demolition of an existing building completed, and the building constructed. At the peak of
construction, framework rose 4 ! floors a week. Starrett Bros. & Eken was the general contractor for
the Empire State Building, and the project was completed on time and under budget. In order to
complete the Empire State Building under the allotted 18 months schedule, Starrett Bros. & Eken
employed innovative construction methods and techniques. Many of these construction methods qualify
as tools of lean construction practiced in today’s construction industry. Comparing the design and
construction processes adopted in the Empire State Building with the underlying concepts of lean
construction, it is evident that several lean construction principles were employed in the project, a
quarter of a century before lean concepts were formalized by Engineer Ohno at Toyota. Using books,
archives and historical records, this paper examines the design and construction processes of the Empire
State Building and compares them with the lean construction methodologies that are increasingly
employed in the construction industry today. |
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Smyth, F. |
2014 |
Acoustic Design in the 1930s: Robinson and Keefe’s Church of Corpus Christi, Dublin in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 377-90 |
Bagenal’s early survey work was particularly concerned with ecclesiastic buildings. Documenting the
acoustic response of each building and its component materials with respect to octaves of the musical
scale and to different vocal ranges was a critical aspect of his work. He was adamant that in buildings
where music formed an integral function, the practice of averaging acoustic analysis to mid-frequency
values was insufficient, arguing that “the whole frequency range must be considered.”
The practical implications for acoustic design which emerged from this research path were to find
expression in a number of civic and ecclesiastic buildings across Britain and Ireland. One of these
buildings is the Church of Corpus Christ on Griffith Avenue in Dublin. Hope Bagenal was contracted as
an acoustic consultant for the landmark church by its architect John Robinson in 1938,Thus acoustic
behaviour was graphed in a manner which displayed the “reverberation characteristic”. This was
essentially a time-frequency curve which recorded fluctuations in reverberation time across a frequency
range which extended from 60 to 30,000 cycles (Hertz). |
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Stoppioni, B. |
2014 |
New technologies for a new society: German museum architecture after 1945 in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 391-402 |
WWII reduced Germany to a pile of rubble. The situation got worse with the painful division of the
country into two sister, but antagonistic republics. In both states a spiritual search into a new identity
was propelled, an identity that would be able to erase the shameful Nazi past and the misery of the
present.
In the German Federal Republic (GFR) these issues became reflected within the design of the
museums that were being built since the fifties, during the so-called “economic miracle”. The new
requirements of exposition and conservation of the artworks induced a virtuous alliance between socialanthropological
needs and technical innovations, with which architects and engineers were
experimenting in the numerous construction sites of this period.
The aim of this paper is to inquire how the museum architecture in the GFR – spanning between 1945-
1968 – could be considered a mirror reflecting the rebirth of this country, both in the exterior shape of
the museums and in the technological solutions adopted.
The museum Wilhelm Lehmbruck in Duisburg, the subject of my doctoral thesis, represents a useful
instrument to explore this field. Its rich and unpublished archival documentation can explain the
motivations behind the choice and adjustment of some construction systems, that were typical of
German architecture after 1945, such as raw concrete and large glass walls.
This page of the history of architecture has been mainly investigated by German scholars since the
eighties. My intention is to look at these studies with a new perspective, that could highlight the role of
the new technologies in this context. |
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Theodossopoulos, D. |
2014 |
Stone barrel vaulting in late medieval churches in Scotland in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 403-12 |
This paper explores the construction characteristics and structural design of plain stone barrel vaults built
to roof a new type of single-nave churches in Scotland in the 15th century, such as Dunglass Collegiate
Church in 1423, Seton Collegiate Church in 1492, St. Salvator’s Chapel in St. Andrews in 1450,
Corstorphine in 1429 and Ladykirk in 1500. Four case studies are surveyed (Dunglass, Seton,
Corstorphine, Ladykirk) and their geometry is analysed to assess their design, construction quality and
structural efficiency. The analysis demonstrates a very good quality control and a consistent approach to
the simplification of the pointed profile developed in cross vaults. |
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Toso, F. C. |
2014 |
An alpine hydroelectric construction site. Works for the utilisation of hydraulic resources in Alta Valtellina 1907-1930 in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 413-22 |
In 1906, in the wake of the municipalisation of the electric supply for urban lighting and tramway
networks in the city of Milan, the municipality opted to expand the city’s productive capabilities by
buying the rights for the utilisation of the hydraulic resources of the river Adda, in the Alta Valtellina
valley. For the aptly founded company, Azienda Elettrica Municipale (AEM), it was the start of a
century-long process of infrastructure building, which shows the evolution of technical and construction
systems in hydraulic engineering and has had a defining impact on the landscape of the valley. The
research has involved examining the surviving correspondence, technical and photographic
documentation, offering an overview of the construction techniques and of the organisation of the
construction site. It shows the rapid introduction of new technology in relation to the hydraulic works,
especially under the supervision of the first national committee on large dams, while highlighting a
reluctance to the introduction of new languages for the architecture of the power station. |
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Van de Voorde, S., Bertels I. & Wouters, I. |
2014 |
The emergence of a new generation of building products in post-war Belgium. The case of lightweight concrete in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 423-34 |
According to a survey in 1969, only two per cent of the houses in Belgium were constructed using
industrialized building techniques. This percentage is significantly lower than in other countries such as
the UK, France, Germany and Eastern Europe, where 10 to 30 per cent of the houses were constructed
with industrialized building methods. The reason for this low percentage in Belgium is often sought
in ‘the habits, the everyday routine and the scepticism of the people towards everything that is new and
hasn’t proven its worth yet.’ If we take a closer look at the Belgian building industry, in particular the
house building sector, we can find underlying and related causes to account for this. As we will explain
in the first part of this paper, one of the main reasons can be found in the general structure and
organization of the Belgian building industry; in addition, also the government policy, the traditional
Belgian housing typology and the interaction between public bodies, owners, architects and builders lead
to the use of certain types of building products and methods. The second part of this paper will elaborate
on how knowledge of the new or improved building materials and techniques was disseminated through
architectural journals, being one of the most appropriate mediums to reach a wide audience. Finally, we
will focus on one specific category of this new generation of building products, namely lightweight
concrete. Starting from articles in the periodical press, we will elaborate on how, why, when and where
lightweight concrete was developed, marketed and used in the Belgian house building sector. |
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Wall, C. |
2014 |
Recording the ‘building world’: how oral history transforms construction history in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 435-44 |
What emerges with great clarity from the oral histories is the high esteem given to site managers who
were able to turn their hands to solving practical problems on site. All the interviewees remembered, and
praised, J.P. Morgan, the project manager, as someone who spent most of his time out on site with the
men and who frequently grabbed tools from people if he thought he could make a better job of it. He was
also renowned for his skill in ‘faking’ the grain on concrete in order to cover up the very few areas
which were spoilt. By using the life-history approach to interviewing it was possible for each respondent
to recount the way in which they entered the building industry, again revealing the importance of early
years spent as manual workers in a trade and education received from technical college. It was this
specific skill and knowledge that enabled them not just to become effective site managers but also to
innovate at site level, for as Glan Davis put it, the architects and engineers were responsible for, ‘where
the walls were, they designed the cavity, they designed the pattern, but not how to do it. We had to find
the way of doing it’. |
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Weber, C. |
2014 |
»Ich traue der reinen Rechnung nicht, wenn diese nicht am Modell überprüft werden kann (I cannot trust the pure calculation, if this cannot be verified with a model)« Frei Otto and model testing in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 445-58 |
The Südwestdeutsche Archiv für Architektur und Ingenieurbau at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
(KIT) took over the collection of architect, designer, researcher, and visionary Frei Otto in June 2011.
The inventory comprises more than 400 models, and is thus among the most comprehensive twentiethcentury
model collections in Germany. Since 1980, approximately twenty of Otto’s models have been
the property of the Deutsches Architekturmuseum. This abundance of models is evidence of Otto’s
passion for model making, which was so greatly admired by his colleagues. Since it was nearly
impossible to draw the forms of the structures that he developed with precision, he needed the models as
a medium “to materialize the idea”. Models were thus employed at all phases of the design process: as
presentation models, as form-finding models, and finally as measurement models on which the forces
within the structure could be measured. Yet in what way did models define Frei Otto’s work? His
model-based designs meant that he was just as much at home in the art of architecture as he was in the
science of civil engineering. The following will examine the extent to which he adopted and applied
methods developed in the field of civil engineering. |
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Wendland, D., Alonso, M.A. & Kobe, A. |
2014 |
The vault with curvilinear ribs in the “Hall of Arms” in the Albrechtsburg Meissen: studies on the concept, design and construction of a complex late Gothic rib vault in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 459-68 |
During the 14th and 15th centuries, the challenge of creating vaulted ceilings lead to ever more complex
solutions in late Gothic architecture. These ambitious, astonishing and sometimes daring constructions
rank amongst the finest masterpieces of architecture – extremely demanding from the structural point of
view and particularly challenging in their geometric design. Their builders managed to overcome the
difficulties of planning the complicated meshes of ribs soaring along spatial curves, providing
instructions for the production of their single components and their assembly on the building site, and
achieving a curved vault surface which corresponds to the equilibrium condition of shell structures.
The discussion on how the design and planning of these structures was performed and how their
construction process was organized, has been so far largely based on sources (some of them dating from
long after late Gothic architecture was practised), and in particular on their interpretation as established
in the 19th century.
At this point, it appears necessary to formulate hypotheses on the design directly from the built artefact,
and on this basis attempt a re-interpretation of the known drawings and treatises
century. However, this current state of research can be shown to be in contrast with the
evidence of many of the actual built objects. For this approach it is also necessary to deal with the methodological challenges of using the building as source. One of the objects analyzed in this on-going research is the vault with curvilinear ribs in the Albrechtsburg at Meissen (Germany), which is presented here as work in progress. |
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Wouters, I. & Bertels, I. |
2014 |
Production and assembly marks in wrought iron structures in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 469-74 |
Literature covers carpentry marks in timber structures from medieval times to the twentieth century. In
timber structures one can distinguish marks related to the shippers and importers who would add marks
referring to the quality or the cubic content of the balk. The master adds assembly marks and direction
tags to ease erection. Although information on marks in iron is scarce, we can find a similar pattern:
marks related to the place of fabrication indicating the quality, marks related to the ironworks and to the
assembly of the structure. |
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Yeomans, D. & Harrison, H. |
2014 |
The construction and structure of medieval gates in Campbell, J. et al, Proceedings of the First Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 475-83 |
The construction of doors and large solid gates from the medieval to the Tudor periods has received little
attention except for a brief survey by Cecil Hewett. These are sometimes very heavy timber structures
and the structural problem is to prevent their racking. Early doors were of plank construction and the
change to framed structures seems to be associated with an understanding of the performance of frames
and how they might be strengthened by the addition of bracing members. Three types of door can be
distinguished: early planked doors, framed doors and triple skin doors. This paper provides an outline of
their development and discusses their structural behaviour. |
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Addis, Bill |
2015 |
The epistemology of engineering design as a contribution to construction history in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 3-10 |
This paper describes an approach to studying the history of building design methods
and processes which draws together various strands of construction history and which
helps understand how building design methods have progressed. In the paper the term ‘building
designer’ is generally used, rather than the more specialised terms ‘architect’ and ‘engineer’.
This makes it easier to look back across the last two or three millennia and to avoid
the distracting and often specious arguments about whether someone in ancient Rome or Renaissance
Florence was an architect or an engineer or both. The following discussion focuses attention
largely on the design of buildings, although it could equally apply to the design of
fortifications, harbours, bridges and other civil engineering works. Also, the discussion
tends to consider the design of structural elements of buildings rather than the building
envelope and heating, ventilation or internal room acoustics, since there is more historical material relating to the former than the latter. |
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Giron, J. |
2015 |
Understanding Roman construction before A Choisy: Piranesi and his influence on Rondelet in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 11-22 |
This paper is an introduction to a more extensive article that attempts to demonstrate that
throughout the 19th century Piranesi’s work was regarded as a valuable and reputable reference on
ancient Roman construction. His influence can be detected in the work of his early successors and
even in the first ever published book that displayed a systematic approach to representing the
history of Roman construction by A. Choisy. The article argues that contrary to what some critics
have believed, Piranesi’s drawings were perfectly understood as bonafide scientific illustrations
within the cultural and conceptual context of the Late Baroque period. It further contends that the
generations following Piranesi drew on his models as an inspiration for begetting new forms of
illustration, effectively redrawing, modifying, and rearranging his images in a format
called "parallels". |
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Hayes, R. |
2015 |
The Role of Construction Drawings in the Lutyens Memorial Volumes in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 43-56 |
One of the most significant commemorations of an architect was the four-volume Lutyens Memorial
published in 1950 by Country Life in association with Charles Scribner’s Sons of New York. The
volumes were intended to celebrate the prolific career of one of England’s greatest architects: Sir
Edwin Landseer Lutyens (1869-1944). Six years in preparation, the Memorial consists of a
biography written by Christopher Hussey and three volumes of architectural drawings and
photographs assembled by A.S.G. Butler. An important feature of the multi-part folio of
drawings and photographs is the inclusion of construction drawings. These consist not only of the
expected plans and elevations of Lutyens’s houses and public buildings, but actual constructional
details of selected elements such as chimneys, staircases, cabinetry, window surrounds,
masonry, and metalwork. The incorporation of such technical drawings is noteworthy, for
they contrast with the typical presentation drawings-such as renderings or perspectives
views-through which most architects make their work understandable to the general public. Butler’s
pointed use of construction drawings is an important aspect of the volumes which has not yet
received sustained analysis. This paper enquires into the role of these technical drawings in the Memorial and what they
contribute to our apperception of Luytens’s designs. What will emerge, I hope, is a portrait of
Lutyens’s architecture in which constructional knowledge-as evidenced through the published
drawings-is essential to understanding the design effects he achieved. My analysis thus forms a
pendant to previous studies by Allan Greenberg, Peter Inskip, and Robert Venturi, who emphasized
the intellectual and compositional aspects of Lutyens’s designs, as I place him as much in the
chantier as the atelier, as an architect who was able to enter imaginatively into the
bric of construction. |
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Stephenson, J. |
2015 |
The organisation of labour and craftsmen in 17th century London building trades in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 57-66 |
This paper uses a comprehensive study of building records of some of London"s key late seventeenth
century building sites to begin to piece together an understanding of the organizational models or
techniques used, and deduces from those the types and deployment of skill. The records are mostly
account books, which generally give descriptions of work contracted in both ’day work’, and
’measured work’, but they include here Christopher Kempster’s day books and Edward Strong’s
bill book. The main sources are St Paul’s Cathedral 1675 – 1710, Middle Temple from the mid
seventeenth century, Westminster Abbey 1712 – 22, and Greenwich Hospital 1698 – 1707,
although other projects will be referenced. Most of the discussion pertains to
masons. Records in London over this period cover extraordinary work, but also ordinary work. I will
refer to the records at Bridge House, which show payments to land and tide carpenters, masons and
others for routine repair and maintenance work at Bridge House and surrounding estate property [4].
The analysis will show that there was conscious management of resources to meet cost and
profit considerations, but that contractors operated flexible hybrid organisational forms, and
can be considered neither ’firms’ in the modern sense, nor ’artisans’ in the traditional one. |
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Guerra-Pestonit, R. & Fuentes, P. |
2015 |
The grand staircase of the Colegio del Cardenal in Monforte de Lemos (Spain): revisiting a daring structure in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 67-80 |
Little is known about the trade techniques applied in the construction of stone
staircases in sixteenth and seventeenth century Spain. For those supported on vaults
-one of the most widespread type- only the intradoses are visible. The vault thickness, the
characteristics of the fillings, or any other constructive features remain uncertain, sealed in the
space between the vaults and the steps. Since lifting these steps would imply major work -they
are normally monolithic pieces of stone- the study of this type of staircase, and in
particular of their structural performance, must rely on educated guesses of the nature of their
hidden structural components, and is thus difficult to verify. In this paper, we attempt to shed new light on the understanding of the correlation between the construction singularities found in the Colegio staircase and its structural performance, this time under the theoretical frame of Limit Analysis for masonry structures. |
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How, C. |
2015 |
Early Steps in Nail Industrialisation in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 81-90 |
The history of wrought iron nail manufacture in Europe is dominated by the influences of three
machines: the reckhammer, the slitting engine, and the “oliver”. The first two produced
thin filaments or “wands” of rectangular section iron, which in English have become known as
“nail rod”. The oliver, a late adaption from the cutlery industry, appeared as a nail
header in the early 1800s. None of these were designed for the process of nail making as
such but were adopted from allied industries as means of facilitating production. In England, in
particular, the introduction of machine slitting marked out nails made from “rod” and gave rise to
new types of nails. The principle on which the slitting engine was based anticipated later
inventions that changed the path of technology, notably rolling devices by Payne in 1728, Purnell
in 1766 and Cort in 1778.
For the last century the widely accepted view that the slitting engine was a foreign
import into Elizabethan England has come under challenge from several researchers as being at
odds with both written evidence and historical events. This paper puts the engine
into contemporary context and the events behind its development are re-examined. It was seen
in Kent seven years before its first recorded Continental use and it would appear to be a home engineered device, albeit the product of several inventive minds. |
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Andrews, W. |
2015 |
Wallpaper’s role in Construction History: innovations in wallpaper manufacture in the 19th and 20th centuries in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 91-104 |
Wallpaper is often overlooked in the history of construction, yet wallpaper, paints and other
surface finishes are immensely important in charting the phases of a building’s structure.
Wallpaper is a material of paradoxes: in its many forms it can be both luxurious and affordable,
exclusive and popular, imitative and original. The history of wallpaper design, production,
trade and usage has been well documented. This paper will consider instead wallpaper’s significance as an
interior surface finish that can provide useful evidence of
materials used as part of building construction. |
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Thorne, R. |
2015 |
Railway Engineering and the Picturesque in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 105-20 |
That sense of the railway journey as a picturesque experience will be evident to
anyone who has travelled along the Great Western line through Bath to Bristol or along the North
Midland Railway line as it threads up the Derwent valley from Derby towards Chesterfield. Although
now denuded of some of their original features these routes and the structures along them still
seem to represent an engineering aesthetic of a particular kind which cannot be explained solely as
the result of basic engineering necessities. It is these two lines which are the main subject of
this paper, though no doubt there are others which could be used to illustrate the argument
presented here. Also there are questions to be asked in examining the historic railway network as a whole
about why that engineering aesthetic did not endure, a point taken up in the conclusion to this paper. |
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O’Dwyer, R. & Cox, R. |
2015 |
Early Irish Railway Construction in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 121-32 |
This paper treats the planning, design, and construction used to build the core Irish railway
network between 1830 and 1860. The paper also considers the transfer of railway technology into and
out of Ireland during this period. Ireland’s flat central plain also gives rise to wide slow moving rivers and the early Irish
railways required a number of long-span bridges. The paper details some significant
early Irish examples, including bridges by Fairbairn and Fox Henderson, and pays particular
attention to the development of long-span lattice truss bridges in Ireland. The paper makes particular use of the technical reports of Charles Blacker Vignoles and Sir John Macneill to the 1838 Irish Railway Commission. These reports, by Irish Engineers who were at the forefront of international practice, provide a valuable insight into the then state of the art. The
paper also makes particular reference to papers published by William Bald, George Hemans and others
on the construction of roads and railways over bogs and several papers on lattice bridges that were
published in the Transactions of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland. |
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Burgos Nunez, A. et al |
2015 |
Lorca- Baza Railway Line. British civil engineering in Southeast Spain 1890-1894 in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 133-42 |
In the 1860s the Spanish administration began to consider the construction of a railway line joining the cities
of Granada and Murcia. It was expected that it could articulate the fledgling system of transport in the
southeast of the Iberian peninsula. Technicians worked to determine the most favourable route during these
years. Eventually in 1865, it was defined by engineer Juan Moreno 2 who set its final stretch to run from the
city of Baza and in E-W direction through the valley of the river Almanzora until almost reach the
Mediterranean coast next to the town of Huércal-Overa. From there it would go up North, parallel to the coast
until reaching the city of Lorca and finally Murcia. Great Southern commissioned the completion of the railway line to the construction company HettMaylor Company Limited, created a couple of years earlier. The main person in charge was engineer Neil Kennedy. Following a common practice in the construction of the Spanish railways at the time, railway line design and all its elements were made outside Spain, in this particular case, they were made by the British technicians
belonging to Hettmaylor& company. Likewise, were British technicians who travelled to Almera the ones that
directed the works although the carrying out was subcontracted to Spanish companies. |
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Patiño, G. & Gimeno, P. |
2015 |
The transfer of a British Victorian architecture of smoke to the industrial brickwork chimneys of Eastern Spain in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 143-56 |
In 1849 the English arrived in the area of Linares and its region to take advantage of open wells which
were previously abandoned because of water. Steam machines, necessary to drain the mines, were also
brought, as the available resources in our country at that time were worthless. Moreover the building
construction techniques, engine rooms and chimneys were transferred. The mined ore was basically lead,
copper and silver; therefore, from extraction to its cast, the whole process needed different techniques and
facilities.
For this reason, a couple of chimneys can be found associated with each well. One was for the pump house in
charge of water extraction from the galleries. The other was associated with the powerhouse that housed the
steam engine which powered the transport cage for personnel and material resources and production (Fig. 5).
In both cases the fireplace involved features of Cornwall chimneys. Construction materials are basically two:
stone and brick. The stone is a sandstone called asperon, found in the most superficial layer and easily
removed compared to granite, which was the building material of English chimneys. The chimneys attached
to houses or pumping machines are usually completely executed in masonry made of sandstone, baseless, and
stands a few meters from the height of the powerhouse, as the case of Pozo Ancho in Linares (Jaén,
Andalucia). In other places, chimneys with stone basis, 2/3 of stone stack and 1/3 brick ending can be seen.
Such Cornish chimneys and buildings are widely extended in the province of Jaen, in the Santa Catalina mine
Berlanga (Badajoz), in Blanca mine in La Union (Murcia) and Alcaracejos, north of Córdoba. |
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Zhao, J. |
2015 |
The architecture of the not-quite –well-tempered environment- on the making of the new houses of Parliament in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 157-66 |
The project for the new Houses of Parliament in London was commissioned at the beginning of the
19th century, when the boom in science allowed new technologies and associated social
groups to be involved in many established industries, forcing a paradigm shift in the
construction industry. The mechanical engineer as a new professional field had just emerged from
various backgrounds and started to define its position in architectural collaborations. This
change in turn created a type of cooperative social network that was different from
the tradition where the project was predominantly run by architects. The reaction,
collaboration, conflict and compromise these groups made during construction stages affected the
final result to a great extent. Previous research has addressed the problem of communication
between these two parties, but focused more on the personalities of the individuals (the
architect Sir Charles Barry and the mechanical engineer Dr. Reid) rather than on the
organizational level. This research will firstly try to depict the new Houses of Parliament
construction process as it happened in the 1830s, in order to address the organizational issues
involved and their possible implication for the modern architectural collaboration. Secondly, it
will apply the SCOT (Social Construction of Technology) approach in setting up a controllable
boundary to thoroughly study all the relevant social groups in order to explain their intertwined
relationship in the construction industry in the Victorian era. The findings give a new
angle to analyse innovative technology and new social groups in construction projects,
indicating that similar to todays architecture industry, problems occur not only when the
social groups conflict with each other, but also when this conflict has been dealt with inappropriately. |
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Schoenefeldt, H. |
2015 |
Reid’s short-lived ventilation system for the Permanent House of Commons, 1847-54 in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 167-82 |
Between its inauguration in February 1852 and its full destruction by German air raids
in 1941, the ventilation system of the Houses of Commons underwent a series of transformations.
The original system, designed by the Scottish physician David Boswell Reid, was only used for
fourteen months before it was radically transformed by another physician, Goldsworthy Gurney.
The design of Reid’s short-lived ventilation system in the Houses of Commons has not
previously been studied by historians. Studies by Sturrock, Brucemann, Riding, Banham,
Collins, Hawkes and Bruegemann, Cook and Port situate the ventilation of the Palace of
Westminster within the broader history of environmental design and provide broad overviews
of its development, but none of these studies discussed Reid"s design for the
Permanent House of Commons. Archival research undertaken by the author has shown that its design
was distinct from those Reid had deployed in the Temporary House of Commons or the system by which
it was replaced in 1854. It was a more sophisticated system, designed to overcome some of the
limitations of the simpler stack ventilation system previously tested in the Temporary
House. Over two years, the ventilation had been continuously monitored and subject of numerous
scientific studies, yielding detailed insights into its performance. This is the first study
to reconstruct the design and performance of Reid’s design for the Permanent House of
Commons and the influence of the Temporary Houses. This paper presents a brief overview
of the findings of a larger research project undertaken by the author, entitled
Inquiries into the Historic Ventilation System of the Palace of Westminster, 1837-1924. |
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Bill, N. |
2015 |
Building the Domed Reading Room of the Melbourne Public Library in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 183-98 |
When opened in 1913, the Domed Reading Room of the Melbourne Public Library was the
largest reinforced-concrete dome in the world and was described as a "monument to the
wonders of successful concrete construction". Octagonal in shape, it was formed of 16
reinforced-concrete ribs with an internal diameter of 120 ft (36.58 m) and covered 20,750 sq.
ft (1,928 m²) in area. Although it was well documented at the time, its significance has become
largely forgotten. Nevertheless, it represents a significant achievement in early
reinforced-concrete construction and helped shape current practices in Australia.
Building upon the work of Saunders and Lewis, this paper will explore the
engineering behind the dome. It will document how its design changed with different engineers
involved and will also explore how the original design for the supporting structure was adapted by
the Contractor. It will also document how the dome was erected, drawing upon contemporary reports and record drawings. |
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Weber, C. |
2015 |
Les Bains Municipaux at Strasbourg (1905-1908) – an example of cultural and technical transfer between France and Germany in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 199-208 |
In Strasbourg in Alsace, France, a municipal public bath has survived till this day almost in its
original form: Les Bains Municipaux. The complex was conceived as a "municipal public bath"
in the years prior to World War I. |
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Slivnik, L. |
2015 |
The seismic isolation of the first skyscraper in Ljubljana, Slovenia in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 209-18 |
The first skyscraper in Ljubljana, called Nebotičnik, was designed by the Slovene architect
Vladimir Šubic and was built in 1931-33. With its 14 stories and the height of 70.35 meters,
Nebotičnik was the first building that stood out of Ljubljana baroque silhouette and
because of its height it crossed all boundaries of the prescribed regulations. Due to
its seismic isolation Nebotičnik is one of the first earthquake-resistant buildings in
the world. The basic idea of Nebotičnik’s seismic isolation was to use a horizontal
seismic dilatation. The entire building sits on 16 columns which are used as deep foundations that
reach the solid rock basis at the depth of 18 meters. A horizontal seismic dilatation between the
basement floors and the basement walls is made of several bituminous layers separated with steel or
zinc and lead plates. This different layers allow horizontal differential movements of the
building’s structure against the foundations, and thus the absorption of seismic energy.
This innovative structural design of the seismic isolation was invented by the Slovene structural
engineer Stanko Dimnik. To the best of our knowledge Nebotičnik represents the first
application of the base isolation of the buildings in practice in the world. With the construction
of Nebotičnik, the reinforced concrete skeleton have been used in Slovenia for the first
time and it has remained the prevailing technique in Slovenia ever since. Although the design
of its seismic isolation has not been used for many decades, it is lately being studied again for a potential use in practice. |
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MacInnes, R. |
2015 |
Architecture, Materials and Construction in the UK at the turn of the 20th Century: the Strange Case of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow School of Art in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 219-34 |
The architectural achievement of Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) continues to be debated.
From the mid-twentieth century, the architect/artist was hailed as a harbinger of modernism. With
the collapse of the modernist orthodoxy in the 1970s, he was variously repackaged as an
architect of the Free Style, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, and even a Postmodernist
avant la lettre. Many scholars have examined Mackintosh’s architecture from the point of
view of style, identifying its sources within contemporary and historic architecture.
Focusing instead on the design and construction of Mackintosh’s masterpiece, Glasgow School of Art
(1896–9; 1903–6; 1907–9), what can a new, closer examination of the architect’s working methods and
his relationship with the contemporary construction process tell us? An ad hoc, ‘hands-on’ designer
who worked on an individual basis with a mixture of traditional materials, crafts and industrial
processes, Mackintosh came to maturity at a crucial time in the history of construction in the
industrial city of Glasgow when building itself had come under intense scrutiny from both a
philosophical and a practical point of view. While some architects embraced new
materials and methods, others made a new distinction between decorative and utilitarian
elements of construction. In 1893 Mackintosh cleverly summed up the debate in the
phrase ‘dillianteism (sic) and drains’. |
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Yeomans, D. |
2015 |
The welded structure of the De La Warr Pavilion in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 235-42 |
The De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill is significant both as a major monument of Modern
Movement architecture in Britain and also as the first major building in welded steel. It is the
latter that we are concerned with here. Commissioned through a competition, it was a
foregone conclusion that this would be a Modern Movement building because of the way in
which the competition was set up. However, it was not certain that it would be a welded structure,
nor even that the architects’ intentions could be fully realized. When Mendelsohn and Chermayeff
submitted their entry for the competition they assumed that it would be a reinforced concrete
structure. But it was built using welded steel to achieve the architects’ intentions. |
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Draper, K. |
2015 |
The military hutting programme in Britain during the Second World War: A brief survey of development, uses and building materials in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 243-52 |
Today, the phrase ’Nissen hut’ is applied to virtually any type of prefabricated semi-circular
hutment used in the Second World War. This is a misnomer for in actuality there were
nearly sixty different types of huts designed to meet wartime needs from 1939-1945. It
is perhaps an understandable mistake to the average layman without the keen eye to notice
such details as building materials and form, but it takes credit from the many builders and
engineers of the period whose ingenuity and resourcefulness provided vital support to the Allied
cause. The subject of wartime building has been broadly addressed most recently by Jean-Louis Cohen
in his book Architecture in Uniform (2011) but does not give any details of British hut
developments. A few books have been written on specific huts, namely the Nissen and
Quonset. Paul Francis, of the Airfield Research Group, published British Military Airfield
Architecture (1996) that gives the best survey to date in his chapter on wartime huts and
sheds, but his work is limited to only those most prevalently found on airfields. Keith
Mallory and Arvid Ottar published Architecture of Aggression (1973), which provides a useful
chapter on the British armed camp covering some hut designs but not all. This paper
seeks to correct the Nissen hut misconception by providing a brief history of hut development,
including a full list of all huts and sheds designed during this period. As this list is
quite extensive, this paper will only highlight the earliest designs and their materials
and briefly discuss a few of the more successful huts. It is interesting to note that this wartime
period pushed the construction industry to make giant leaps in innovation with methods
and s in just a few short years, where otherwise it may have taken decades, and thus is most
worthy of further stud |
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Cassinello, P. |
2015 |
Eduardo Torroja’s 1949 International Housing Competition on Industrial Design in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 253-62 |
The huge housing demand existing in Spain in 1949 could not be met by traditional construction
systems. The severe social problem thus generated was not exclusive to Spain: all the countries
that had participated in World War II were facing the same challenge, i.e., the need to build large
numbers of housing units in record time. Industrialised systems consequently underwent intense
development, generating a wide range of alternatives specific to the material and industrial
resources and policies in place in each country. In that year, Eduardo Torroja, director of the institute that now bears his name, organised an unprecedented international competition around industrialised housing. A total of 89 designs were
submitted by authors from 17 countries (Germany, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium,
United States, Austria, Netherlands, Japan, Morocco, Sweden, Belgian Congo, Argentina, Ireland,
India, Finland). Although no British proposals were submitted to the 1949 competition, the U.K. made a
significant contribution to the objectives pursued. Eduardo Torroja designated Robert Fitzmaurice,
at the time Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser to the British Ministry of Works, as a member of the
jury. Fitzmaurice had engaged actively in solving London’s post-World War II housing
problem. That valuable information was to help Torroja to chart the course toward
Spanish industrialisation, based on decisions on what and how to manufacture in Spain. |
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Maendel, M. |
2015 |
Stagnation and innovation in prefabricated large-panel technologies in the USSR: A case study of production in the Tallinn house-building plant in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 263-74 |
Most studies that deal with mass housing in the USSR focus on urban planning and housing typologies
rather than on the material and technological aspects of standardised buildings. A
common understanding is that both backwardness and stagnation characterise prefabricated panel
technology in the Soviet Union. However, an in-depth examination indicates that several
exceptions can be made. This study aims to present an overview of both ordinary
products and experimental technologies in a typical Soviet prefabricated panel plant by
using the Tallinn house-building plant (HBP) as an example. The focus is set on
surface finish technologies, as these had a great influence on the visual appearance of
mass-housing areas and data from historical sources could be complemented with information gained from field studies on this topic. |
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Mornati, S. & Greco, L. |
2015 |
The Galfa Tower by Melchiorre Bega (1956-1959): the renewal of building technologies in the face of Italian tradition in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 275-86 |
This study concerns the evolution of building techniques with reference to the Italian history in
the second part of the 20ᵗʰ century, represented here through the design and construction process
of the Galfa tower, built in Milan from the project by Melchiorre Bega, a key-figure of the
Milanese cultural milieu of the time. The tower is one of the finest examples of the technological
innovation that took place in Northern Italy during the 1950s which found in skyscrapers a field of
investigation as spectacular as it was atypical in the national context. The Milanese towers are in
fact still considered an exemplary case in the cityscape, as confirmed by the attention reserved
for this architectural typology by the Italian Pavilion at the XIV Biennale of Venice, which put
the skyscrapers among the key - examples of modernity in Milan. In the Lombard city,
the architectural and technological research carried out on high-rise buildings offered an
avant-garde interpretation of the building activities that gradually expanded to the entire
national economy. The industrial clients promoted this occurrence, choosing this
architecture as a symbol of the economic success of their companies. The Galfa tower,
on which there are no detailed studies in literature, is analyzed in an original way by the authors
through the archive documents that investigate the design and construction process, placing it in
the cultural context of the time, also represented by the contemporary and more famous Milanese
skyscrapers the Pirelli Tower and the Velasca Tower. The building, 102.37 metres high, has
a reinforced concrete structure. It represents an exemplary case of technological
innovation (curtain wall and integration of systems). |
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Zordan, M. & Fragnoli. F |
2015 |
The curtain wall experimentation in italian building office: the sixties in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 287-96 |
Experimentation with steel frames that took place in Italy during the second half of
the last century, with particular reference to the use of the curtain wall element,
constitute an absolutely unique study, full of interesting ideas. These undoubtedly
representative works highlight an interesting planning specificity, and at the same time allow
us to frame a historical path that is specifically Italian (although featuring marked
references to the international context), with particular reference to the use of steel in the
years of economic growth. Although relatively short, this is a period full of experiments, often
signed by authoritative figures of designers, just as Marco Bagicalupo, Luigi Moretti and Adalberto Libera. |
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Rosellini, A. |
2015 |
Joint, growth and ornament of Kahn’s cast-in-place concrete in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 297-308 |
Through sheer determination and courage, Kahn has researched the nature of concrete. Each of his
renowned works in exposed concrete is itself an important chapter in the history of architecture
for the exploration into concrete"s formal expression, beyond the lesson of Le Corbusier. Kahn’s
obsession on concrete fabrication processes, and the values of joint, growth and ornament, are
systematically examined in the paper. Moving through the many construction systems experienced by
Kahn, from the discovery of exposed concrete in the form of béton brut at the Yale Art
Gallery, the paper culminates in the reconstruction of the artistic and technical
characteristics of two great worksites: the Salk Institute and the Dhaka Parliament. Kahn’s path to
the true "nature of concrete" and the main techniques and poetic discoveries, such as the "liquid
stone" of the Salk Institute and the expression of "growth" at the Dhaka Parliament, are examined. |
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Taub, M. & Prater, K. |
2015 |
Re-envisioning Historic Catalan Vaulting Techniques: A case study in Medellin, Colombia in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 309-22 |
In recent years, thin-tile vaulting has re-emerged as an effective construction technique, gaining
recognition for its structural efficiency, use of sustainable materials, application in passive
design projects and propensity for building skilled capacity among the local workforce. Thin-tile
vaulting is a construction technique for building compression only masonry structures, which
originated in the Mediterranean region in the 1300s. In the last decade, thin tile vaulting
construction technique has been furthered through advances in digital design and
applications in resource poor communities. This article describes a public pavilion built at the
World Urban Forum VII in Medellin, Colombia in April 2014, which used elements of
traditional thin-tile vaulting techniques in the creation of a complex, compression only
structure. The project demonstrates the potential for thin-tile vaulting to promote community
engagement and meet basic housing and infrastructural needs through the use of local materials and
labor. It positions thin-tile vaulting as a method for uniting the past and present, reimagining
historic construction techniques by applying new forms of computation and analysis to age-old
construction knowledge to create beautiful, efficient and complex structures that will long outlast
the software that was used to design them. |
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Ginovart, J. et al |
2015 |
Hooke’s chain in the Spanish Enlightenment of the XVIIIth century in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 23-32 |
In Spain it has been believed that the catenary arches are one of the main characteristics of modernist
architecture, developed as a consequence of the theory of the masonry arches, applied to the graphic estate of
the XIX century, whose main exponent is the work of Antonio Gaud (1852-1926). But, as we will prove
below, it was the teaching in the Mathematics Academy of Barcelona (1720), and the emigration of the
Catholic families coming from Scotland and Ireland, who were the first to build this kind of arch fifty years
before Antonio Gaud would build them. |
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Pan, Y. & Campbell, J.W.P. |
2015 |
The influence of English books on building construction on ealry 20th century Chinese Building Manuals in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 33-42 |
As already stated, it has been generally assumed that the source for Jianzhu xinfa
was Japanese, and the sources for Yingzao xue were a number of different English
books, but an exhaustive search of separate editions of English building construction books
published between 1840 and 1940 carried out for this paper, reveals for the first time that these
two Chinese books were largely based on two English ones. In fact in each case they drew heavily
on just one book: Jianzhu xinfa relies heavily on Gwilt’s An encyclopedia of architecture (9ᵗʰ edition, 1888) [3] while Yingzao xue is largely drawn from Mitchell’s Building construction and drawing (10ᵗʰ ed., 1926) . Constrained by the length limit, this paper concentrates on Jianzhu xinfa and the 9ᵗʰ edition of Gwilt’s Encyclopaedia. It compares the purpose and organization, illustrations and text, side by side in each case. |
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Isaacs, N. |
2015 |
How Britain made the New Zealand house in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in Construction History: the proceedings of the Second Construction History Society Conference, pp. 323-33 |
Nikolaus Pevsner visited New Zealand in 1958 and reported on his visit in the
"Architecture Review". Amongst his many observations he noted for New Zealand architects "their
roots are in Britain, but their eyes are on the United States". More recently, New
Zealand Architect William (Bill) Toomath identified an "unexpectedly constant, if
clandestine, liaison" with the USA with respect to the development of the design of the New
Zealand house to 1940s.
But what about underneath the style? Where did the materials of the New Zealand house originate?
Did this country, which may have considered itself in the 19th century as more British than Britain really take its materials from the mother country?
This paper examines imports of seven materials from 1870 to 1965: asbestos cement sheets; cement;
window glass; galvanised iron; wood nails; gypsum and gypsum board; and slates. These were
selected, in part, as they are specific products that could be easily tracked through the import
statistics. The first five were at some time locally made, the sixth (gypsum) is the raw material
for plasterboard and the last had a full life cycle within the period of interest. Firstly galvanised iron provides an example before examining the other materials. |
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Rabeneck, A. |
2016 |
The Place Of Knowledge In Construction in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 3-10 |
In this paper I explore shifts that I perceive in the control of the intellectual capital of construction as it relates to
materials, to products, to processes and to organization. I think this should be a fruitful area of research for
construction history. I believe that the last hundred years have witnessed a wholesale move of intellectual capital
away from the demand side of construction, those who control the decision to build, and towards the supply side,
those who respond to that decision and do the building. |
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Baker, N. |
2016 |
Have the effects of its history resulted in a Scottish construction industry that differs from its counterparts in
the rest of the UK? in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 11-24 |
The construction of buildings and infrastructure constitutes one of the most important of economic activities of a
country. Without this initial effort, little else beyond the most basic of subsistence agriculture can progress. Since
the rebirth of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, many types of data, not previously available at all in a form that
allowed extraction of information about Scotland, are now gathered by the Scottish Government. The legal,
financial and educational systems in Scotland all differ structurally from those in the rest of Britain, so its
construction industry might also be expected to show structural differences, both historically and currently. |
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Bertels, I. |
2016 |
Picturing Construction. Photographical documentation of Belgian construction sites by late nineteenth and early
twentieth-century contractors in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp.25-36 |
In the past two decades various historians have addressed in different ways the use and abuse of photographs
within architectural discourses and studied how the new nineteenth-century medium of photography not only
documented, but also imagined and represented architectural and urban realisations and their histories. Yet the
analysis of this set of valuable images leaves many construction historians unsatisfied. Indeed, most of nineteenth-century architectural photography depicts buildings in their completed form at the time of inauguration or shortly after their occupation. Construction, demolition, maintenance or restoration works were only accidentally pictured as for many late-nineteenth-century photographers ‘men at work’ posed important technical problems for example, the need for long exposure times. Artistic arguments also played a role with the dominance of portrait photography, while most clients and architects were simply interested in the final masterpiece. However, recently scholars have shed light on valuable unknown and unstudied archival finds and photographic collections and revealed how photography can chart the architectural, conservation and engineering process. Their research clearly demonstrates how nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century photographic reportages or close-ups of the construction process are highly valuable to understand ephemeral construction processes and techniques, and also enable us to understand how architects and engineers advertised and promoted their business via photographs.
Building upon earlier research into the history of the Belgian construction process and the principal actors
involved,[4] this papers questions if, in a similar way to architects and engineers, contractors were also interested
in this new nineteenth-century invention. Henceforth, the paper analyses a set of recently discovered
late-nineteenth and early twentieth-century photographical reportages collected or ordered |
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Addis, W. |
2016 |
Following the traces of engineers: but the traces of what? in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 37-46 |
One reason for studying the history of structures is to understand how a building, especially an icon such as St
Paul’s Cathedral or the Crystal Palace works as a structure, and how it was constructed.
No less important an objective in studying the history of structural engineering is to evaluate the standing of a
particular engineer or the significance of a particular structure. This may be with regard to the development or
progress of the art of structural engineering; it may also concern the sheer originality of a structure and the
creativity of the engineer. This paper considers what evidence relating to a structure and the work of its engineers is likely to remain and be available to study in order to address the issues mentioned above. |
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La Spina, V.,Vegas, F,. & Mileto, C. |
2016 |
Gypsum in Spanish Levant: history of its production and use in local architecture in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp.47-58 |
The aim of this article is to succinctly examine the process of transformation of raw gypsum from extraction to its
use in various specific areas of the Spanish Levant. Special emphasis is laid on the geological features of the
terrain which have encouraged the existence of deposits for extraction and on the traditional production process
for powdered gypsum from medieval times until the mid-twentieth century, concluding with a detailed
explanation of its multiple applications in local construction. |
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Le Dantec, T. |
2016 |
Gypsum External Renders of Paris: History And Fabrication in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 59-72 |
A research programme started in 2015 within the Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques (LRMH)
aimed at a better understanding of a very common material found on the facades of historical buildings in Paris
and its surroundings: gypsum renders. The research programme aims on one hand to establish the true
materiality of gypsum renders and find a way to replicate it or to repair it better; and on the other hand, it aims for
a better understanding of the history of these renders and of the design of the Parisian facades.
The gypsum external renders of Paris are well known by the architects carrying out their restoration and by the
city administration working on their conservation. However, nobody agrees on the composition of these ancient
gypsum plasters, leading to numerous pathologies after ill-carried restorations. What everyone agrees on,
however, is the general strength of this old material to resist weather erosion. Some renders are centuries old
when restoration work begins. Why were these traditional renders so resilient? Was it the way the gypsum was produced? Was it the way masons used gypsum on the facade? Was it the way the facade was designed? Or was it a combination of all those reasons? This article will shed some light on these questions. To write this article, historic written literature was compared with a corpus of facades with gypsum renders and numerous visits of ruined buildings and restoration work. A geographical and historical review will set the context first. Then fabrication of ’Plaster of Paris’, its application and architectonic details will be analysed to clear up the mystery of its strength. |
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Tonna, S. & Chesi, C. |
2016 |
Earthquake-resistant systems in traditional masonry construction: two examples from Mediterranean
vernacular architecture in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp.73-18 |
The research presented here addresses some structural solutions developed within the context of vernacular
architecture, which have proved effective in withstanding seismic actions. The issue is discussed with reference
to a couple of examples that represent this ambivalence, Castelvecchio Calvisio (on the southern slope of the
Gran Sasso Mountain, Italy) and Lefkada (one of the seven Ionian Islands, Greece). Both are characterized by
high-level seismic hazard, yet associated with different return periods: 200 and 30 years, respectively. This
situation led, in the former case, to alternately forgetting and rediscovering tradition and, in the latter, to the
development of a structural system able to simultaneously withstand two kinds of criticality, namely,
geotechnical and seismic. |
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Rababeh, S. & Al Rabady, R. |
2016 |
Stone Architecture: Stone Dressing in Petra, Jordan in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 87-98 |
Petra is well known for its rock-cut architecture, a style of architecture that generated what could be termed ‘flat’
or ‘shallow’ architecture. Although the existing 800 rock-cut monuments were influenced by other
civilizations and incorporated elements and treatments from the Assyrian, Egyptian, Anatolian, and Classical
architecture it was the building engineering that distinguished Nabataean architecture. |
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Mancini, R. |
2016 |
Some considerations on Roman building
techniques in the early fifth century AD in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 99-108 |
The aim of this study is to expand our knowledge of the building techniques practised in Rome in the first
decades of the fifth century. Starting with an analysis of the largest construction project in the city at that time –
the great Honorian heightening of the imperial wall of Rome – comparisons are made with other buildings of that
era in order to reconstruct the building process. We are particularly interested in the materials used (mainly bricks
and tufa blocks), their origins (whether new or spolia), how they were used, how scaffolding was constructed
(through observing putlog holes) and recognising the various tasks of labourers put to work on this construction
project. This study is part of a body of research on Roman construction techniques, a matter of interest to
architects and archaeologists, particularly those that focus on Rome’s Aurelian Wall. |
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Amici, C. M. |
2016 |
The roofing system of the Tripartite Building at Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli (Italy) in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 109-18 |
The tendency to experiment with building design, which was typical of Roman architecture, is closely related to
the experimentation that took place on-site, in the great building sites in the Late Roman Republic and Empire.
There was an extremely close interaction between innovative spatial designs and the creation of the technical
solutions needed to achieve them. From this point of view, a situation that was highly conducive to the
development of new construction devices came about in Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, Italy, the residence that
Emperor Hadrian had built in the second quarter of the second century AD. Careful analysis shows that this was
actually a gigantic building site that never stopped working. One particularly interesting case can be seen in the
flat roofing system created for the three large rooms, between the Three Exedras and the so-called Stadium in
Hadrian’s Villa, known as the Tripartite Building. |
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How, C., Bolle, C., Léotard, J.-M. & Lapins, A. |
2016 |
The Medieval bi-petal head nail in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 119-28 |
Generally, the paucity of medieval nail finds in identifiable condition sets up seemingly impassable obstacles to
researching nails in Middle Ages building construction. In this case, however, the peculiar ground conditions in
the Latvian capital and painstaking analysis by the Walloon Region archaeological team in Belgium have
combined to allow this unusual find to relate part of the story of early nail development. This paper relates the
story of the various finds and tentatively proposes a chronology of changes in use, reflecting the wide distribution
of the bi-petal nail type. It also explores the probability of technological transfers or trading exchanges across
Europe. |
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Gil-Crespo, I.-J. |
2016 |
Wooden reinforcing chains in the Spanish medieval
fortification in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 129-40 |
Nowadays, we can still visit some Spanish Medieval fortifications in which the wooden reinforcement is clearly
visible. The ruination of castles often reveals the building ‘section’ of the walls, and so, we can see the
reinforcing system, study it and trace it. Usually, wood has rotted and fallen away through with time, and the only
thing that remains is the imprint it has left on the wall mass. Despite this loss, there are some cases in which
wood itself has been preserved, or the reinforcement design can be recorded. |
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Sainz Esteban, A. |
2016 |
Constructive similarities and differences in the walls in “Comunidades de Villa y Tierra” in the Diocese of
Segovia, Spain in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 141-52 |
The most important similarity found in these walls is the use of formwork. This system is used in all of them and,
although it is found in defensive architecture in other parts of the Iberian Peninsula, it is interesting that it is also
found in the walls of these towns, together with other common elements. Although there are differences in the
dimensions of the formwork, they are still very similar, with relatively constant dimensions, 250-300cm in width
and 120cm in height. One noteworthy similarity is that, in all the cases, formwork with three horizontal timbers
was used. On the other hand, although the construction system is the same, there are differences in both the
execution of the formwork and in the way it was filled, ordering the contents in different ways and making the
putlog holes using different construction methods. The execution of the formwork shows notable differences,
both among the walls of different towns and sections of wall in the same town. This begs the question of why, in
one section of wall, in formwork of close proximity, are there different methods of formwork being used. The
answer may lie in the presence of several teams of builders working at the same time, with different techniques
and methods of formwork, going from one job to another. The use of formwork itself could indicate the
construction of the wall without the need for specialised professionals, as happens in the case of dressed stone,
where master masons were needed. The lack of order may indicate the absence of calculations at the time of
building, the absence of a figure that could plan the work and coordinate the builders. In this sense, the
construction by sections detected in Coca may indicate planning, where the sections were divided up beforehand
or where the construction was previously limited to a particular length. |
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Tutton, M. |
2016 |
Brick Staircases: the Rye House Group and Beyond in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 153-64 |
There are probably no more than two dozen spiral, or winding, staircases made entirely of brick surviving in
England. Most are concentrated in the eastern counties where the 14th Century renaissance in brick took hold,
having leapfrogged over the channel from the Low Countries where it had a longer pedigree. If we compare
this figure of 24 with the many thousands of similar staircases in stone or timber to be found in churches, castles,
fortified and unfortified houses of the late 14th and 15th Centuries, it becomes clear that the brick spiral staircase
is rare indeed. Even in substantial early brick buildings such as Queens’ and St John’s Colleges in Cambridge,
Eton College, Herstmonceux and Tattershall Castles and many more, the stairs are of stone. Why are these
brick stairs so rare? And what is the rationale behind their procurement and commissioning? The answers to these
questions are: Exacting and high levels of bricklaying skills and status respectively. This paper brings together
the strings of previous research and investigations and thus draws on secondary sources, although not exclusively
so. |
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Wendland, D. |
2016 |
Load bearing matters: considerations on geometrical and structural design in Late Gothic vaults in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 165-78 |
In late Gothic architecture, the design of ornate vaulted ceilings is a guiding theme. Vaults were built which were
extremely complex and apparently, from the structural point of view, often very audacious. They were realized
over large spans, sometimes with remarkably low fleche, creating extremely intricate spatial figurations.
Although these masterpieces of architecture have fascinated generations of scholars, there are still open questions
on how they were designed and built, and, in particular, how their builders conceived their mechanical behaviour
in order to achieve structural safety. Some particularly clamorous examples are vaults that have no ribs at all – “Diamond Vaults” consisting only of a folded shell with sharp arrises – or vaults with ribs that have spatial curvature. In the latter, the looping ribs obviously deny their original structural function (due to their curvature they cannot take relevant normal forces) – let alone such examples where their intersections occur in different levels and some ribs even end suddenly in
plain cuts (Fig.1). Looking at these daring vault constructions, one often wonders how these structures can withstand even their own weight. In this paper, we want to ask how their builders might have thought that these structures could stand
safely. Our aim is to propose some hypotheses for discussion. |
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Costa Jover, A. |
2016 |
The construction-deconstruction process of the Cathedral of Tortosa in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 179-90 |
The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Tortosa (1345-1757) is one of the most important Gothic buildings of Catalonia. Its construction involved the progressive replacement of the existing Romanesque Cathedral (1178), in
a process of construction-deconstruction. Both buildings co-existed until the early eighteenth century, as did the
near examples of Girona (1312) and Barcelona (1317), among others. |
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Ampliato Briones, A. L. & Rodríguez Estévez, J. C. |
2016 |
The first design project for the church of Santa María in Carmona (Seville, Spain): hypothesis on the creation of a
new architectural typology in the Spanish Late Gothic in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 191-202 |
In the last third of the fifteenth century, embracing the initiative of other major towns in the archbishopric,
Carmona embarked on the construction of a large Gothic building to house its main church, inspired by the
monumental cathedral in Seville. Following the Christian conquest of Carmona in 1247, the parish of Santa
María had taken up residence in the town’s old mosque. Like the cathedral in the city of Seville, the new Gothic
project was conceived as a modernising initiative and triumphant expression of the church. The close ties
between the local and ecclesiastical elites of Seville and Carmona, coupled with the involvement of the cathedral
master builders, meant that the new work was a particularly mature interpretation of the cathedral model.
As part of an interdisciplinary investigation into the church of Santa María in Carmona undertaken by a research
group that has spent the last decade analysing the Gothic cathedral in Seville and its influence in south-west
Spain, this paper presents the key results relating to the first design project for Santa María.[1] First of all, we
delimit the various sections of the work built according to the successive design projects and offer a hypothesis
about the typology that was originally conceived and then radically altered. We then interpret the work in light of
its model, the cathedral in Seville, through a dialogue that enables us to clarify important aspects about both
buildings. |
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Hawkes, D. |
2016 |
The environment of the Elizabethan House: Hardwick Hall in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 203-214 |
Hardwick ‘New’ Hall was built between 1591 and 1599 and is one of the most important houses of Elizabethan
England. It was the home of Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, familiarly referred to as “Bess of Hardwick”,
and the work of the architect Robert Smythson (1536-1614). It stands on a hilltop and is immediately adjacent
to the “Old’ Hall that was itself under construction between 1587 and 1598 [1]. The appearance of the house is
remarkable, with walls of local stone pierced by enormous mullioned windows and six turrets that rise high above
the roofline. The exterior observes and dramatically demonstrates the principles of strict symmetry that
were an important aspect of the architecture of the English renaissance, but this conceals a surprising asymmetry
and complexity of interior organisation. An examination of the plans of the house shows how this organisation
is founded on the observation of what we may now recognise to be principles of environmental design. This
paper presents an environmental analysis of the house with particular emphasis on the conditions of Bess’
personal first floor apartments, as they might have been experienced when they were occupied by Bess between
4th October 1597, when she moved into the house, until her death there on 13th January 1608. |
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Heaton, M. |
2016 |
Spolia Britannica: the historical use of salvaged building materials in Britain in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 215-30 |
Using case studies from the author’s professional work as an archaeological surveyor of historic buildings in
southwest England, the thesis examines evidence for the historical use of salvaged materials in British buildings;
compares it with accounts of the same in architectural, economic and cultural histories; and argues that the
material is more common and of greater archaeological potential and historical significance than the limited
anglo-centric literature would suggest.
The thesis demonstrates that salvage was culturally endemic throughout England and probably the whole of
Britain throughout the later Middle Ages and the early Modern periods and was facilitated by sophisticated
markets, distribution networks and possibly customary ‘linear’ exchange; that, in addition to its iconographic and
economic value, salvage was an important vector of technological and stylistic diffusion and development; and
that salvaged architectural details – or spolia – were employed creatively by Catholic and other minority owners
as expressions of cultural affinity and political legitimacy. That creative use reaches its ultimate expression in
the ’ruins’ of Bradenstoke Priory in Wiltshire , which were re-sculpted using salvaged materials by a succession
of Catholic and latterly antiquarian owners during the late 17th , 18th and 19th centuries, before partial demolition
– for salvage – by William Randolph Hearst in 1929. |
Britain, England, spolia, Catholic, non-conformity |
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Romero Medina, R. & Romero Bejarano, M. |
2016 |
Traces and architects in the 16th century architecture of Spain: the case of Hernan Ruiz in Jerez De La Frontera in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 231-40 |
Hernan Ruiz the Younger (c. 1515-1569) was one of the leading architects of the Spanish Renaissance. As a
master builder of the Archiepiscopacy of Seville he was in charge of a large number of works, so high that it
seemed impossible that anyone could take on so much work.
This paper examines one of the aspects of the labour organization of the period that has received little attention to
date, namely that of the auxiliary architects. Thanks to a document located in the archive of Protocols of Jerez de
la Frontera, we now know how an architect who lived more than 100 kilometres away from some of the works he
was responsible for was able to control them. In 1567, the architect Francisco Rodriguez signed a contract in
which he agreed to work as the assistant of architect Hernan Ruiz in all the works that the latter was in charge of
in Jerez; five churches altogether. In it, he agreed to take the responsibilities of the senior master, which included
drawing plans, building according to the plans that Hernan Ruiz sent and outsourcing to other stonemasons.
Meanwhile, Hernan Ruiz would make an annual one-day visit to make sure that the five works were progressing
as planned. As we can see, the chief architect left all the work in the hands of the assistant architect, therefore the
concept of authorship of the works is seriously undermined by the discovery of the document mentioned above.
In fact, one can speak of a co-authorship of the building plans and full responsibility of the assistant architect.
Thanks to our knowledge of the work of Francisco Rodriguez as a senior architect of the Episcopacy of Cadiz,
we can establish the characteristics of his style and determine to what extent the works so far attributed to Hernan
Ruiz are really his. |
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Mazzanti, C. |
2016 |
A multidisciplinary study on the exposed brick walls of the baroque architecture of Penne in Italy in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 241-50 |
Penne, an historic town in the Abruzzi Region (Italy), has several baroque churches and palaces built or
transformed between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries: the main examples of this architecture are the
Cathedral, the churches of Santa Maria del Carmine, Santa Maria di Colleromano, San Panfilo, Sant’Agostino,
San Giovanni Battista, the Santissima Annunziata, San Domenico, San Giovanni Evangelista, San Ciro and Santa
Chiara; among the noble residences: the palaces de Dura-del Bono, Titone-Abbati, Aliprandi, Ferdinando
Castiglione and Teseo Castiglione. All these buildings, which stand out for their original Baroque expressive
language, can be interpreted as an ‘scenic apparatus’ carefully designed in the urban system of this city (Fig. 1),
almost exclusively characterized by the use of brick as building material.
In the façades of some of these churches and palaces there are eye-catching effects that was possible to realize
through details in exposed brick. |
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Capecchi, D. & Tocci, C. |
2016 |
Three technical reports of R.G. Boscovich on the statics of domes in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 251-64 |
Boscovich devoted to the statics of domes three reports written on the occasion of his intervention in the debates
developed in the eighteenth century on famous structural disputes: Parere (Opinion) which was followed by
Riflessioni (Thoughts) for St. Peter’s dome, Scrittura (Writing) for the Imperial Library of Vienna and
Sentimento (Impression) for the Cathedral of Milan.
The most important of the three reports is Parere, not only for the intrinsic value of its mechanical content but
also because of the difficulty of the topic. Boscovich was in fact asked to express his judgment on the stability of
the immense Vatican dome – which showed signs of distress – and to propose interventions that could control the
progression of cracking phenomena. In the case of the Cathedral of Milan, the problem consisted of evaluating
the response of an existing structure to a new load. For the Library of Vienna, the problem was, in some ways,
similar to that addressed for St. Peter’s dome, but it occurred on a significantly different scale.
The three reports, while showing significant differences – due also to Boscovich’s personal scientific growth
(more than twenty years separate the first report from the last) – are all characterized by the explicit assumption
of mechanics as a tool for analysing structural problems of architecture. Therefore, in addition to their scientific
value, which can be summed up in the methodological cogency and the thorough discussion of mechanical issues,
the three reports allow for reflection on the complex relationship between science and architecture which, in the
eighteenth century, shows a growing involvement of expertise in statics in building design. |
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Carocci, C.F. & Tocci, C. |
2016 |
The Giulio Cesare Hall in Palazzo Senatorio in Campidoglio. Notes on the late XIX century construction-site in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 265-76 |
After a brief historical outline of the main building phases regarding the Palazzo Senatorio, the paper describes
first the late nineteenth century construction-site and then offers some basic details of the recent survey with the
aim of integrating the knowledge framework emerging from the archive documents. |
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Stoyanova, I. |
2016 |
The roof of the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan: reconstructing the original building technology in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 277-94 |
The main goal of this paper is to reconstruct the original building technology of the roof through a virtual
model. This three-dimensional model puts together all the available technical data about the main roof
components, technical solutions, and construction details. These data have been collected and analysed by the
author in her doctoral dissertation. The research draws on original drawings and archival sources dealing with
the technology of the Gallery’s roof, as well as nineteenth-century technical texts and previous academic
research. Gaps in this information were then filled with information obtained from five graphic plates –
detailed drawings of the Milan iron roof – that were prepared for the World Exhibition of 1867 in Paris. They
are reproduced as technical drawings in the appendix to this paper. These plates supply more precise
information on the wrought-iron and cast-iron components of the roof, especially about the glazing bars, and
on the various assemblies of the roof components. Based on these sources, the main characteristics of the roof’s
components and assemblies as originally built can be reconstructed, illustrated, and analysed. |
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Cox, R. & O’Dwyer, D. |
2016 |
Education for construction: engineering education in Trinity College Dublin in the 1840s in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 295-308 |
The School of Engineering in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is among the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although this paper deals specifically with engineering education in TCD it can be taken to be representative
of the moves across the UK in the middle of the nineteenth century to provide university courses in engineering.
These developments were part of a general movement of the profession away from the master and apprentice
system of tuition that had previously been the model in the UK, resulting in the gradual closing of the gap
between the analytical treatment given to engineering in continental Europe and engineering practice in the UK. |
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Dobbels, J., Bertels, I. & Wouters, I. |
2016 |
The professionalization of Belgian general contractors (1877-1914): an analysis of the construction journal La Chronique des Travaux Publics, du Commerce et de l’Industrie in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 309-20 |
In Belgium, nineteenth-century industrialization caused - together with Belgian independence and the associated
public building projects - a booming Belgian construction industry with ever larger architectural and
infrastructure projects. Henceforth, there was a growing need to standardize the process of work organization,
meaning more projects were put out to tender. In this context ‘general contractors’ emerged who gradually took
on complete construction projects and became increasingly responsible for the work organization and execution.
This caused a redrawing of working relations on site, with an increasing polarisation between clients and
designers on the one hand and executors on the other. This nineteenth-century construction industry has been
studied mainly through the eyes of ‘traditional’ building actors, such as architects and engineers, with a focus on
their position and professionalization, leaving the (hi)story of general contractors largely untouched,
undeservedly because they played a pivotal role in the evolving construction industry |
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Pérez de la Cruz, F. et al |
2016 |
An English Company’s Role in the 19th Century Water Supply to Cartagena n Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 321-32 |
Throughout its history, the city of Cartagena has had to face many problems related to regional water shortages
and ensuring sufficient water to meet the needs of the local population. This is a situation that dates back from the
time of the first settlers and has continued to the present. This has led to a number of different measures being
taken in order to alleviate this problem and seek available water resources. The absence of permanent water
resources and the poor quality and shortage of the water drawn from the subsoil have frequently marred the
development of the city and presented a challenge which was not overcome until the middle of the 20th century
when water was brought from the river Taibilla. |
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Flores-Sasso, V. |
2016 |
Timbers, palm boards and construction materials at eighteenth and nineteenth century’s architecture in
Dominican Republic n Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 333-44 |
The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were very difficult times for the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo,
characterized by a great austerity, conflicts, pirate’s attacks, loss of most of the territory, illicit trade,
abandonment and finally the struggle for independence. Despite these events, the population of the colony always
tried to maintain a social and economic level inside the colony. However, the presence of these empires generated a strong trade between the Caribbean islands. According to customs documents in the eighteenth century, 70% of the vessels that touched port on Hispaniola came from an insular or continental Caribbean port. During these times the merchandise trading was diverse, but one of most Timbers, palm boards and construction materials of eighteenth and nineteenth century architecture in the Dominican Republic commonly traded products was the Caribbean timber that became an important part of the economy in those centuries. Amongst them were lignum vitae, mahogany, logwood and oak. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, mahogany logging was an extractive industry that largely relied on
two main modes of production: clear cutting and selective cutting. Clear cutting is the procedure in which all the
trees across a wide area are felled Selective cutting is a more selective method in which a distinctive species of
tree is selected and only those in particular are removed. The arrival of the Industrial Revolution, with new
machines that streamlined and changed the way of building as well as increasing trade between islands and the
European powers, transformed the landscape and the way of life |
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Vandenabeele, L.,Bertels, I. & Wouters, I. |
2016 |
From de l’Orme’s to Hetzer’s arch roofs: engineering the elegance in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 345-56 |
As can be seen, most research on the origin of glulam focusses on the renowned trinity of de l’Orme, Emy and
Hetzer.[5] Nevertheless, the study of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century technical literature on timber
construction reveals that many other timber arch roofs were developed before Hetzer’s invention, as
improvements or alternatives to de l’Orme’s and Emy’s systems, especially after the criticisms levelled by
Captain Ardant against laminated arches in 1840.
Therefore, this paper sheds light on these less known yet remarkable timber arches designed between 1840 and
1910, based on their representation in the historical technical literature. By positioning these arch roofs in their
chronological and technological frameworks, the present research aims at nuancing, detailing and broadening the
historical background preceding the glulam invention by Otto Hetzer |
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Clarke, J. |
2016 |
The exception, not the norm: pre-1940 concrete-framed commercial offices in England in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 357-70 |
The intention of this paper is to document the employment of concrete-framing in commercial offices in England
up to 1940, a building type that early on realised the advantages of iron and steel-framing. Beginning with the
early pioneers in London and other cities, this paper looks at how and why concrete was selectively used in
commercial office buildings, at the effect of building regulations and codes, and at why concrete framing
increased markedly in the late 1930s, prefiguring post-war developments. |
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Smyth, F. |
2016 |
Fine-tuning and Demolition: the First Acoustics Laboratory at Britain’s Building Research Station in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 371-80 |
The first government laboratory in Britain specifically dedicated to building science research in acoustics was at
the Building Research Station (BRS). The laboratory, which operated from 1923 until 1925, was the site of
significant research in materials testing. However, despite its significance for twentieth-century building science
and construction, neither the location nor the physical construction of the laboratory have been addressed in the
published literature. The details of the building and its site have become somewhat occluded over time.
The majority of BRS laboratories, prior to 1926, were located in reconditioned army huts housed on a plot of land
in East Acton. They were leased from what was then known as the Acton Urban District Council (UDC). Extant
BRS land files (1920-1927) contain no specific reference to the lease of a supplementary site during this time,
and in later years it seems to have been assumed that the acoustics laboratory was amongst the central cluster at
East Acton. However, separately archived documents which include unpublished letters, memoranda and an
acoustics research report (marked “confidential” at the time of its issue in 1925) clearly demonstrate that the
acoustics laboratory was not located on the main BRS campus at Acton. It was a satellite laboratory housed in a
disused munitions factory in Harlesden, and it had to be very particularly reconditioned for experimental work in
acoustics.
This paper draws on recent archive work to present details of that forgotten laboratory. It discusses the necessity
of locating the acoustics lab offsite, the modification of the factory building for use as an acoustics laboratory,
and the inherent impact of both site and structure to the evolving building science research in acoustics. |
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Sanabra-Loewe, M. |
2016 |
Why did modern post-tensioned floors flourish in the US and not in Europe –a matter of tradition? in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 381-92 |
Unlike in Europe, prestressed concrete with post-tensioned reinforcement came to be a standard technique in
building construction in the US. Kenneth Bondy has been the only one who has made a significant contribution to
clarify why this occurred, by writing about his insights on the origins of post-tensioned floors in the United States.
His vision is completed here with new data and put into context. Moreover, the American and European
situations are compared in an attempt to explain why things developed so differently on each side of the Atlantic. |
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Muñoz, F. J. |
2016 |
Home delivery: English temporary prefabricated housing in Bilbao: the testing of a new construction
system in 1947 in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 393-406 |
After the Spanish Civil War, during the 1940s, housing shortage was one of the most important problems of the
industrial metropolitan area of Bilbao and other urban sites. It was a period of deep economic crisis, in which
the few construction works carried out were delayed or paralyzed due to a lack of financial support, energy,
transportation, skilled labour and, especially, construction materials, whose prices were constantly rising.
Housing policies, mainly fostering private initiatives with public resources, were also managed by different
public institutions with no coordination, when not in direct conflict with one another.
As a result, the housing problem was not resolved, and became worse in the following years with the intense
growth of Bilbao and its metropolitan area; so much so that living in crowded slums or in shacks became more
common than in previous years. In the context of a harsh dictatorship, this situation motivated an increasing, but
silent, social unrest, and debate on the housing shortage became more active and dynamic than in years before.
Some architects, entrepreneurs, religious organizations, local institutions and newspapers asked for direct and
higher aid for housing, proposed alternative and smaller sized houses, as well as the use of new construction
systems, such as the prefabricated houses used in the USA and the UK.
A local entrepreneur Antonio Menchaca de la Bodega, who wanted to provide affordable housing to the workers
of his factories, asked the architect Eugenio de Aguinaga for new and quick solutions. In 1947 the architect
decided to try the Uni-Seco prefabricated housing system which, together with other proposals, was being used to
mitigate the housing shortage after the Second War World in the UK. Prefabricated housing was also a profitable
business with high public investment that Aguinaga thought might be possible in Spain. |
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Greco, L. |
2016 |
Motel: building techniques and architectural features of the Italian repertoire (1954-1969) in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 407-18 |
Motels in Italy were part of the motorway architecture developed as consequence of the construction of the
national motorway system. Autogrills, bars and motels became the icons of the modernization process which
affected the country in the 1950s. Studies of the architectural and construction characteristics of motels in Italy
highlighted the evolutionary outlines of the phenomenon, the main promoters and the building techniques used. |
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Mornati, S. |
2016 |
Building Technology and Corporate Image: a case study
of ENI, a leading Italian company in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 419-28 |
Though much has been written about ENI, very little has been said about the building techniques and
construction practices adopted in the realisation of its architectural and industrial legacy. The investigation of
these aspects is intended as a contribution to the understanding of Italian post-war construction and as a tool
useful in the preparation of possible restoration programmes. |
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Van de Voorde, S. |
2016 |
Glass and glazing in post-war Belgium (1945-70). The rise of double glazing in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 429-40 |
This paper will shed light on the development and application of
innovative types of glass and glazing used in 1945-70 in Belgium. Key aspects such as advances in production
techniques, popular glass products, the structure of the glass industry, and the introduction of new types of glass
and glazing in post-war architecture, in particular double glazing, will be discussed. The research is based on
archival research (in particular company catalogues and technical documentation from important glass
manufacturers[13]), literature study (focusing on contemporary architectural and technical journals), on site
research (visits to post-war houses in Brussels in which the original glass was preserved) and interviews with
glaziers who were active in the post-war period. |
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McLean, W. |
2016 |
Building with Air: The Pneumatically Powered Construction Systems of Dante Bini in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 441-50 |
The paper will explore the development of the Binishell construction process as well as the subsequent family of
pneumatic construction systems developed by Bini including the Binix, Binistar and Minishell systems. I will also
examine the relative industrial success of these systems and the perceived difficulty in the commercial acceptance
of such novel technological inventions and innovations. The paper has been written using primary sources
including site visits, interviews and conversations with Dante Bini, and original documents including previously
unpublished photographs, and commercial ephemera such as brochures. |
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Yeomans, D. |
2016 |
Better than Bucky: ‘domes’ for sports halls in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 451-60 |
Buckminster Fuller’s advocacy of domes as an ideal form of construction hardly had much practical effect. It was
supposed to be economical but, although his ideas had some influence on students in the 1960s, they were hardly
taken up by the building industry at large. Although it was hardly ‘architecture’ there might have been more
occasions in which it could have been used as a cheap form of enclosure. Perhaps one of the difficulties was that
Fuller did not explore variations on the form that might have made it a more practical proposition for a variety of
situations; a circular dome has only limited applications. However a firm of architects in Ipswich took up the idea
and, in collaboration with Felix Samuely and Partners, developed it through a sufficient number of projects to
show how it could be used effectively. The architects eventually produced a spiral bound book that has been
deposited in the RIBA library and which gives full details of their buildings.[1] The majority of these still survive
and this is reappraisal of their development following a visit to the survivors in April 2011. |
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Melsens, S., Mangaonkar-Vaiude, P., Joshi, Y. |
2016 |
Architect-entrepreneurs in post-independence Pune (India) in Campbell, J. et al, Further Studies in the History of Construction: the Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp. 461-72 |
Building involves a collaborate effort of patrons, designers, contractors and suppliers. Based on interviews with
senior practitioners we have listed the noteworthy Indian actors in these categories practicing in Pune between
1947 and 1982. This paper focuses on the role of architects in particular. From the group of 36 architects, the
(family members of the) most senior architects were approached. In this manner we narrowed down on three
practices that were willing to collaborate and could provide study material for this paper: U.M Apte, V.V.
Badawe and Architects United (a partnership between V.V. Ghotge and A.B. Sharma). |
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Matthews, L. & Richards, J. D. |
2017 |
Built Legacy: Digital Preservation of Historic Building and Structure Recording in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 3-14 |
In 2015 the ADS embarked on a short project to investigate current digital archiving practice amongst
professionals conducting research into historic buildings and structures outside academia. The study was broad in
its approach and included an online survey, telephone interviews, a dedicated workshop, and attendance at a
number of historic building related conferences and events. A full account of the project, including survey data
can be found in the Project Report. This paper focuses on the results of the online survey of professionals
involved in studying historic buildings and structures, including both architects and structural engineers. It then
discusses this practice in the context of a second survey of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) and their
preservation practices. |
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Hayes, R/ |
2017 |
Teaching Building: Practical Training at the Architectural Association during the Post-War Years in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 15-26 |
Previously unstudied, the Architectural Association’s practical training course offers valuable insights at a
number of levels. It documents a salient episode in the internal history of the Architectural Association, long one
of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious and influential schools of architecture, during a critical period. The
course illuminate’s important aspects of the annals of post-war Britain, when intensive rebuilding efforts were
envisioned following the Allies’ victorious conclusion of six years of global hostilities. The course exemplifies
specifically local responses to the post-war moment, due to the German bombing campaign that had destroyed
extensive swaths of London. Faculty members mobilized quickly to see the advantage in having an open plot of
land directly adjacent to the school made temporarily available as a result of Germany’s aerial bombardment of
London. In a larger context, the positive, optimistic and constructive set of intentions intrinsic to the course
reflects the generally upbeat mood of the country that led to the 1945 election of Clement Attlee’s Labour
government and when “Build Now” seemed to be a country-wide rallying cry. Finally, the programme may
offer lessons for today, as architectural faculty and students periodically address the degree to which actual
building experience should be a part of an architect’s education. |
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Melsens, S. Mangaonkar-Vaiude, P. & Bertels, I. |
2017 |
The Emergence and Impact of Vocational Training in the Building Trades in Pune (India): An Analysis of Three Institutes in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 27-42 |
The end of the nineteenth century saw the first experimentation in formalised vocational training.
Over the next century, a number of technical schools offering practical courses leading to
occupational jobs in the building trades were established in Pune. This paper analyses the
origin and motives behind the establishment and early development of these institutions and
studies the impact of growing government involvement and the growth of Pune’s industries on
construction training. Moreover, we analyse the profile of students enrolled and success of
building related courses in these schools. |
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Styhler-Aydın, G. & Döring-Williams, M. |
2017 |
The Fortification Walls of Hisn al-Bab on the Southern border of Egypt: An Analysis of Structures and Building Techniques in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 43-54 |
This paper builds on previous research and focuses on a detailedanalysis of the structure and construction process of the well-preserved early medieval fortification walls of Hisn al-Bab, with the objective of broadening the ongoing discourse on historic fortification structures in the area. |
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Gelder, J. |
2017 |
Comparing ‘as Documented’ with ‘as Excavated’ in Ancient Egypt in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 55-68 |
In researching a history of building documentation in the ancient world, it is found that in some
cases surviving documents can be compared with the corresponding surviving structures. The
discrepancies can be instructive. As an example, twenty contemporaneous construction documents
describe several royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. They can be reliably
compared with the tombs thanks to the work done by Theban Mapping Project
(hereinafter ‘TMP’). This paper compares three tombs – KV 2, KV 9 and KV 6 – with seven related
documents, some of which are well-known. |
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Tutton, M. |
2017 |
Stout Trees and Putlogs: Tales of Early Scaffolding up to C.1600 in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 69-80 |
This paper is part of wider research for a larger monograph and explores early scaffolding through depictions
in paintings. These will range from Roman wall painting, through Medieval and Renaissance illuminations in
manuscripts, frescoes, drawings and paintings to the end of the 16th century. |
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How, C. |
2017 |
Sporadic appeatrances of the ‘Oliver’ in Nail Production in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 81-88 |
A rarely investigated aspect of the history of iron nail manufacture concerns the different historical uses of the
Oliver or “Tommy hammer”. Its use as a heading tool in the mid-1800s is often referred to, mainly because of its
frequency in museum displays, yet the tool was also used for a variety of other tasks in nail making and other
trades. This paper reviews its better-known applications and looks at evidence of much earlier uses from various
sources. It tentatively sets some transition dates and suggests that the Lining Nail conversions produced by the
Oliver may have influenced later Lining Nail designs. |
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Magnus Melin, K. |
2017 |
Techniques of Cleaving Wood with an Axe And Mallet- Deconstructing Present Craft Knowledge, in order To Reconstruct Historic in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 89-100 |
Recent analysis of cleaved wood in historic constructions has enhanced our knowledge about the historic making
and use of cleaved timber that contests previous assumptions. The results will be shared in this paper. The
complexity of possible used methods that commonly leave few or no traces will be shown in the three cases that
are presented in this paper: the cleaving of rafters and boards for the Södra Råda reconstruction, the cleaving of
boards for the medieval tithe barn in Ingatorp and the experiment of cleaving eight 13 metres long rafters out of
one felled timber in order to understand the original cleaving methods used at Hardemo church (Almevik &
Melin 2015 & 2016, Melin 2014, Eriksson 2016). |
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Lapins, A. |
2017 |
Cesis Castle, Latvia: Historical Techniques in the Medieval Structural Ceramics Revealed in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 101-08 |
The building of masonry castles, undertaken during the 13th and 14th centuries in the territory of present Latvia
by the Livonian Order, was one of the few large-scale construction activities of the period. In addition to using
readily available locally available stone, brick produced from clay were also in use. Variously shaped ceramic
items were utilized, especially for the construction of most of the critical castle elements like aisles, vaults and
stairs. In this paper, the wide spread use of ceramics in Cesis Castle, in the region of central Latvia, is reviewed
for the first time. |
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Döring-Williams, M. & Albrecht, L. |
2017 |
The Kufic Inscription Of The Maiden Tower In Baku Building Processes Indicating The Date Of Construction in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 109-20 |
Although the Maiden Tower represents Baku’s most significant architectural landmark, the origin and the history
of the complex are still shrouded in downright fantastic mystery even today. Even from a scientific point of view,
the time of its erection as well as the different construction phases of the complex have remained in the dark - until
recently. The Maiden Tower complex is situated in the historical centre of Baku, in the most eastern part of Icheri Sheher,
the Old City. It was erected on a morphologically exposed part of the city, on a plateau of rock. Today, only the
Neftciler Prospekti and the coastal boulevard separate the complex from the Caspian Sea coastline to the east. The
structure called the "Maiden Tower" is in the shape of a number 9 lying on its side, with the round body of the
tower (A) and its mighty shield wall (B) forming a structural unit. |
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Markley, S/ |
2017 |
Filling the Void – Earth Mortared Masonry Buildings; Unearthing Ireland’s Medieval Settlement Record in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 121-32 |
Medieval buildings and their construction has always been an essential area of study to medievalists in
understanding the diverse settlement record of the period. Archaeological excavation and building recording are
fundamental tools in this regard. In Ireland, a largely missing domestic medieval settlement record has stimulated
research into understanding its absence. |
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Halgren, M. & Almevik, G. |
2017 |
The Craftsmanship in Construction and Transformation of Historic Campaniles in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 133-44 |
This paper aims to bring new information on the historic construction of wooden campaniles in
central Scandinavia during the medieval period. In the research we investigate
significant qualities of the construction and craftsmanship, how this type of medieval
campaniles were built and raised and later restored and transformed. The medieval campanile in
Grevbäck from about AD1300 is used as a case for in deep investigation. A model at 1:10 scale has
been produced as a part of the investigation. The model is constructed with the same
dimensions of material and with the same skewness and irregularities as recorded. Furthermore a
working seminar was held with craftsmen specialised in the restoration of medieval wooden
constructions to assess the ‘inner logic’ of the building process. |
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Buchanan, A. & Webb, N. |
2017 |
Tracing Tiercerons: An Evaluation of the Significant Properties of Thirteenth and Fourteenth-CenturyTierceron Vaults in England in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 145-58 |
The present research is part of a larger project, entitled ‘Tracing the Past’
(www.tracingthepast.org.uk), which sets out to examine the vaults of thirteenth and
fourteenth-century Britain in order to explore their two- and three- dimensional
geometries and to test the hypotheses put forwards by Professor Robert Willis regarding
their design. To date, the following tierceron vaults have been scanned: Chester Cathedral
chapter house and Lady Chapel, Wells retrochoir side aisles and St Mary, Nantwich, north
transept chapel; Exeter cathedral, and Ely presbytery. This sample has been one of
convenience, as our main focus is on lierne vaults (those with additional ribs not springing
from the capital nor marking the ridge), and therefore any conclusions drawn from this
data remain provisional. Our aim in this paper is to communicate our preliminary findings and to
share the method we have used to document the vaults, which provides a more detailed means of
classifying such vaults than has hitherto been proposed and has supported our methods of analysis. |
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Wendland, D. & Degenève, F. |
2017 |
How to Order Fitting Components for Looping Ribs: Design Procedures for the Stone Members of Complex
Late Gothic Vaults in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 159-72 |
In a collaboration between the research group working on the design principles of late
Gothic vaults at the Technische Universität Dresden, and expert stone masons
specializing in historical working techniques and practical stereotomy at the Cathedral
Workshop Œuvre Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, the essential phases of the design process are
currently being investigated in practical experiments – in particular, the execution of full-scale
drawings on the tracing floor and the production of full-scale models and samples of ribs and
keystones. These experiments are carried out mainly using the example of the vaults built by Jacob
Heilmann in the Hall of Arms in Meissen (1521)[1] and in the Sacristy of St. Anna’s Church
in Annaberg (1519) – for the first, the complete executive drawing, double-curved rib
voussoirs and selected keystones are reproduced. The result of our work is the proposal of a complete picture of the design process from the general
concept to the setting-out of the single stone elements. Further, we are able to draw general
conclusions about the Late Medieval and Early Modern design practice for stone structures
and trace a new interpretation of the early treatises of
stereotomy. |
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Campbell, J. W. P. |
2017 |
Three Oxford Roofs from the Late Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Century Attributed to Dean Henry Aldrich in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 173-86 |
In general little systematic recording has been carried out on seventeenth and eighteenth century roofs. As David
Yeomans has shown this was a critical period for the development of roof structures. This paper looks at three
roofs in Oxford built at the turn of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. All three show a similar structure and
the designer of all three is uncertain, but all have been associated with Dean Henry Aldrich. The paper publishes
measured drawings of these roofs for the first time, enabling comparisons to be made between them and opening
up the possibility that future researchers might identify similar roofs elsewhere. |
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Calame, F. &Hyde, A. |
2017 |
Nicolas Fourneau - Master Carpenter and Author of the First Modern French Treatise on Geometrical Carpentry Drawing in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 187-98 |
Nicolas Fourneau (b. Rouen 1722, d. Paris 1792) completed an apprenticeship and became a guild Compagnon
Carpenter, at the age of 18. The setting-out methods used by carpenters in the C18th, were those inherited from
medieval times. Fourneau realised the inadequacies of these ancient methods and set about improving them,
‘testing’ them out among his fellow Compagnon carpenters of the Rouen confraternity. Despite being initially
illiterate, he wrote the first modern treatise on geometrical carpentry drawing, L’Art du Trait de Charpenterie,
published 1767.
This year being the 250th anniversary of the publication of Fourneau’s treatise, affords us an especial opportunity
to set the development of the art of geometrical carpentry drawing in its historic context, as a development of
practicing trade carpenters, with particular reference to the importance of Fourneau’s role in its development. We
will refute the commonly accepted idea that geometrical carpentry drawing was developed from scientific
descriptive geometry. |
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O’Dwyer, D. &Cox, R. |
2017 |
George Semple and the Construction of St. Patrick’s Hospital Dublin (1749-1753) in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 199-212 |
Jonathan Swift, also known as Dean Swift, because he was Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, is widely
acknowledged as one of the greatest satirists in the English Language. He is remembered for many works including
Gulliver’s Travels and A Modest Proposal and was a friend and contemporary of Alexander Pope [1]. When Swift
died in 1745 and bequeathed the bulk of his estate (£12,000) to establish a hospital for the mentally ill. The architect
eventually chosen by the trustees was George Semple an enlightenment engineer, architect and builder. Semple is
best known for his seminal text On Building in Water, which describes the construction of Essex bridge over the
river Liffey in Dublin. Semple is also well known for his involvement in Dublin’s Wide Streets Commission, which
was one of the first bodies in Europe to look at city planning.
This paper details Semple’s plans for St. Patrick’s hospital and describes Semple’s proposal for the construction of
public offices to act as repositories for public records. Detailed specifications and drawings for both the hospital
and the proposed Four Courts buildings survive and give valuable information on both construction practices and
the materials in use in Dublin in the mid-eighteenth century. These documents also give further evidence of
Semple’s innovative approach to solving construction problems. |
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Vandenabeele, L., Bertels, I. & Wouters, I. |
2017 |
The Timber Roof Of The Gothic Revival Broodhuis (Brussels, 1873-1895): Design, Construction And Collaboration in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 213-24 |
The daunting reconstruction which cost the city over 1,800,000 Belgian francs can be traced in detail through the
numerous documents preserved in the Brussels City Archives (A.V.B.). These documents, including the
architect’s personal correspondence, but also drawings, working plans, city reports and even photographs were
first analysed in 1978 by art historian Guy Paulus. They also provided the basis for a publication depicting the
overall history of the original and reconstructed Broodhuis in 2013.
Building on these studies, the present research focuses on the yet largely-unexplored archival material related to
the construction of the main roof structure executed by carpenter E. Masson in 1882-83. (Fig. 2.b) The
consecutive design and construction stages of the roof are analysed, while pointing out the respective contribution
of the different building actors. Doing so, it echoes and extends previous research on the role of the architect and
the carpenter in the design of timber roofs during the eighteenth century and contributes to the ongoing
investigations on Brussels’ timber roof frames from the twelfth to the nineteenth century. |
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Wibaut, R., Wouters, I. & Coomans, T. |
2017 |
Construction of Church Roofs in the Brussels Capital Region, 1830-1930: Ahead of Technology? in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 225-36 |
This paper focuses on the construction of church roofs in the Brussels Capital Region. This Region presently
includes the historic centre of Brussels and surrounding municipalities, which became urbanized from the 1860s to
the 1930s (Fig. 2). The timespan of the research covers the period from 1830 to 1930. As a starting point for the
research, the independence of the Kingdom of Belgium was selected. From the point of view of the relationships
between church and state, 1830 concluded a turbulent period. During the French anti-clerical regime, all Catholic
churches were confiscated. This was followed by the Concordat of 1801 and the 1815 annexation to the United
Kingdom of the Netherlands, which stipulated that parish churches had to be erected with public money and designed by state architects. The year 1930 marks the end of the period studied in order to include
churches whose construction was delayed by World War I. |
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Chemolli, G. |
2017 |
The Ӧsterreichischer Ingenieur- und Architekten-Verein’s Tests on Vaults 1890-1895 in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 237-46 |
In its first applications in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, concrete based on Roman
cement was poured and tamped in layers (Stampfbeton), creating a mass which acted like a
monolith. Later, the use of Portland instead of Roman cement permitted an increase in its
resistance. In a second phase, reinforced concrete came into use. However, in both cases,
the lack of a building tradition and of a complete theory was an obstacle to the correct design of
the structures, particularly of vaults. Loading tests were sometimes organized to build
single vaulted objects, until the Ӧsterreichischer Ingenieur- und Architekten- Verein
(Austrian Association of Engineers and Architects), took the initiative to program and
supervise a complete series of tests on vaults and on their materials. |
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Shotton, E. |
2017 |
Port Oriel: God’s Own Dock, or Abomination? The Shifting Value Systems of Civil Engineers in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 247-58 |
In 2002 the Underwater Archaeology Unit of the National Monuments Service in Ireland completed a desk study
of Irish harbours as a step toward defining the scope of this cultural infrastructure. From this work the current
project identified 83 minor harbours on the east coast of Ireland, from County Louth to County Waterford, on
which limited research had been undertaken. Many of these structures embody technologies dating to the
seventeenth century, which were more dependent on the peculiarities of their geomorphological setting and the
whims of the landlords responsible for their inception than traditional engineering strategies, and thus offer an
alternative understanding of maritime engineering than can be derived from studies of major ports.
Port Oriel is one such harbour, first developed by local interests as early as the seventeenth century on a rocky
and sparesly populated headland in County Louth called Clogher Head. Its development was intimately tied to the
landscape, consisting of the enlargement, through excavation, of one of the many natural rocky coves along the
headland. This excavation was later extended through government-funded works from the 1820s onward until the
rational for the original basin was to be challenged by conventional engineering attitudes in the late nineteenth
century. |
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de Fossé, M., Bertels, I. & Wouters, I. |
2017 |
The Choice of Construction Materials in Historic Urban Warehouses in Antwerp and Brussels in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 259-70 |
Antwerp and Brussels, two major historic (harbour) cities in Belgium, boomed and expanded
in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as a consequence of which a wide
variety of urban warehouses were built. This paper examines these urban warehouses,
identifies the construction materials employed and analyses the prevailing selection criteria for construction materials. |
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McGuinness, J. |
2017 |
Early Concrete Housing in Maidenhead and Elsewhere in The British Isles in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 271-82 |
The following paper seeks to list known patents and to identify early concrete houses,
based on information collected by the author over a number of years. However this is
manifestly by no means an inclusive list. A further problem is that there is no certainty that
systems described in the books were actually used, also even where houses were in fact built it is frequently not known when this took place. |
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Kuban, S. |
2017 |
The Introduction of Reinforced Concrete in Berlin - A Close Reading of Historic Statistical Data in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 283-94 |
By 1816, Prussian authorities performed a first population census, intermittently repeating it. Already in 1867 a
first uniform and consistent census was carried out in the area of the designated German Empire, which after 1871
was repeated every 5 years. The amount of data collected is comprehensive, especially since the city of Berlin
[2] had its own statistical authority executing additional polls and censuses. Thus, this paper concentrates on the context of the introduction of reinforced concrete in Berlin by analysing historical statistical data. A retrospective study of documented statistics allow one to investigate the challenges of introducing reinforced concrete as a new construction method. The analysis will focus on three selected topics: the abundance of raw materials, the labour market and the development of building contractors. In conclusion, the competition between reinforced concrete and traditional building techniques will be characterised and the influence and effects from establishing reinforced concrete on the Berlin building market will be evaluated. |
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Espion, B. |
2017 |
The Beginnings of the Blaton Company: From the Trade of Construction Materials to Established Contractor in Belgium, 1865-1914 in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 295-306 |
Archives from Belgian contractors are very rare; family run construction companies
founded in the 1800s or 1900s often did not survive over three generations, and no archives were
preserved. The Blaton Company is an exception; it began its existence in 1865 and today, after five
generations, a Brussels based company bearing the name Blaton is still very active and is chaired
by a direct descendent of the founder of the Company. The Blaton Company was known to be a major
actor in the History of Construction in Belgium, but its history has not yet been documented. In order to publish a
comprehensive book on the Blaton Company, it will be necessary to reconstruct from other sources
the history from its foundation in 1865 up to the first documents available in the AAM
archive. This is the period that is overviewed in this paper, formed from a collection of
information from many contemporary sources (press, trade advertisements and catalogues, official
documents...) on the activities of Blaton before 1905. For historical significance, it
makes sense to include the development and realisations of the company up to the eve of the 1ˢᵗ
World War, from which it is documented in the archives. |
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Chrimes, M. |
2017 |
George Stephenson & Son: Consulting Engineering on the Cusp of the Railway Age in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 307-18 |
On the cusp of the railway age George Stephenson & Son briefly offered an alternative model for a
consulting engineering practice to that which had been established in the eighteenth century by
John Smeaton, [1] and was to prevail generally through the nineteenth century. Intended to exploit
the railway expertise of George and his son Robert, his partners intended to use it to manage the
demands on George’s time and ensure their investment in the manufacturing business of Robert
Stephenson and Co. was not wasted. By the early 1830s the model had clearly failed. |
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Dobbels, J., Bertels, I. & Wouters, I. |
2017 |
The Belgian General Contractors’ Struggle for Legal Recognition in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 319-30 |
Although the introduction of the Belgian engineers’ and architects’ laws has been studied extensively, the general contractors’ legal context is still a relatively unexplored field. It is generally assumed that in February 1947 the Erkenning van de aannemer (Licensing of the contractor) was introduced and that this was further supplemented with the so-called Vestigingswet, the law on business licenses, in 1958. But how was this regulation created? Did the Professional General Contractors’ Association play an important role in this process, as was the case with the Belgian architects? Which aspects were put forward in this professional delineation? Should the general contractors’ legislation be seen as a direct response to the engineers’ and architects’ regulations? And did they put forward the same standards as their construction colleagues? To answer these questions, we carried out an extensive analysis of the laws, royal and ministerial decrees and other regulations relating to the professional demarcation of general contractors, published in the Official Belgian
Gazette Moniteur Belge/Belgisch Staatsblad from 1870 onwards. These findings were combined with information
from the general contractors’ journals, professional journals issued by the National General Contractors’
Association and distributed to its members. Taken together, it allowed sketching outlining the stepwise step by
step realization of the Belgian general contractors’ professional delineation with attention to the diverse actors
involved and placed against a background of the broader Belgian construction industry. |
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Putzolu, R. |
2017 |
The Monteponi Society: A Mining Company that Changed a Territory in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 331-44 |
This paper aims to present the history and the development of the Monteponi mine, in Sardinia (Italy), by an analysis
of mining works and exploitations as they were realized by the Monteponi Mining Company. The Company was
founded in 1850 in Genoa. Starting from an examination of the historical background we will pass to the history
and the architectural features of mining buildings and infrastructure in this southwest area near Iglesias. Here, in
order to exploit its deposits of galena, lead and zinc, the Monteponi Company built buildings in both the Eclectic
and Neoclassical styles with the peculiar structural characteristics of Nineteenth Century Industrial Architecture.
The remains of this huge mining complex are evidence of a strong mining presence in the area. There are examples
of both production and service buildings, i.e. pits, foundries, washes on one side and residential, sanitary and
transporting facilities on the other. |
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Van de Voorde, S., Kuban, S. & Yeomans, D. |
2017 |
Early Regulations and Guidelines On Reinforced Concrete in Europe (1900-1950). Towards An International Comparison in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 345-56 |
Building is and always has been a craft activity but with the coming of iron, then
steel and finally reinforced concrete some science had to be introduced into the design and
construction process. Because public safety was involved, the design and possibly construction
of these structures became of concern to public authorities. Regulations were thus
established within the existing framework of building control. However, because the
technology was advancing, it meant that regulations often lagged behind and failed to
take account of tacit knowledge that was being used. This paper presents an outline of the subsequent regulatory frameworks in six European countries (Switzerland, the German Empire, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Belgium) focusing primarily on the first edition of the regulations. The comparative analysis reveals social
and cultural differences, for instance on the relation between building practice and theory,
the organisation of the building site or the relation between various actors in reinforced concrete construction. Yet regulations in any given country were also influenced by developments in other countries. |
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Ericsson, J. |
2017 |
Procuring School Buildings: The Case of Uppsala, Sweden 1870-1970 in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 357-64 |
The significance of schooling is well acknowledged in the literature, but the important question of how school
buildings have been provided is less well known. In this paper, the city of Uppsala, Sweden between 1870 and
1970 is used to analyse the development of school project procurement from a long-term perspective. Focus will
be on four aspects: organization, contracts, tendering procedures, and design process. This will allow an analysis
of how the city coped with providing school facilities as well as shedding light on the relationship between public
clients and private contractors during a hundred-year period characterized by the expansion and modernization of
the public sector as well as the construction industry. |
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Rinke, M. |
2017 |
The Domes of the University of Zurich and the SUVA Head Quarters in Lucerne: Early Glulam Construction in
Switzerland in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 365-74 |
Glulam construction arrived comparatively late in Switzerland. The technology of artificially composed timber
components has been used in many places in Europe, especially in the UK, throughout the second half of the 19th
century. It played an important role in countries with limited timber resources and therefore offered an
engineered surrogate from timber sizes available more easily. In 1906, after patenting methods of composing
timber beams from smaller components, the German master carpenter Otto Hetzer (1846-1911) developed an
industrial fabrication process of including a robust long lasting glue between the layers. He also developed a
practical method of shaping the fabricated components during the lamination process and patented the technology
for producing ‘curved structural timber elements’ in Germany (1907 in Switzerland and the United Kingdom).
This development responded to an increasing shortage of large-sized timbers due to the extensive building
activity in Germany at the end of the 19th century and was conceptually based on earlier developments from De
l’Ormes (1567), Wiebeking (1817) and Emy (1837). Only a few years after Hetzer’s technological invention of
robust industrially fabricated glued timber elements the Swiss engineers Bernhard Terner (1875-1960) and
Charles Chopard (1879-1954) acquired the patent and the exclusive right in Switzerland. During the following 24
years they developed many extraordinary timber structures which have been acknowledged internationally and
belong to the most distinguished architectural examples in timber construction of that time. Among their most
notable projects are two exceptional timber domes. This paper examines the development and the construction of
these domes in detail. Also, it will be discussed why their structural approaches are so different and how they
were altered during the building process. |
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Raafels, L., Bertels, I. & Van de Voorde, S. |
2017 |
Constructive Experiments in Architects’ Houses. The Case of Louis Herman De Koninck’s House in Brussels in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 375-86 |
Within this paper, experimental architects’ houses will be treated in greater detail to shed light on the construction
process and materiality. Some questions that have guided the research are: Does an architect tend to take more
risks when he builds for himself? Which experiments were set up and which innovative materials were used? Is
the (innovative) use of materials a prejudge for the later oeuvre? Do the materials and techniques used correspond
to the contemporary building practice? In this paper, these questions are studied in detail by means of a particular
case, namely the private house of Louis Herman De Koninck in Ukkel (near Brussels). Starting from the
importance of De Koninck for Belgium, his initial design of 1923-24 is elaborated in detail, as well as the
multiple alterations made between 1924 and 1968. This paper therefore builds upon our research within the
framework of a master thesis in 2016: Architects’ Houses in Brussels: Late 18th until the 20th Century.
Valorisation of the Private House of Louis Herman De Koninck. It is complemented with additional literature and
archival research, and includes a comparison to De Koninck’s complete oeuvre and within an international frame
of reference. It will be demonstrated to what extent an architect’s house can be deployed as a tool to strengthen
the architectural profession through experimentation and how it can augment the value and meaning of architects’
houses. |
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Devos, R. |
2017 |
Building prestige: Victor Horta’s Palais des Beaux-Arts (1922-8) as Blaton’s breakthrough for building in reinforced concrete in Belgium in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 387-98 |
This text presents a fragmentary case study of the building process of the Palais des Beaux-Arts,
unravelling, with the aid of this newly available archival material, the interaction between the
architect and the contractor. A main point of attention is the role taken by the latter
and his engineering office. This case study is a first detailed investigation into the
methods, tools and responsibilities in the historic collaboration between the main actors in design
and building: architect(s), engineer(s) and contractor(s). It takes into account legal
issues, economic demands, design tools, technological progress, personalities, as well as
architectural tendencies in order to highlight the factors that have defined the collaboration
between ‘builders’ during the twentieth century. Complex buildings from the ‘modern’ interwar period, especially those relying on relatively new technologies, have already proven to be challenging cases, mainly because of the apparent absence of their engineers in literature.[6] This text focuses on the execution of the set of
plans delivered by Horta in the original call for tenders, the changes that were introduced during the detailing of those plans and their consequences on the collaboration between architect and contractor. |
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Stoyanova, I. |
2017 |
Disappearing Tobacco Warehouses in Plovdiv: Building Technology and an Important Legacy in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 399-414 |
Therefore, this paper aims to cast light on the main features of the building
technology of the warehouses, on some characteristics that contributed to their
anti-seismic behavior and on certain aspects that suggest the influence of foreign
know-how. This paper draws on a comparative methodology in order to obtain information that the
original architectural drawings in many cases do not provide. At that time Bulgarian
construction employed common building techniques, and information about them can be
retrieved from Bulgarian technical literature. The paper uses information from these sources --
design drawings, on-site investigations and Bulgarian technical manuals -- in order to fill in gaps in our understanding of how and why the warehouses in Plovdiv were designed and built as they were in the 1920s. |
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Mulvey, M. |
2017 |
‘Digging for Gold’: Irish Immigrant Entrepreneurs in the Post-war Reconstruction of London in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 415-24 |
The paper seeks, in overview, to establish whether these Irish migrant entrepreneurs had commonalities in their
cultural and socio-economic backgrounds which shaped their success; and tries to see how their entrepreneurial
activities impacted upon:
• The existing organisational structures, socio-economic and cultural patterns of the British construction
industry
• The socio-economic problems of ‘lump’ and labour-only subcontracting in Britain?
• Ireland’s emergence from post-independence agrarianism?
After contextualising the dominance – in terms of numbers - of Irish labour in post-war reconstruction, the
leading Irish construction entrepreneurs are identified, along with brief profiles of their companies and the people
who made them, using relevant primary source materials as well as the documented histories of the businesses
themselves. Elements of British construction history, transnational Irish socio-economic history and London-Irish
folklore are synthesised to give a broader picture of the Irish contribution to post-war reconstruction. |
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Greco, L. |
2017 |
The Rehabilitation of the Mirafiori Factory in Turin. The Case of the Northern Extension of the Officine Principali by Nervi & Bartoli (1954-1955) in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 425-34 |
This paper analyses the northern extension of the building known as Officine Principali (the main
workshop of the complex), built in the Fiat Mirafiori factory (1954-55). As stated before, Fiat
selected Nervi & Bartoli to design and build the new mechanical workshop. The study uses archival
documents illustrating the building phases. This paper is part of the research that the author is
developing on Fiat building heritage dating back to the second half of the twentieth century to
analyse the relationship of these events within the framework of Italian national building
programme and to identify their contribution to the evolution of building processes. The research
aims to increase knowledge on the topic, as some of the major achievements have been studied,
however, many others, including the Fiat built heritage, are still little known. At the same time,
the paper investigates Nervi’s relationship with Fiat’s
technical department. |
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Ladinski, V. |
2017 |
Residential Construction Following the 1963 Skopje Earthquake in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 435-46 |
This study is based on the research undertaken in the 1990s into the area of the 1963 Skopje
earthquake and the post-earthquake reconstruction. It encompasses a review of literature,
access to archive materials, site surveys, eyewitness accounts of the earthquake and
discussions with participants in the reconstruction efforts. Building on the review of the
limited literature available on this topic, research and personal contribution to the
housing construction efforts, this study contributes to the increasing interest in the
pre-transition architecture and housing construction in the territories of the former Socialist
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in general and in particular
into the post 1963 Skopje earthquake housing reconstruction efforts. |
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Mendoza, M. |
2017 |
Construction of the 21 Hyperbolic Parabolid Concrete Shells to Roof the Queensgate Market Hall, Huddersfield in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 447-56 |
The Queensgate Market Hall –grade II listed- in Huddersfield- west Yorkshire, is considered an architectural
landmark in Britain not only because of its striking reinforced concrete inverted hyperbolic paraboloid shells
‘inverted-hypar shells’ and the masterful integration of public art but also because it is a totemic figure of the long
history of trade in the town. Considering that very few previous inverted-hypar shells were constructed in the UK
for markets and warehouses (Texas Instruments, Bedford and John Lewis warehouse, Stevenage) the design and
construction of the inverted-hypar shells at Huddersfield could be considered pioneering. The inverted-hypar shells
at Queensgate Market were inspired by the work of the Spanish born architect Felix Candela, who had also worked
as a consultant for the John Lewis Warehouse at Stevenage and previously collaborated with O’Neil Ford in Texas
before the construction of the Texas Instruments factory at Bedford.
The paper will contribute to the present literature on this market by presenting relevant facts of the history of the
Queensgate Market Hall which replaced the ‘Old Market’ as well as the interview with the resident engineer and
his report submitted to the Institution of Engineering in 1969 giving account of the construction of the invertedhypar
shells of the Queensgate Market Hall. Finally the paper will also discuss the present condition of the market.
The paper contributes to the existing knowledge of design and construction of 20th Century concrete shell structures
and in particular building form and construction processes. |
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McLean, W. |
2017 |
Building with Glass: Tim Macfarlane and the Development of Glass as a Load-bearing Structural
Element in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 457-68 |
During the UK recession and associated construction downturn in the early 1990s, there were a series of
small-scale, but important innovations in the way that glass was employed as a structural material.
Experimentation in the application of glass was no longer limited to the building skin, but began to be extended to
frameless glazing and ultimately, to structural glazing that relied on no other support than the assembled
laminations of glass held in place with structural silicone. Structural engineer Tim Macfarlane sits at the forefront
of these innovative approaches to the use of glass as a structural load-bearing element. |
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Mornati, S. |
2017 |
The Contribution of Italian Engineering in the Design and Construction of the Jubilee Church by Richard Meier
(1996-2003) in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 469-80 |
Three years behind schedule, the Dives in Misericordia Church was finally inaugurated on October 26, 2003.
Retracing the most significant stages of this complex undertaking gives us, even today, the opportunity to
evaluate the role that the Italian school of engineering, including its most recent adherents, has had on the
international architectural scene. The narrative of the project reveals a truly unique episode in the panorama of the
history of construction (not only Italian) due to the creativity involved in tackling the most difficult operating
phases, the complex solutions adopted and the site organization, which all refer back to the technical testing and
constructive ingenuity that belonged also to the great buildings of the past. |
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Alberti, S. |
2017 |
Construction Aspects of the Church of Santa Lucia in Cagliari, Italy in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 481-92 |
In the history of 20th century Italian architecture and urban centers it is very important to analyze the aspects of
construction. Worksite craftsmanship (and the scarcity of steel, and, in certain cases of wood, as in Sardinia) often
forced architects to come up with original solutions by exploiting to the fullest extent possible the structural
capabilities of the materials that were available.
Although Italian engineering, with its studies and experiments on reinforced concrete, reached a remarkable
technical excellence (in particular in civil engineering structures: bridges, viaducts and dams), the construction of
many types of building resulting from the autarkic policies of the Fascist era lasted until the 1960s. The ban on
imports of foreign materials, and in particular the shortage of steel, which in the period between the wars was used
exclusively for the war effort, gave rise to building techniques that were entirely peculiar to Italy (with the production
of innovative or “autarkic” materials). These hybrid materials tended to add to wall construction some essential
elements of reinforced concrete, such as the brick and cement-like floors and in many cases the foundations. After
World War II, with the end of restrictions on the use of steel, Italian construction sites (run mostly by small
specialized firms) used fundamentally simple labor, skilled in the technique of masonry mixed with horizontal
elements of reinforced concrete. Thus the Fanfani low satisfied the urgent need to rebuild and expand Italian cities
through projects of social housing with the vast availability of labor and construction sites managed by small firms.
This type of organization was used even at the sites of major projects, such as churches. The church of Santa Lucia in Cagliari (Fig.1), in the San Benedetto district, built to replace the 17th-century church of the same name (originally located in the historic Marina district),fits perfectly into this context. |
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Garn, M. |
2017 |
The Clay Tile Repair: Form, Function and Value in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 493-504 |
This paper explores the use of clay tile repairs in historic stone churches in the UK from the end of the 19c to the
present day. This was a repair method introduced by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (the SPAB)
as an alternative to replacing eroded stone with new stone, or “like for like” repairs. I approach this work as a
Master mason and building conservator in an attempt to understand more clearly the underlying logic of using tile
repairs, and by extension their widespread use. This paper is based on a very local observation of this repair method, particularly examples that are found in the
parish churches of the East Riding and North Yorkshire. For the sake of developing arguments, I shall refer to
buildings elsewhere but only in order to shed light on the examples nearby. |
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Røstvik, H. |
2017 |
Reconstructing Ludwig Wittgenstein’s House in the “Quiet Seriousness” of Skjolden, Norway in Campbell, J. et al, Building Histories, Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 505-14 |
In the following, I will describe the character of the place, give the actual data of the house and
discuss how the Wittgenstein house project in Norway is intended to be used in education
to train students of architecture to consider the challenges related to refurbishment, re-use
and all the technicalities that go along with preservation
of a wooden house. |
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Hawkes, D. |
2018 |
After Banham: “I do not like pipes, I do not like ducts" in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp xiii-xxix |
The Architecture of the Well-tempered Environment may truly be regarded as a seminal
book. In it Reyner Banham brought the environmental function of architecture into the realm
of architectural history. My aim in this paper has been to celebrate Banham’s achievement and,
almost half a century after the first edition, to offer a broad critique of its content and
argument. Perhaps inevitably, pioneering work will have shortcomings. As I have suggested,
one of Banham’s most important omissions were the treatises on ‘warming and ventilation’ that
appeared in great numbers from early in the century and both influenced and reported on the
practice of numerous architects and their collaborations with the new profession of
consultant engineers. Many of these men collaborated with leading architects, in Britain
alone, Soane, Barry, Waterhouse, Mackintosh and many others, to transform the essential nature of
buildings from the earliest years of the century. These events were paralleled in Europe and
America. Again, Banham noted little of this. |
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Burchardt, J. |
2018 |
The hidden system: How district heating came to town in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 3-16 |
District heating, where a building is kept warm by heat produced often a long distance away, has become a very
common heating system. In many countries, half of the homes are heated this way. The first plants of this type
were seen in the 1800s; in the early 1900s, several major systems were installed; but only in the 1950s did
development begin to evolve significantly.
This article will discuss this development phase, as well as the specific installations used for district heating.
Local installations in buildings will not be discussed, for the most part, as many installations are similar to central
heating. The special facilities associated with the heating of the buildings are few.
Examples are taken from Danish history and based on documentation of the Danish district heating sector carried
out at the National Museum of Science and Technology. In many ways, historical development is different from
country to country, but the basic technical conditions have become international standards, so this knowledge is
also of interest outside Denmark. |
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Feyaerts, J. |
2018 |
Building services in nineteenth-century Belgian cellular prison architecture in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 17-30 |
This paper explores the heating, ventilation, lighting and sanitary systems applied in individual
cells in Belgium’s prison patrimony during the heydays of the cellular regime. These developments
are contextualised within the historical development of environmental techniques, as well as
within the discourse on health and hygiene in reformed penal design. Sources include
contemporary publications, official prison construction programmes,
circulars, measuring states and correspondence of the Ministry of Justice. |
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Gelder, J. |
2018 |
Roman building services and architectural manuals John in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 31-42 |
This paper collects and compares material on a selection of building services – aqueducts, water
pipes, hypocausts, sounding vessels in theatres, sundials and water clocks – across these
architectural manuals from the Roman and Renaissance periods. Transmission between these
manuals of ideas about building services is considered. Comparison is briefly made with the
architectural record, to determine the extent to which these ideas were put into practice. Services
not covered include water supply tunnels and siphons (Vit. 8.6), wells (Vit. 8.6.12-13), cisterns
(Vit. 8.6.14-15), latrines and sewers (not in Vitruvius), hearths and artificial
lighting (not in Vitruvius), the
analemma – a chart used in the preparation of sundials (Vit. 9.7), and water-raising devices (Vit.
10.4-7). |
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Groaz, S. |
2018 |
Ducts and Moldings: the Ambiguous Inventions of Franco Albini and Franca Helg in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 43-56 |
It was the La Rinascente store in Rome, built between 1957 and 1961, an Italian example of investigation of the
role of services in the design of the façade and of appropriate forms for walls and moldings, that would be
capable of integrating, hiding, or revealing them.[3] In the design of La Rinascente structure and services
competed to find a new balance in which the ducts, once part of a design that turned them into a new kind of rib
or molding, stood out to the point of overshadowing the lines of the structure. For Albini and Helg that work
marked the beginning of a research program, conducted over a series of buildings, into the creative potential
inherent in the intrusive presence of ducting. From La Rinascente in Rome to the SNAM office building at San
Donato Milanese, Albini and Helg demonstrated the desire of Italian architectural culture to take the principles of
the Modern Movement and Rationalist architecture in the direction of a recovery of historical figures, that would
be in keeping with the most sophisticated technical and technological developments. All the “trapezoidal forms”
and “bulging fairing” studied by Albini and Helg to wrap service ducts and integrate them into the architecture’s
design ended up turning into moldings, in some cases reproducing those of the past |
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Hamzeian, Boris |
2018 |
The Evolution of the Pompidou Centre’s Air-Conditioning System. Toward a new figure of architecture in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 57-70 |
The integration of technical services in architecture played a crucial role in the history of
post-war construction. The Centre Pompidou, conceived and realized between 1971 and 1977
by the architecture studio Piano and Rogers and the engineering firm Ove Arup and Partners, is
an excellent example in this regard.
Instead of reverting to traditional solutions such as service areas or suspended ceilings, Piano
and Rogers chose to exhibit all the services of the building – from the air conditioning ducts to
the movement system of people and goods – both in the interiors and exteriors. Exiled outside the
envelope and placed within the “three dimensional walls” of the building, or rather clipped onto
them, the Centre Beaubourg services were designed to serve the principle of “the maximum
flexibility of use”. During the design process the refinement of these elements and the
surrender to the pioneering audiovisual screens intended to animate the Centre’s main
facades, created an unprecedented aesthetic value. Initially conceived as simple functional
tools, the Centre Beaubourg services became symbolic and didactic devices designed to
make the building a man-scale machine, both joyful and understandable.
This paper focuses on one of the main services of the Centre Beaubourg, the air conditioning
system, and aims to retrace the genesis and evolution of this element thorough all the phases of
the design process, from the first ideas
animating the preparation of the competition’s proposal to the prefabrication of the built
solution. |
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Hegazy, H. R. |
2018 |
The open-air school as an environmental Typology, 20th Century in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 71-86 |
This paper discusses the historic background of the Open-Air school as an environmental
typology in the 20ᵗʰ century. The aim of the research, is to understand the design and
the control regimes that were historically deployed to fulfill their thoughts and concerns
at that era. The paper will evaluate the performance of the past environmental strategies and
solutions taken in the 20ᵗʰ century to challenge the traditional and neoclassical styles
dominated the school architecture. |
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Itani, M. |
2018 |
Case Study Analysis of the Baer House in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 87-100 |
The 20th century was the rise of renewable energy alternatives and passive architecture. It is the beginning of
experimental thinking in solar buildings and technologies when innovative minds tried to use the sun instead of
fossil fuels and oil as a means of heating buildings.
This paper will be discussing a specific type of solar technology, the drum wall or the water wall which was
prominent at that time. It sheds light on the history of the drum wall which is when it was used in a simple
residential building. This technology is basically a set of steel barrels filled with water and placed behind a
transparent glazed façade. Thus, this “wall” will act as a thermal mass with a much higher thermal capacity than a
regular wall. The first recorded solar building is the experimental MIT Solar House built in 1947. It was the first
to use this approach as a space heating technique inside a residential building. In 1972, the Zome House, or also
known as the Baer House is the next residential building that integrated this concept into the house’s heating
system. This innovative building at its time is the case study described in depth and analyzed in this paper and if
it is possible to use the drum walls as an alternative for un-renewable sources of residential heating. |
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Khan, A. |
2018 |
Sanatoria for treatment of tuberculosis and the aftercare colonies (Early 20th century) The Papworth Village settlement, Sanatorium Zonnestraal and the Paimio Sanatorium in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 101-14 |
Tuberculosis has been a growing public health concern during the 19th and 20th century. It was widespread all
over urban Britain, as well as other parts of Europe and America. The quest for cure lead physicians to explore
the therapeutic power of the sun, and the relation of fresh air in the prevention of disease. The medical and
architectural profession, in concert, have created some notable examples of healthy architecture, over the years.
Giving a brief account of the evolution, the paper discusses sanatoria architecture in detail, through analyzing
the designs of three different sanatoria; the Papworth Village settlement, Sanatorium Zonnestraal and the Paimio
Sanatorium. Focusing mainly on the patient wards and treatment areas it will explore how sanator ia, from the
20th century, were designed as environmental buildings for the treatment of tuberculosis. In addition, this paper
also concentrates in distinguishing the role of indoor and outdoor therapy depending on the requirements and
developments with time. |
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Lawrence, R. |
2018 |
The environmental role of transition spaces in Victorian architecture in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 115-28 |
It is possible to describe a hierarchy of microclimates, from outdoors to indoors. Transitional
microclimates serve as intermediate spaces, which permit “a progressive adaptation to a new
environment. Whereas environmental determinism creates uniformity, environmental diversity
increases the morphological possibilities of architecture
and urban form”. |
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Leatt, S. |
2018 |
Owen Williams’s Boots’ “Wets” factory - a case study on the daylight factory typology in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 129-140 |
The Boots’ “Wets” factory (D10) is situated in Browtowe, Nottinghamshire, NG90 (Latitude: 52.9241 /
52°55’26"N Longitude: -1.1923 / 1°11’32"W). It is located on a large open site which was purchased by Boots in
1927 to provide a suitable premises for the company’s pharmaceutical manufacturing operations. Designed by Sir
Owen Williams (1890 – 1969), the factory building was constructed from 1930 to 1932. It received Grade 1 listed
status in 1971.[1] Williams commented that it was built for “ten bob a square foot” (£5.55 per m²), making a total
construction cost in 1932 of £18,500.00;[2] it is perceived to be his finest work.[3] Published literature on the
building’s environmental design features, such as its innovative use of glass and concrete in Britain to benefit its
environmental performance is limited. Authors such as Alan Powers in his book, Britain, modern architectures in
history (2007 1st Ed) and William J. R Curtis in Modern architecture (1996 3rd Ed), write about its clad glass
ˊcurtainˋ wall façade as a design feature signifying the start of the modernist movement in Britain, rather than it
being the factory’s specific environmental engineering design intention. This paper will investigate the influences
behind the D10’s architectural typology and why Williams used a continuous glazed wall system separated by
exposed concrete floors, and not the traditional method of masonry arches, piers and windows, which was heavily
influenced by the work of Albert Kahn and the daylight factory typology. |
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Liang, K. |
2018 |
Case Study: The Norris Cotton Federal Office Building in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 141-56 |
The Norris Cotton Federal Office Building, located in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA, was designed by Isaak
and Isaak Architects Professional Association with a number of recommendations from NBS (National Bureau of
Standards) and other architects. The building is located at an altitude of 104 m above sea level and is surrounded
by some two-storey building and a high building located in the south. In 1972, the General Services
Administration(GSA) assigned a contract to Nicholas Isaak hoping he could design a Federal office building. The
design phase of this building began in 1973 and construction completed in 1976. This building is a 7-story
government office building with about 11,000 ㎡ total floor area. In 1970s, people were troubled by the oil
crisis. Therefore, architects were aware that they need to develop a effective method to build a construction
without high energy consumption. One of the measurements was applying some new energy-efficiency system.
The figure 1 represents the climate data from 1977 to 1979 in Manchester, it showed that the range of temperature
in this place was large so how to preserve heat was an important point in energy system design. The Norris
Cotton Building as an experimental building played an important role in testing various energy-efficient systems.
Moreover, The data of monitoring and analysis which majorly collected in the first three year after building
accomplished would become an important reference for other similar building of 1970s. The immature
energy-efficiency system as one of the special features in this building, which was combined with mini-computer,
mechanism, solar and lighting system. Energy wastage could be decreased through operation of these system.
And the performance of this building would be evaluated through energy consumption, user acceptance and cost
analysis. |
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O’Dwyer, D. |
2018 |
The Drainage of the Fucine Lake in Antiquity and in the Nineteenth Century in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 157-70 |
The draining of lake Fucino, (the Fucine lake, or lake Fucinus, of antiquity) has
been achieved, or partially achieved, twice. First during the Roman era, when a scheme
initially considered by Julius Caesar was implemented by Claudius and later repaired by
the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, and more recently in the nineteenth century when the
lake was finally drained successfully. The lake was the largest lake in central or southern
Italy. It was elliptical in shape, 20 kilometres long and 11 kilometres wide and was completely
enclosed by mountains so that the level of the lake fluctuated whenever the rates of
precipitation and evaporation were
dissimilar. The successful nineteenth-century drainage was undertaken by Prince Alexander Torlonia
between 1854 and 1876. These works, which comprise the Torlonia tunnel and the water collection
canals used to drain the lake, are described in this paper. The English Civil Engineers William
Parker and Charles Hutton Gregory were involved in the project at an early stage but the detailed
design was carried out by M. De Montricher assisted by M. Henri
Bermont and M. Alexander Brisse. |
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Pandurangi, S. |
2018 |
Understanding Preservation and Comfort in the British Museum
Reading Room in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 171-84 |
The British Museum underwent significant changes throughout the nineteenth century. The museum had
housed two galleries dedicated to books. The King’s library on the east and the Library of the
printed books on the North. With the Public Library Act and the great acquisition in 1850,
the trustees decided for the enlargement of the building to accommodate additional books and
people.[1] This paper retracing the design development of the British Library Reading Room
with a focus on environmental technologies. The context of the paper being
nineteenth-century public libraries, the study concentrates on the design interventions
which were carried out keeping preservation and comfort in mind. This involves examining
new construction materials and methods which facilitated preservation, re-visiting the
historical ventilation and heating system, comprehend the evolution of lighting and its
implications on the people’s perception of the space. In a larger framework, the study identifies
the importance of collaboration between the Architect, the Librarian and the Engineer. |
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Smyth, F. |
2018 |
“Symphony for Full Orchestra and Asbestos”: Tuning Albert Hall during WWII in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 185-94 |
Very little has been published on the wartime acoustic intervention at Royal Albert Hall. The little reference that
exists is largely contained in books on music history, which make brief reference to the existence of the problem
and the fact of its resolution and do not engage with the process of design and intervention.[7] With the exception
“of one contemporaneous report published in the RIBA Journal,[8] no meaningful examination has been made of
the acoustic design process, its implementation, or its broader implications for subsequent work in auditorium
acoustics in Britain. This paper draws on primary source material in the form of archived documents, contemporaneous press coverage and the personal papers of the acoustician involved. It explores the wartime modification of acoustics at
Royal Albert Hall and brings to light the work methods of the acousticians involved in aligning architectural
intervention with musical intent. It presents the experimental work in the acoustics of Albert Hall as a prelude to
the philosophies of design manifested in Britain’s post-war concert halls, with particular reference to London’s
Royal Festival Hall. |
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Wang, K. |
2018 |
Case Study: The Temperate House at Kew—Controlling the climate under a glass sky in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 195-206 |
In the royal botanic garden, Kew, the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world still
exists — the Temperate House. It is one of the listed building of the world UNESCO heritage
site. In 1859 the Temperate House was begun by the Architect, Decimus Burton, who was also
involved in the Palm House designing process at Kew. After a gap of 30 years, work resumed
on the Temperate House. Eventually, after the bankruptcy of one contractor, a rectangular
building with glass-iron structures was finally finished in 1898 and opened in May 1899 as the
world’s largest plant house. At that time, along with the full completion of the building, the
Temperate House became a topic of public discussion. However, due to a lack of technology, there
remained many problems after it was put into use. This paper, taking the Temperate House
as a case study, focuses on analysing the environmental controlling of the five zones of
the building, relating to the functional requirement of each part. Moreover, this paper will
explain how the Temperate House created various climate situations by the use of direct sunlight,
ventilation and heating systems for plants from different countries. In addition, this
paper will also outline the challenges faced in the building process and analyse how
these problems affected the buildings
performance after its opening. |
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Pierattini, A. |
2018 |
The beginnings of stone construction in archaic Greece in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 207-20 |
In this paper, I explore the origins of Corinthian stone construction and reflect on
whether this was a genuinely local innovation or rather one inspired from abroad, as well as on why
it manifested itself in this area around the mid-seventh century B.C. Moreover, I will
re-examine features of the blocks that shed light on aspects of the Corinthian building
process and on the early stages of crane technology, which
represents a major Greek contribution to ancient construction. |
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Calvo, J. et al |
2018 |
The Vault over the Crossing Tower in Lincoln Cathedral in the Context of European Gothic Architecture in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 221-32 |
All this has led us to survey both the Lincoln crossing vault and a significant number of vaults of
this type in the Continent, using automated photogrammetry to measure both their plan layouts and
their spatial configurations with precision. In this paper, we shall explain in detail the results
of our Lincoln survey, also including a general, schematic view of its Continental counterparts, in
order to analyse the influence of English vaulting systems in
Europe and the mechanisms of knowledge transfer. |
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Wood, M. D. |
2018 |
King’s College Chapel Vault; Movement, Restraint and Foundation Loading in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 233-48 |
It is now known that the vault of King’s Chapel has suffered small distortions in geometry in the
five centuries since it was built. The distortions are small, in the region of ten to fifteen
centimetres in a span of ten metres. The article investigates the loading which must be supported by the ground beneath each buttress, by considering the gravitational forces acting on various parts of the structure and the reactions
required for stability. It is then shown how the vault movements may be qualitatively correlated
with the loading. George Gilbert Scott inserted transverse iron ties in the wooden roof structure in
1860. Their importance is demonstrated, showing that they limit undesirable loading on the structure. |
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Melin, K.-M. |
2018 |
Medieval counter rebated doors. A door from the Diocese of Lund compared with the English examples in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 249-62 |
This paper is about medieval counter rebated doors in general and particularly about a door in the collections of
Lund University Historical Museum. Counter rebated doors have been seen as an English phenomena but the
actual door in question is from St Olofs church in Skanör, built in the diocese of Lund in medieval Denmark. In
England there are a number of extant counter rebated doors, made in the 11th and 12th century, but the door from
Skanör is the first example to be found and described outside of England.[1] In order to understand this unique
door’s eventual connection to the English examples investigations were done both from a Scandinavian and an
English viewpoint. The features of the Skanör door were compared with the features of the English doors. The
door was investigated from a carpentry/craft research perspective where the tool marks, the material and the
manufacturing techniques were interpreted. The features and ironwork were also analysed through style
orientated, historic eyes. The church and the door´s original location were investigated in the search for clues.
These investigations led to the hypothesis that the door was most probably younger than the English examples.
The hypothesis was tested with a dendrochronological analysis of the ledges that not only dated the door but also
gave further information about the provenance of the timber and timber trade connected to the hanseatic league.
Yet one of the main questions remains unanswered, why is there a counter rebated door in Skanör 874 km and
200 years away from the closest known example in England? |
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López Piquer, M. & Lluis i Ginovart, J. |
2018 |
Trace Methods of the Romanesque Churches of Val D’aran (11th-13th Centuries) Orientations in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 263-74 |
Val d’Aran is a region of Spain located on the north slope of the central Pyrenees, the Catalan Pyrenees, and is
limited on the north by France. Val d’Aran preserves twenty-nine Romanesque churches, whose date of
construction range from from the 11th to the 13th century. The first studies and topography surveys of Val d’Aran
churches were done by the construction historians Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879), Lluís Domènech i Montaner
(1850-1923) and Josep Puig i Cadafalch (1867-1956), in their expeditions in 1833, 1905 and 1907, respectively,
but they did not take into account the orientation of these Romanesque churches.
A topological study of the data and information obtained from the mass data capture, with a Terrestrial Laser
Scanner (TLS), of the Romanesque churches of Val d’Aran has been done. Topology, from the Greek words
τόπος ‘location’, and λόγος ‘study’, is the mathematical frame that is dedicated to the ’study of the location’ and
its properties, from the geometrical point of view. Through the topological and visual analysis of these religious
buildings, several hypotheses have been raised, the one studied in this paper is whether clerics and lay people had
some knowledge of orientation and astronomy. This achieved by analysis of the methods used to align the
Romanesque buildings from the 11th to 13th centuries, and its relations between the methods and sources used,
such us: Vitruvius (c. 80-20 BC) in his treatise De architectura (c. 30-15 BC), the orientation techniques used by
the Roman gromatics or surveyors in the 1st and 2nd centuries, as for example Hyginus Gromaticus (c. 98-117),
in his De limitibus constituendi, the texts written by Gisemundus at the monastery of Santa María de Ripoll, Ars
gromatica siue geometría Gisemundi (c. 880), near the Val d’Aran and, finally, the hypothetical use of the
compass, which is mentioned in documents dating as far back as the 12th century. |
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Hallgren, M. & Gullbrandsson, R. |
2018 |
Transformation of the interior of Gökhem, a Swedish romanesque church - results of an investigation of the attic in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 275-88 |
During 2017, the authors made a damage inventory and archaeological cleaning prior to a forthcoming
restoration of the attic of Gökhem church from the 12th century.[1] This revealed
several interesting traces from the transformations of the church interior throughout the ages:
from the open romanesque nave-roof which was part of the sacred church room, to a secluded
attic behind a flat wooden ceiling that later was remodeled into limestone vaults. Covered in dirt and bird nests, several traces have never been seen before. Due to the lack of
written detailed technical references, the church itself become the reference when we interpreted
its construction. The article both adds to, and partly revises, previous knowledge. [2] |
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Markley, S. |
2018 |
Earth Mortared Masonry Construction – Its Symbolism and Functionality – An Irish and United Kingdom Perspective in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 289-300 |
Pioneering research in Ireland and Britain has identified the extensive and selected use of earth
mortar in masonry construction across social classes from the early medieval to the post medieval
periods [1]. The durability and structural stability of earth mortared masonry construction is
borne out in the survival of earth mortared masonry buildings both in standing structures and
in the archaeological settlement record. This paper looks at the prevalence and choice of
earth mortar in upstanding ecclesiastical stone buildings with a view to presenting the potential
imbued symbolic, sacred function which promoted its use. Historically, earth embodied sacred,
curative, protective and spiritual properties. The paper proposes that the use of earth mortar in
stone church construction across time periods may have provided a tangible associative
link to a founding saint. It is hoped that future researchers may add evidence substantiating this theory. |
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Prosser, L. |
2018 |
The Roofs of Inigo Jones Revisited in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 301-14 |
Dendrochronological analysis at Hampton Court Palace has dated two hitherto overlooked roofs to the
mid-1630s, placing them firmly within the tenure of Inigo Jones as Surveyor of the King’s Works. These lie above
the ante-chapel to the Chapel Royal, and the historic Tennis Court. Both roofs comprise king-post trusses, but
display remarkable differences in carpentry and jointing while also retaining residual vernacular techniques of
construction. These discoveries have prompted a re-evaluation of Jones’s other surviving roofs at the Queen’s
House Greenwich and the Queen’s Chapel at St James’s Palace. Previous study was forced to rely largely on the
interpretation of antiquarian drawings and extrapolation, but the new discoveries provide us with a greater
sample and allows close examination of Jones’s carpentry. This paper will present and describe these roofs in
detail for the first time, comparing differences and similarities. It will show that, as previously suggested, Jones
may have used specific printed prototypes, but that later, a degree of experimentation was employed to perfect
and refine his trussed roof form. |
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Chalvatzi, A. M. |
2018 |
Theatre Construction in Eighteenth-Century France: The Opera of the Palais-Royal in Paris and its Impact on Theatre Construction in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 315-26 |
This research attempts to reconstruct the context, in which the Theatre of the Palais-Royal was
built. On the one hand it is positioned rather late in the career of the architect Victor Louis
(1731-1800), who had already designed and constructed a major theatre in Bordeaux. The direct
comparison of the two theatre projects, these examples in Bordeaux and in Paris, reveal both the
intention of the architect and the evolution in construction techniques. This article focuses on the example of the Opera in the Palais-Royal in Paris and on the work of the architect Victor Louis on theatre construction. The example in Paris is representative of the evolution of theatre structures in France and is a reflection of the factors that influenced and
determined to some extent theatre design in the nineteenth century. |
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Samuel, M. |
2018 |
The Dry Dock at Ramsgate: Smeaton or Rennie? A developmental history in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 327-44 |
The developmental history of the Dry Dock at Ramsgate has never been examined although the published reports
of the famous Civil Engineer John Smeaton[1] and the unpublished notebooks of John Rennie still exist.[2] The
Dry Dock represents one of Smeaton’s last works in a long career; his most famous task, the Eddystone
Lighthouse. No attempt has previously been made to relate the surviving designs to what exists today. An
important paper on the “No. 3 Dry Dock” at Chatham made no mention of Rennie’s near-contemporary
commitments at Ramsgate.[3] This paper therefore amalgamates archaeological technique and source criticism
to clarify how Rennie used his experience at Ramsgate as a technological forcing ground.
The paper is developed from a report originally commissioned by Thanet District Council in 2014. This was
intended to provide background information for an application for EU Community funding. The Yacht Valley
Project was an act of international cooperation between the coastal regions of France (Nord-Pas de Calais),
England (SW, SE, and E), Belgium (Flanders) and the Netherlands. It was partially funded by the EU-based
INTERREG IV A2 programme for seas. The funding was to allow the histories of individual North Sea harbours
to be researched; the aim - to improve these old harbours as amenities for tourism and leisure use. |
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How, C. |
2018 |
The First Wire-Nail machines & their origins in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 345-56 |
This paper examines the manual processes that led to the first patents for wire nail-making machines. It
introduces a recent discovery, backed by provenance and analysis, dating the first proper wire nail machine to
1816, some 30 years earlier than previously accepted. It shows how the assemblages, hence much of the
technology that we enjoy today, are pre-eminently French, and dispels some of the myths that have accumulated
in the accepted literature concerning wire nails.
The paper is based on research into the original patent dossiers from 1808 to 1825 held in Paris. As part of this
analysis, errors relating to the so-called wire nail-making machine of James White of 1810 are identified. The
paper shows how early reporting had distorted the inventor’s own claims |
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Lampariello, B. |
2018 |
Cells and Epines-Contreforts for a New Kind of Vaulted Roofing: The Church of Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre in Paris in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 357-68 |
In the second half of the nineteenth century cisterns and tanks began to be
constructed in the form of shells covered by depressed vaults, using a mixed system of metal
and concrete to ensure a fire-resistant and waterproof structure that was quick and cheap to build.
This led at the end of the century to a spread in the use of slender vaulted roofing made out of
concrete reinforced in various ways for industrial buildings, public buildings and
monuments. Many structures were built, patents applied for, studies and research carried out,
sometimes with the aid of tests of tensile strength, with the aim of clarifying theoretical
aspects, the composition of the material, the configuration of the structures and the modes of their construction.It was in this context that the French engineer Paul Cottancin (1865-1928) proposed a system of
construction with metal, concrete and bricks, known as ciment armé from the late 1880s, when
the first small-scale works were realized and a patent filed for the configuration of the
metal reinforcements,[1] until the beginning of the twentieth century with the construction
of the roofing of important buildings and the invention of a method that
aimed to reduce the amount of centring. The most important applications of ciment armé in the construction of vaulted roofing were developed at the end of the century together with the architect Anatole de Baudot
(1834-1915). Cottancin contacted him at the beginning of the 1890s and they worked together on
several buildings, the most outstanding of which was the church of Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre in Paris. |
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Stoyanova, I. |
2018 |
Scaffolds for the iron-and-glass roof of Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II: challenges, design and evolution in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 369-78 |
Although the Gallery has been the object of extensive studies, less attention has been paid to the
scaffolds for the construction, and especially to those for the maintenance of the roofs. What
scaffolds were used to lift and install the heavy prefabricated pieces of the iron vaults and dome?
Who designed them and what challenges needed to be addressed? What were the scaffolds for
the maintenance campaigns like? Did their design resemble the scaffolds that were
employed for the installation of the roofs? The answers to these questions will add
to an understanding of the construction history of the Gallery and of scaffolds more
generally. This understanding
could also be relevant for the future design of scaffolds for the roofs. |
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Thorne, R. |
2018 |
The Rise and Fall of Fox Henderson 1840-1856 in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 379-400 |
Gone are the days when it was acceptable to refer to the Crystal Palace as being solely the work of
Sir Joseph Paxton. The erection of the exhibition building in Hyde Park and its subsequent removal
to Sydenham in south London made the names Fox Henderson household names. Although those
names later faded from people’s minds they have been resurrected in most recent accounts of the
Crystal Palace. The Paxton side of the story is beguiling and will always merit retelling, but
his reliance on Fox Henderson as engineering contractors is integral
to that story; indeed without it the story is half told and unconvincing. |
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Gil-Crespo, I.-J. |
2018 |
Military reports about the walls and fortification projects in Havana, 19th century in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 401-12 |
The bay of Havana in Cuba was one of the most important harbours in America during the Spanish
Empire. Its defence was always under review and progressively increased. The access tothe
bay was defended by several forts: San Sebastián de la Punta, la Real Fuerza, El Morro and,
after the English attack in the 18th century, San Carlos de la Cabaña. However, the west side of
the city towards the interior was a weak point. For this reason, from the 16th century, governors
and engineers designed a strong wall from the open sea to the bay, enclosing the city.
Nevertheless, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the population increased, and
many people lived outside the walls, so that governors were afraid of a raid. So, in 1815 a
debate about its utility as defence began. Between 1817 and 1861, several defence systems were
designed to replace the wall with forts and entrenched fields. Each fortification design
developed new defence theories. In the middle of the 19th century warfare was highly improved and
fortified systems had to be adapted. The designs of 1817, 1855 and 1861 show perfectly the
evolution of warfare and fortification in this epoch. The final result was in 1863 the walls were
demolished and
forts were not built. |
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Baudry, A. |
2018 |
From the drawing to the wall: the operational chain of building stone on the restoration worksite of St. Martin’s church in Liège during the nineteenth century in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 413-26 |
The present article focusses on the use of building stone during the first interventions
carried out on the site, which involved the reconstruction of much of the masonry and
buttresses of the choir loft and transept. The observations made here concern the years
1839-1845, the period for which the documentation is by far the most varied and abundant:
debates and surveys by architects, building specifications, contracts, general accounting,
yardage, receipts, invoices, orders etc., although some details are sadly lacking – including the
architects’ plans. The material remains of this period also allow archaeological
observations in situ. This wealth of documents makes it possible to recreate, with a high
level of certainty, the operational chain of the materials used during the first years of one the most prestigious and earliest building works carried out in the city of Liege and on a broader scale, the Kingdom of Belgium |
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Degraeve, M. et al |
2018 |
Spatial analysis of timber construction SMEs in Brussels (1880-1980) in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 427-42 |
Although much historical research has been done on timber constructions in Brussels, both from pre-industrial
and modern times,[4] the many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that were involved in realising these
constructions remain largely unexplored. In researching actors in the building process, the focus of attention
within construction history has namely often been directed towards the few large and prominent enterprises.
Nonetheless, the high labour intensity and the high degree of specialisation in the construction process generally
obstructed economies of scale, which compelled most construction enterprises to organise their production on a
small scale.[5] There is a high need for profound knowledge on this multitude of small contractors, craftsmen and
material suppliers that have persistently formed the backbone of the (timber) construction industry.[6] This study’s objective is to obtain new insights into the evolution of the organisational
flexibility and activities of these small actors in the timber construction industry. This can
benefit not only business historical insights within construction history, but also historical
research into timber constructions.[9] The paper focuses on the spatial management of the
timber-SMEs in Brussels by analysing their economic-geographical logics (the location where they
settled) as well as their architectural logics (the building types they used). In this way, we can
assess how they were able or unable to spatially maintain their business activities in the urban
fabric, precisely during the period when their embeddedness was challenged by comprehensive
urban developments (such as functional zoning policies and rising real estate prices) that
eventually drove many of them out of the city after the Second World War. The scope of the research
starts well before these developments initiated (1880) and ends when their
consequences had become clear (1980). |
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Mulvey, M/ |
2018 |
‘Once Hard Men Were Heroes’: Masculinity, Cultural Heroism and Performative Irishness in the Post-war British Construction Industry in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 443-50 |
Recruiting Irish labour to resource British engineering and construction projects was by no means a post-war
phenomenon, particularly as the Act of Union of 1800 made Ireland part of the United Kingdom. Irish navvies
were present in big numbers throughout the nineteenth-century industrial landscape and helped construct the
canal and railway networks and most of the great infrastructure tunnel, bridge and dock projects of the Victorian
era. Contrary to popular cultural perception, however, they were not dominant in terms of numbers and were
equally matched - if not often outnumbered - by indigenous English navvies together with plentiful numbers of
Scots and Europeans. In the interwar period, despite the cultural and political tensions created by the Irish War
of Independence of 1919-21 which gave rise to the Irish Free State, Irish labour was again called upon in large
numbers to resource major UK infrastructural and hydro-electric projects in England and Scotland [2] and such
significant London projects as the original Wembley Stadium and the Craven ‘A’ Factory in Mornington Crescent.
Notably many of these jobs were undertaken by leading British contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, which
-certainly up to the mid-twentieth century – was the prime recruiter and employer of Irish labour to the British
construction industry. |
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Rinke, M. & Haddadi, R. |
2018 |
The riding arena in St. Moritz and the locomotive depot in Bern – a comparative study of early glulam construction in
Switzerland in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 451-62 |
Glulam construction technology arrived in Switzerland only a few years after Hetzer’s technological
invention of robust, industrially fabricated, glued laminated timber elements, in Germany
in 1906. The Swiss engineers Bernhard Terner (1875-1960) and Charles Chopard (1879-1954)
acquired the patent and the exclusive right in Switzerland in 1909. During the following 24
years, they developed many extraordinary glulam timber structures, which have been acknowledged
internationally and belong to the most distinguished architectural examples in timber
construction of that time. Among those are many halls for cultural and sports activities, but
particularly for
industrial and infrastructural purposes.[1] Outstanding examples of such different applications of this “new material” are the
riding arena in St. Moritz
(1910) and the locomotive depot in Bern (1912), both still existing almost unaltered. |
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Draper, K. L. & Campbell, J. W. P. |
2018 |
Armstrong Huts in the Great War (1914-1918) in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 463-74 |
Despite the large number of books and research into nearly every facet of the First World War, there is a distinct
lack of literature on the design and construction of temporary military buildings that were shipped and used
during this period. The Crimean War in the nineteenth century had seen a shift from tented accommodation to the
introductory use of huts (temporary buildings) on campaign during wartime. The twentieth century saw
increasing experimentation in design leading to a huge expansion of types.[1] Not surprisingly wartimes proved
to be particularly intense periods of development and production as the escalating demands of war created huge
pressure to solve problems and provide the armed forces with whatever was necessary to win. With the outbreak
of the First World War, the need to provide better accommodation for troops, especially in winter, was a driving
force in new designs. Initially, this requirement of accommodation was only a consideration for the Home Front
in Britain during the build up of forces. With the assumption that the war would be short-lived, there was an
expectation that troops in France would live in tents, billets, empty buildings, open fields or in trenches. As it
became clear that victory would not be secured so quickly, it was recognised that better accommodation in France
needed to be provided. This would require huts that could not only be easily and quickly constructed, as in Britain,
but also have an element of portability, packaged compactly, allowing them to be easily shipped across the
English Channel and transported to selected sites, and to be moved again if or when the front moved. |
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Ng, M. S. & Campbell, J. W.P. |
2018 |
The Unpublished Carpentry Archives of Cecil Hewett (1926-1998): A survey of his letters and drawings in the Essex Record Office in Chelmsford in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 475-86 |
Hewettt’s work is controversial because it is frequently inaccurate. While Deneux was an
architect and took painstaking measurements of all the buildings he surveyed, Hewett’s drawings were often done entirely by eye (albeit an extremely good eye). As long as this is known by the reader then the
limitations of the drawing can be clearly understood, but Hewett never discussed his methods
and this led to subsequent completely justified questions about their reliability and usefulness, still much debated today. His works are still often the only easily accessible published records of particular historic roof structures, but they are not dimensionally accurate and historians need to treat them with caution. They have misled those that are unaware of his methods, but they can still be immensely useful. Hewett published only a fraction of his output and on his death in 1988 the remainder was deposited at Essex Country Record Office. It is these records, which have never been examined, that form the subject of this paper. |
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Ladinski, V. B. |
2018 |
Immediate Housing Construction following the 1963 Skopje Earthquake in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 487-98 |
On Friday 26th July 1963 a magnitude 6[1] and intensity IX MCS[2] earthquake devastated Skopje, the
capital of the Republic of Macedonia (than constituent republic of the former Socialist Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia), killing 1,070 and injuring 3,300 people[3]. This paper examines the post-earthquake housing reconstruction efforts covering the period between 1963 and 1964 through analysis of the housing development activities related to the construction of the 18 new intermediate housing estates. Building on the review of the
literature available on the subject and research, this study contributes to the growing interest in pre-transition architecture and housing construction in the territories of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as to the area of post disaster intermediate housing provision. |
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Audefroy, J. F. |
2018 |
History of Early Twentieth Century Anglo-Caribbean Wooden Houses in Chetumal City, Quintana Roo, Mexico in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 499-510 |
Chetumal’s architectural heritage is a historical legacy that unfolded throughout the twentieth century, as of the
city’s foundation as Payo Obispo in 1898. What makes Chetumal particularly interesting is its unique
Anglo-Caribbean-style wooden architecture that does not appear in any other coastal town on the Peninsula of
Yucatán. |
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Lucente, R. & Greco, L. |
2018 |
The Montreal Stock Exchange Tower by Luigi Moretti and Pier Luigi Nervi (1961-1965) in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 511-24 |
The Stock Exchange Tower complex was the result of the investment program promoted and managed by the St.
James Place Victoria Real Estate Co. Inc. which was established in 1960 and consisted of a group of investors
such as the Mercantile Bank of Canada and Società Generale Immobiliare of Rome (SGI), as well as other Italian
investors. Luigi Moretti (1906-73) and Pier Luigi Nervi (1891-1979) received a commission to design the Stock
Exchange Tower complex from the SGI of Rome in March 1961. The partnership continued until 1965, when the
construction of the single tower was completed. A Canadian project management group flanked the two Italian
master builders. The architectural office Greenspoon, Freedlander & Dunne, and the engineers D’Alemagne &
Barbacki belonged to this group. The first project hypothesis, developed by Moretti and Nervi between February
and July 1961, concerned the construction of a complex consisting of three towers with 51 floors connected by a
low building. The initial plan was revised in favour of a solution with two towers and a common platform, but
only one was built. After an intensive two-year design process, the building site opened on 14 June 1963. The
structures were completed on 27 July 1964 and the tower was inaugurated in the spring of 1965. With a height of
190 meters it was, at that time, the highest skyscraper with a reinforced concrete structure in the world.
This paper, considers the studies developed overall by Italian scholars involved in Moretti’s work, investigates
the genesis of the Stock Exchange Tower, with reference to the combination of Moretti’s morphological research
and Nervi’s construction system and optimization process. According to the authors’ hypothesis, the tower
contributed to the links between architectural design and structural engineering in the Italian scenario abroad. In
fact, the authors consider the relationship between the architectural space and the structural system as a key topic
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Cardellicchio, L. |
2018 |
The Italian engineering contribution in the technical development of the new Hertziana Library by Juan Navarro Baldeweg in Campbell, J. et al, Studies in the History of Services and Construction, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 525-34 |
This paper aims to retrospectively discuss the contribution of the structural engineers
in delivering this challenging conservation project in central Rome, analysing how the new
structural systems was developed, and how it was built. The ultimate aim is to disseminate an
untold story, which can unlock the potential impact of this case study for similar constructions.
This case study is generally unknown. The author of this paper delivers the major research contributions on the subject. |
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Gelder, J. |
2019 |
Ptechai and Oropos: Two ancient Greek drainage contracts compared in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 3-18 |
Two contracts from ancient Greece, for outdoor drainage, have been translated and their structures
and content compared (Table 7). The first (Ptechai) was for the drainage of a marshy lake on the
island of Euboea, and the
second (Oropos) was for the construction of a drainage channel on the mainland. Though they both dealt with works of a similar nature, the two contracts show the
range of contracting practiced in ancient Greece – large-scale (Ptechai) and small-scale
(Oropos), unconventional and conventional,
and sophisticated and simple. In particular, the Ptechai contract anticipated, by over 2000 years,
several recent contracting ‘innovations’ such as design-build, negotiation, the contractor as developer,
and public-private partnership. These novelties may explain the unusual allocation and sequencing
of its content, which contrasts
with those of the more traditional Oropos contract. |
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Colajanni, S. |
2019 |
The effect of Water on passive cooling systems in the Arab-Norman architecture of the Zisa Palace in Palermo in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 19-31 |
Many historical buildings from the Mediterranean and Middle East include features designed to control
humidity and temperature through water passive systems. The architecture of Mediterranean Basin area is
particularly rich of these examples, as the weather requires a mitigation of its effects to improve the indoor
living conditions [1]. Many historic monuments use systems and techniques for passive cooling, such as a
room [2] equipped with a water basin or a fountain, often located in the central position of the house, and
therefore with an important symbolic meaning for social life. The Zisa Palace in Palermo features an
outstanding surviving example of this kind of water system. The building is locally referred to as Castello della
Zisa. It was built in 1160 by Arabian craftsmen. It incorporates includes a system of evaporative cooling and
natural ventilation that continues to guarantee satisfactory comfort today. The building is formed around a
square room which is the core of the structure, located at Ground Level. It is named "Sala della Fontana" and
constitutes the main hall within the building with its stone Salsabil (that is open stone channels presenting
rivers connecting open basins of water). With its considerable headroom, the rich wall decorations and the
presence of water, this room, is a distinctive feature of the Islamic legacy. The research presented here aims to
show the relationship between water supply and Castello della Zisa in Palermo. The design methods used by
Arabian craftsmen in the development of hydraulic systems are explained and the techniques used by ancient
Arabian designers to control water systems inside historical buildings are described. Through the use of an
advanced Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model [3], the presented research intends to verify the theories
argued by some historians with reference to the working of the natural water passive cooling systems
employed in the Zisa Complex. Although those pre |
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Mair, R. & Weber, C. |
2019 |
Lechmeister and Brunnenmeister – the men behind the historical water management in Augsburg, Germany in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 32-44 |
The fact that Augsburg’s historic water management is the subject of an application for the UNESCO World
Heritage Site shows the importance it had for the rise of the free imperial city to a pre-industrial economic
metropolis. The Lechmeister and Brunnenmeister were responsible for the technical implementation and
maintenance of the hydraulic structures. Their work can be documented by entries in account books dating
back to the 14th century. In the 18th century the municipal reports, protocols and contracts were supplemented
by the numerous writings of the Brunnenmeister Caspar Walter, which draw a vivid portrait of the work of the
water engineers. A unique testimony to this period is a collection of models, mainly from the 17th and 18th
centuries, which is directly related to the historical hydraulic engineering and its protagonists |
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Boyington, A. & Campbell, J.W.P. |
2019 |
The Influence of the de Caus brothers on Hydraulic Engineering
and Fountain Design in Seventeenth-Century England in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 45-60 |
This paper looks at the work of the De Caus brothers: Salamon de Caus (1576-1626) and his younger
brother Issac (1590-1648). Their work is now almost entirely lost but their ingenuity is recorded
in their publications which brought them fame at the time and needs to be seen in the
wider context of contemporary hydraulic treatises and garden design. They provide a
powerful reminder of the intricacy and sophistication of seventeenth century animated
fountains which were once widespread in Europe but which are now almost
entirely lost. |
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Heaton, M. |
2019 |
Watermeadows: the Largest Works of Civil Engineering in the Pre-Modern World? in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 61-74 |
This paper attempts an archaeological analysis of one British manifestation of the technology – the
‘Bedwork Watermeadow’ – as works of historical civil engineering. Using the southern
English examples and the published work of, amongst others, Cook, Bettey and Stearne,
it explains what a watermeadow is, how it works, how and when they were constructed
and operated and concludes with a brief assessment of their
contemporary potential for mitigating pollution and climate change. |
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Holzer, S.M. |
2019 |
The Ludwig-Donau-Main canal in Bavaria (1836–47) in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 75-86 |
Today, the Ludwig-Donau-Main canal in Bavaria (1836–47) is an outstanding technical monument because it has survived unchanged in large portions due to its lack of commercial success, even though truncated and mutilated by 20th century infrastructure such as a motorway and, above all, the new Rhine-Danube canal opened in 1992, itself an equally controversial project. |
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McGuinness, J. |
2019 |
Some drainage and sanitary provisions for 19th/early 20th century British housing in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors
and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 87-102 |
Today, when most houses have an adequate supply of water, modern sanitary appliances and access to either
main drains or to a suitable sewerage processing device, it is difficult to imagine the problems of disposing of
waste without them. Even where there was access to public drains this frequently only made things worse by
passing the problem into streams and rivers which became polluted with the consequent risks to health.
Nevertheless, even in the post WW2 era proper provisions for the disposal of waste were not universally
available in England and Wales.
This paper seeks to identify some of the solutions relied upon in the absence of either an adequate water supply
or access to main drains. It will also show that even where domestic waste could and should have been
disposed of in a sanitary manner, this was often not the case. |
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Santos, A., Seoane, H. & Martinez-Gonzalez, C. |
2019 |
Nineteenth-century Water books and their use in understanding
the irrigation systems of villages in Galicia in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 103-16 |
Water management is implicit in the design of the infrastructure and through
understanding the fruit of an evolution over many centuries since its beginning in the
Middle Ages, the water books open up a very interesting avenue of research given that
starting from an understanding of the sharing of water it is possible to
identify the original plots of land which were successively divided over time. The water books not only have value as historical documents, they also provide a code which offers
a set of instructions for enabling a territory to be made habitable. The water books set out how to
live in a way that generates life; they witness the profound links that exist between the land and
the life of a community which is
reflected physically in that land´s geomorphology. |
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Chen, Y. |
2019 |
Trading Ports in the Modern East Asia in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 117-30 |
This paper aims to clarify the harbour construction process and the establishment of trading ports
in Modern East Asia. It focuses on the ports of Amoy in China, Hong Kong, Yokohama in Japan and
Takau in Taiwan from the 1840s to the early twentieth century. These four ports in
different locations were under the jurisdiction of different governments operating in
different political systems, each demonstrating different methods of harbour construction
with the water systems designed by harbour engineers from all around the
world. |
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Rostvik, H. N. |
2019 |
Water supply - the Wittgenstein way in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 131-42 |
A previous presentation described the building procedures and challenges faced in the
new 2019 building
project [1]. This particular paper described how Wittgenstein found the site and why he established
it as a base. It also explored the processes in which the original materials were
transferred to the original location, focussing also on the roles of volunteers and students
from TU Berlin, Manchester and Cambridge universities
- all universities where Wittgenstein studied. This paper focuses specifically on the water supply
system which relied on a multifunctional cableway, and debates on how Wittgenstein’s cableway might
have preserved the water quality. This cableway was also used to deliver materials and food up the
steep hill. The findings of this paper are based on fieldwork findings and research from secondary
sources, now described here in its entirety
for the first time.
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Campisi, T. & Saeli, M. |
2019 |
Public wash-houses in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Architectural solutions for social hygiene in Italy and Portugal in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 143-54 |
This paper analyses the relationship between water, human health, and construction with a focus on
the public wash-houses that, despite their architectural simplicity, played an extremely important
role especially in the working-class neighbourhood and suburban areas. Indeed, such buildings were
subjected to simple but effective constructive and architectural principles. Among those, simplicity,
cleanliness, aeration, low cost, and, most of all, free use to all the people. At the same time, washhouses
were also designed in order to assure a sort of urban decor without denying, as shown by
many successful examples, their refined appearance. This study investigates the constructive and
architectural features of such a unique typology, especially in view to the novel health requirements
that spread in Europe between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. European and Italian cases
will be introduced, intended as precursors of the Portuguese experience. In Portugal the wash-house
was commonly used till the 1980s, due to a diffuse and general poverty of the State and people.
Even today, across the country, old people still prefer using public wash-houses rather than the
modern washing machines, as will be discussed. Building design, structure, “modern” washing
techniques, construction materials and finishes (e.g. washable paving, majolica wall or waterproof
plasters), will also be discussed. |
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Sánchez, P. et al |
2019 |
Sterilization and Filter House in Coruña, Spain (1900-1925): an
example of early drinking water treatment buildings in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 155-72 |
The first industrial hydraulic installations in Europe were implemented around 1900,
when the change from steam engines to electric motors and submersible pumps took place. However,
although more than a hundred years have passed, there are few studies that analyse the
building typology of water treatment plants from a historical-architectural standpoint. The
aim of the following study is to analyse the typologies of drinking water treatment
plants, by taking a specific and still functioning case in A Coruña. The research method has been
to study its regional and time-frame contexts, and to identify its values so that
this typology be
acknowledged as part of Spain’s Industrial Hydraulic Heritage. |
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Albrecht, L. |
2019 |
The Foundations of the Basilica of Maxentius in Rome: A Study of Late Antique Building Practices in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 173-88 |
Although building foundations are a fundamental construction element, our knowledge of ancient
foundation systems is limited, since they are usually covered in accordance with their
intended purpose. This article broadens the understanding of the foundations of a specific
building, the Basilica of Maxentius, in Rome. The basilica can be considered an exceptional
building in some respects: It was not only one of the largest monuments in Rome but
also the only large-scale building since Emperor Hadrian’s time to be newly
constructed in the northern vicinity of Palatine Hill, directly in the heart of the city. [1] |
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Amici, C. M. |
2019 |
Vaulting Ribs in Roman Architecture: Invention, Use and Evolution in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 189-201 |
From a technical point of view, the formulation of ribs as external structures with respect to the
intrados of the vault, documented from the end of the second century AD, has significant
impact on the methods and processes of
construction. Different types of centering were needed, of which only those relating to
the ribs were truly challenging. The vault systems were of reduced thickness, made of concrete or stone blocks, not
necessarily of high quality, the reciprocal connections of which, in the case of compound systems,
were facilitated and regularised by the presence of protruding ribs. These made it possible to
lighten the load-bearing walls, applying a complex system
of carefully calculated external buttresses, which paved the way for the construction of flying
buttresses. |
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Gelder, J. |
2019 |
Ancient doors: Written documentation from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 202-12 |
Gateways and doorways to cities, temples, palaces and houses were important in the ancient world, for
example as thresholds from the profane to the divine. [1] Perhaps the best-known example of such an entrance
is the 12 m high Great Gate of Ishtar, one of the eight entrances to Babylon, built by Nebuchadrezzar II in 575
BCE and relocated in the 1920s in part (the rest is in storage) to Berlin’s Pergamonmuseum. [2] Made of brick,
it was finished in polychromic glazed bricks, featuring depictions of lions, dragons and bulls. This gateway
marked the start of Babylon’s Processional Way, which contributed to its importance. The associated
limestone inscription reads:
I placed wild bulls and ferocious dragons in the gateways and thus adorned them with luxurious
splendour so that people might gaze on them in wonder. [3]
But it says nothing about the construction or dimensions of the gateway and indeed, such information is rare in
the written sources. This paper collects extracts from a number of technical written documents that do discuss,
often only briefly, the construction and dimensions of doorways and doors in the ancient world of
Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome and Greco-Roman Egypt. They are given in chronological order, from ca.
1953 BCE to 98 CE. |
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How, C. |
2019 |
Historic ‘Magic’ Nails: Their typologies and their ritual uses in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 213-26 |
This article deals with the form, typology and identification of nails used for ritual purposes. To understand the
curious applications to which ritual nails were put, it is helpful to know something of the quasi-religious
beliefs of the ancient world. There is a surprising amount of information written about these, emanating from
the Roman patriarchs and their Greek predecessors. Roman writings have also left observations of the beliefs
and practices involving nails that were adopted by the Celts. Such references are minimalised here to
concentrate on the nail forms, but some explanation of the background of rituals is needed to lend plausibility
to the strange features exhibited by certain nails. |
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Lapins, A. |
2019 |
Door and Gate Related Artefacts in Cesis Castle, Latvia in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 227-39 |
During the archaeological excavations of 1974 – 2006 in Cesis castle a relatively large number of
items related to the closure of openings such as doors and gates has been uncovered. Meanwhile new
considerations have been derived during the architectural investigation, performed during the
latest decade of the still upstanding parts of the castle. Although archaeological research has
lasted for more than 30 years and its scale has made Cesis castle one of the best excavated
mediaeval castles in Latvia, detailed analysis of the artefacts found during the works
has only begun relatively recently. The present study assesses the items both from the
perspective of their function and their manufacturing technology, and also dealing with
the issues of terminology between Latvian and English. Through theoretical reconstruction
drawings the usage of the principle hardware items has been explained. The results of
the preliminary research have already been presented in the Archaeological Conference in
Cesis in 2013 and published in 2017 in the conference proceedings [1]. Since then new
parallels and international connections are being researched. The research’s benefits are an
in-depth analysis of the castle’s hardware, and it also provides a scientific base for the on-going
conservation and reconstruction works of the castle. The opening hardware can be grouped according
to their function - the ones on which a door or gate leaf opens, plus hardware used for locking,
and finally fittings for
joining of separate wooden elements. Additionally we look at hinge pintles, hinges, and deadbolts. |
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Lluis i Ginovart, J. & López Piquer, M. |
2019 |
Medieval geometry of gothic cathedrals in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 240-53 |
The Arxiu Capitular (Chapter Archive) of the Cathedral of Tortosa (hereinafter ACTo)
contains a large collection of codices and manuscripts. This paper does not intend to
offer an exhaustive analysis of those sources but aims to present the mathematical and
geometrical knowledge applied in the construction of the cathedral that appears in them.
The cathedral is a synthesis of the knowledge of both the clergy and the
builders. |
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Pan, Y. & Campbell, J. W.P. |
2019 |
12th-Century Chinese Soft Doors and English Medieval Tracery Doors: Useful Reminder of the Dangers of Visual Comparison in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 254-70 |
Based on a survey of existing Chinese studies on ancient timber doors, this paper
gives a brief overview of timber doors in 12th-Century China. It focuses on the ‘soft doors’- a
particular type of timber doors written in Yingzao Fashi, making the comparison with their
Medieval counterparts, the cover-fillet tracery doors in England. This paper seeks to
compare the similarities and differences between their purposes, forms,
dimensions, and construction. |
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Wendland, D. |
2019 |
Construction of the Vault in St.-Catherine’s Chapel in Strasbourg Minster (1547) in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 271-84 |
An opportunity to better understand the precise use and function of scale drawings
within the process of designing and planning of complex stone structures, is provided by a case
study on the vault in Ste-Catherine’s chapel in Strasbourg Cathedral, where an original drawing of
the plan [3] can be compared with the existing
structure as it was actually built – a vault with looping ribs completed in 1546. |
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Yeomans, D. & Harrison, H. |
2019 |
The Construction of Medieval and Tudor Doors and Gates in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 285-98 |
This has, of necessity been a partial and incomplete account of doors and gates within this period. It has been
so because of limitations on space and also because of the lack of data. Jane Geddes illustrated a number of
doors in her study of English ironwork but that was about decorative ironwork and she was not concerned with
the carpentry. [9] Hewett’s drawings vary in the extent to which they show the details of the carpentry and he
was not concerned with structural behaviour. Here we have considered a limited range of types and have said
nothing about the use of metal fasteners either for joining timbers or for attaching hinge straps. This can only
be considered an introduction hopefully introducing structural considerations to provide some framework
within which to place the various types of doors and gates. |
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Guardigli, Luca |
2019 |
Long span timber construction in Northern Italy from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 299-312 |
The paper discusses some controversial issues related to the practice of timber roof construction
in Northern Italy from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. New considerations are made on the
basis of recent studies on long span trusses, conducted by our research team at the
University of Bologna [1]. In the history of building construction long span timber
trusses, those of more than 12 metres in length, always represented challenging
experiences for architects and builders trying to cover naves, theatres and great halls in the most
efficient and durable way. Since the Middle Ages they were developed in different shapes
not only to carry
vertical loads, but also to avoid horizontal thrust on lateral walls. |
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le Dantec, T. et al |
2019 |
Plaster Nails: an Unexplored Aspect of Construction History in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 313-29 |
The integration of reinforcements (bones, wooden rods, etc.) in wall plasters goes back to ancient
times. The specific use of nails in plasters and stucco in north-western Europe would appear to be
more recent and would have come from Italy. Indeed, during the Renaissance, thanks to the
study of antique monuments, the techniques for applying plasters and stucco evolved and would
involve the use of these new reinforcements.
In France, it was not until the sixteenth century that they were used, probably thanks to the
arrival of Italian stucco masters invited by King Francis I [28] and later by other
aristocrats, such as Albert de Gondi at the Château de Noisy. In Belgium, this method was
observed from the last quarter of the seventeenth century, also concomitant with the arrival of
Italian stucco workers; but the privileged links with Italy already in the sixteenth
century give hope for further discoveries. However, this technique was very successful
in the eighteenth century, until the end of the industrial period and the appearance of new
processes using less or no lime or gypsum. It would seem that this type of reinforcement has not
been observed in Britain, probably due to its particular climate, or that it would have been less
influenced by Italy.
Thanks to the samples studied — apart from the specific decorated nails of the Noisy Grotto — we
have found nails of variable dimensions (depending on the thickness of the plasters or
decorations) but whose head and manufacturing process would have been similar. We also observed
the use of crampons, bars, etc., which offer a wide range of wrought iron reinforcement.
These artefacts should be studied in depth, particularly by characterizing their
composition.
The diffusion of this technique reflects the political, artistic, economic and technical influences
and exchanges
that were parti |
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Stampfer, L. |
2019 |
From Plant to Turf: Determining qualities at the intersection between pedology, botany and building construction in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 330-39 |
Comparison of information obtained through a questionnaire with data from scientific research provides some insights into the characteristics and availability of construction turf in Iceland. |
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Kosykh, A. |
2019 |
A Feat of Russian Engineering from the 1740s, the Iron Roof of theChurch of St. Sergius in Sergiev Posad in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Door and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 340-59 |
The wrought iron roof covering the Refectory Church of St. Sergius is a unique example of early
load-bearing iron structures. Erected in the important religious centre of the Holy Trinity St.
Sergius Lavra during the “golden age” of Russian metallurgy, the roof was assembled by
pioneering Moscow architects and blacksmiths. These masters
combined their knowledge and propensity for experimentation to realize this engineering
masterpiece. |
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Piccoli, E. et al |
2019 |
Building on water and the Modern State. Eighteenth century foundation techniques in the fortifications of Alessandria in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 358-76 |
When the city of Alessandria was chosen, around 1725, to become one of the main fortresses in the Kingdom of Sardinia (Fig.1), complex problems had to be faced for the construction of a new citadel on weak and flood prone soils flanking the Tanaro, a river subject to extreme seasonal variations. A pile foundation system was recognised as unavoidable, and since the very first constructional operations, a process began aimed at improving the ancient
techniques in order to standardize procedures and to control costs. This paper aims to make use of the archival documentation deposited at the State Archives of Turin, as well as of the observation of the buildings in their present state, in order to examine an episode of this long-lasting construction process: a mid-century moment of crisis
that led to a close scrutiny of procedures and to a debate on their ‘improvement’, as well as on the competence and authority of those held responsible for the construction’s successes and failures. |
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Baudry, A. |
2019 |
The stonecutters’ workshop on the restoration worksite of the Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross in Liège (1845-1859) in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 377-91 |
The archives of the Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross in Liège constitute an exceptional source for
understanding in detail the functioning and the human, logistical, material, technical and economic aspects of a
big restoration project in Belgium in the 19th century. The approach taken here is merely a first approach and
will, it is hoped, become more systematized during the coming years to include other trades and materials, by
creating a dialogue with the material remains, for the benefit of a building-archaeology campaign made
possible by the imminent complete restoration of the monument |
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Bekers, W. & Fivez, R. |
2019 |
The visual, the accidental and the actual in the historiography of the fort of Shinkakasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, 1891-1909 in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 392-406 |
The reading of Shinkakasa’s construction photographs reveals a far more complex and
layered social microcosm that goes into the simplistic black-and-white hierarchy that is generally
accepted in the context of the colonial building site. The juxtaposition of the photographs
to Moulaert’s description of the fort’s construction and other archival fragments
supports an alternative narrative, from which the one-directional knowledge transfer from
white military personnel to the unskilled native labourer can start to be questioned at
least. |
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Komiyama, Y. |
2019 |
Materiality of the Crystal Palace – Timber in relation to Iron and Glass in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 407-20 |
Contemporary drawings of the Crystal Palace were identified, and detailed investigation discovered where
exactly timber was used and why it was used. It can be concluded that timber was used as a (less expensive)
substitute for iron and glass, it was more reliable than other materials (for Paxton), and it could introduce
lightness and elasticity to supplement rigid iron structures. This finding can be expressed as the phrase ‘right
material in the right place,’ but the decisions (sometimes constructively and sometimes aesthetically) were
neither straightforward nor automatic.
The shape of the innovative trellis form of the cast-iron girder determined the image of the Crystal Palace. The
form was originally constructively rational, but also determined the form of the wrought iron trusses and
wooden trusses in advance, that cannot be explained by constructive rationality alone. However, the way
timber was chosen to preserve the uniform appearance can be explained constructively again, as it was
inexpensive and light. Therefore, the constructive aspect (material and construction) and aesthetic aspect
(form) were inseparably related. |
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Kuban, S. |
2019 |
Survival of the Fittest? – Success Strategies of the Early Reinforced Concrete construction companies of G. A. Wayss in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 421-34 |
This paper highlights the development of the different companies that were founded by Gustav Adolf Wayss (1851-1917) and in that aims to distinguish the successful strategies applied by Wayss. The characteristics of the local building market will be discussed, and their influence on his success evaluated. By comparatively analysing the economic strategies of different contemporary reinforced concrete companies’, patterns of success will be revealed. |
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Potgeter, W. |
2019 |
Facing Bricks in the Nineteenth Century. Developments in Manufacture and Construction of Brick Façades in German-Speaking Countries in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 435-50 |
The article outlines the history of the rise and fall of facing bricks in the nineteenth century in German- speaking countries with a focus on aspects of manufacture and construction. Its main sources are the numerous preserved buildings as well as the rich inventory of written sources from a period, in which all technical innovations were widely discussed in treatises and journals. |
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Bosch Gonzalez, M. & Putzolu, R. |
2019 |
The European construction culture of mining buildings in the 1800s: linguistic and technical expressions between Sardinian
and French-Belgian contexts. in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 451-62 |
Theses case studies have been chosen because they offer a reasonable field of analysis of the construction and
formal languages of the 1800s industrial heritage: the Nord-Pas-de-Calais area and the island of Sardinia
feature important cases of mining edifications expressing the linguistic and technical culture of that time.
Monteponi is a mine in the Southwest part of Sardinia that has been heavily exploited since the mid 1800s. Its
architectural and historical features are linked to those of other sites in Europe, thanks to foreign-trained
managers who directed this mine since the 1850s. They promoted interactions with foreign technicians in
terms of architecture and technology, leaving important traces of these contacts. While in the early years of the
19th century mining buildings were facilities merely at the service of working activities, the further arrival of
engineers, trained in the territories of Northern Italy or in German and Hungarian Schools, testifies a strong
linguistic and construction change. |
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Rabeneck, A. |
2019 |
Thomas Edison and Modern Construction: the longue durée of the Long Kiln in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 463-76 |
Thomas Edison is admired mainly for inventions that touch our lives on a daily basis. A less remembered
aspect of his life is his part in the advance of cement production technology at the turn of the twentieth century,
a development that arguably has had as much global impact as his more popular inventions. Edison invented
the modern integrated flow-line cement plant that turns rock and fuel into bagged Portland cement at high
volume with minimum human intervention. Edison’s plant design was built around his invention of the 150-
foot long rotary kiln, patents for which became standards that quickly dominated the cement industry at a
global scale and which continue at the heart of cement-making more than a hundred years later. This
astonishing achievement has been so far eclipsed by Edison’s popular inventions that he is not mentioned in the
Wikipedia article on Portland cement, an omission that would be unthinkable in any popular article on
phonographs, motion-pictures or electric lights. Edison’s integrated cement plant and the way it came into
being, drawing on his own earlier work and the experiences of many others, at a time when the chemistry of
cement was beginning to be scientifically understood, is an example of technological innovation as the
evolutionary synthesis of multiple forces. This paper aims to correct the Edison literature’s persistent
indifference to his industrial accomplishments, which prefers individual ’flashes of genius’ - fascination with
the creativity of the independent inventor, to the reality of Edison as a pioneer of industrial research. |
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Jalia, A. |
2019 |
Ceramic Fuses: An Indo-European history of tubular vaulting modules in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 477-93 |
Ceramic fuses have existed since at least the third century B.C. [1], albeit in different avatars. Their
predecessors were used extensively across a wide geographic region around the Mediterranean that included
present-day Spain, southern France, Tunisia and large parts of Italy where most of the Roman construction activity was concentrated. This paper seeks to fill the dearth in scholarship on the sporadic occurrence and
inconsistent use of tubular vaulting elements outside on and beyond the European continent. |
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Beckh, Matthias |
2019 |
Building with air: Heinz Isler’s bubble houses and the use of pneumatic construction techniques in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 494-506 |
It is unfortunate that the different bubble house projects developed by Heinz Isler between 1975 and 1980, did not achieve the hoped for success, with the Ponthierry project becoming the only example that was realized. On the other hand, reading the documents related to the internal discussions within the design team, the
considerations on the construction technique are similar to the annotations found in other projects using a
model making technique. The methodological approach had a lot of similarities with Isler’s more usual
experimental method. Reading the bubble system from this perspective, it could be described as an excursus
from Isler’s more successful industrial shells. He started exploring industrial shells in the 1950s with his
pneumatic model he then developed the concept of pneumatic formwork in real-scale in the 1970s with the
bubble system, and returned to his pneumatic models with the Balz House at the beginning of the 1980s. This
trajectory reveals the limited success in the actual realization of the bubble system as it was originally
conceived. |
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Burchardt, J. |
2019 |
Innovation in the modern Australian concrete building business: The introduction of pre-stressed concrete, 1945-1970 in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 507-24 |
By the 1930s the technology for building strong structures using pre-stressed concrete
was ready to be introduced worldwide. This technology brought new possibilities. It saved on raw
materials (skyscrapers could be built in a few months) and the pre-stressed concrete provided a
lighter construction. With this came more substantial bridges and halls for industry, made possible
by wider roof beams with longer spans. Especially in large bridges, the use of pre-casted
concrete beams made the construction work at the building site much
easier. In this paper the development of the Australian industry will be compared to that in
Europe, where the
technology originated. |
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Fleming, P. H. |
2019 |
The Application of Wayss’ Rohrzellendecke System in the Kongresshaus Zurich (1937-1939) in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 525-34 |
Within the context of the buildings’ current on-going restoration and extension project (2017-2020) [2], this
article focuses on one specific type of historical construction technique discovered in areas of the
The Application of Wayss’ Rohrzellendecke System in the Kongresshaus Zurich (1937-1939)
526
Kongresshaus’ original late 1930s construction. This construction involves the use of unique hollow, cellular
tubes to build ribbed reinforced concrete floors, cast in-situ. Unlike more common forms of ribbed concrete
floor construction from the 1930s involving clay bodies or inserts, which are still in partial use sometimes
today, the hollow bodies discussed herein were made of wooden frames, wrapped in woven mats of reeds or
canes, and tensioned together with simple, thin steel wires. In older German-language publications, this type of
hollow body is known as a ‘Rohrzelle’, which can be simply translated as ‘cellular tube’ [3]. |
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Greco, L. & Spada, F. |
2019 |
The Invulnerabile prefabricated construction system for Italian temporary buildings in the 1930s in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 535-48 |
Indeed, the Italian experimentation was affected by an artisan production organization
that influenced the development of building techniques [2]. In the field of steel
construction, the production of structural steelwork was ensured by an organization of
small specialized workshops, which often used imported materials and rudimentary machines
[3]. This circumstance, together with the limitations imposed by the autarchy, restricted
the use of prefabrication and steel structures, circumscribing the discussion of these issues to
the theoretical debate and to the realization of demonstration buildings or of buildings intended
for specific uses. This economic and technological framework strongly influenced the
commercialization of solutions, as the history of the l’Invulnerabile system demonstrated. The
existing literature on this construction solution is partial and mainly concerns studies on
colonial architecture. This paper, based on archival documents, aims to analyse the l’Invulnerabile system, relating its developments to the national context and to the
building activity in the Italian colonies in the 1930s.
The Milanese case. Mass production for modern houses and the |
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Ladinski, V. B. |
2019 |
The ‘Golden Age’ of Housing Construction (1948-1980) in the Republic of North Macedonia in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 549-62 |
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York in 2018 hosted an exhibition entitled “Towards a
Concrete Utopia: Architecture in Yugoslavia, 1948-1980” [1] in which the works of the leading
architects in socialist’s Yugoslavia were presented to the international audience. Inspired
by the exhibition, this paper examines housing construction over the same period within
the Republic of North Macedonia, then one of the six
constituent republics of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. |
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Lucente, R. & Greco, L. |
2019 |
Building Industrialization and aesthetic research in the Esso and SGI headquarters in EUR (Rome) by Luigi Moretti and Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo (1960-66) in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 563-76 |
In 1960 the Società Generale Immobiliare (SGI) entrusted Luigi Moretti (1907-73) and
Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo (1890-1966) with the preliminary design for a complex consisting
of two symmetrical office buildings located on Via Cristoforo Colombo (Fig. 1), at the
entrance of the EUR district designed for the Universal Exposition of Rome of 1942
[1]. One of the blocks was for the Italian offices of the Esso oil company, while
the other accommodated the SGI headquarters. The twin buildings have a basement and a
pilotis ground floor. The T-plan of each volume is formed by a main block (141 x 22 meters) of
seven floors and another, arranged transversely, of four floors (Fig. 2). The plan was organized on
a 150x150 centimetres module that guided the layout of the structural grid, of the
curtain wall and of the internal partitions. The flexibility of the spaces was obtained
by means of mobile walls, plant ducts integrated into the floors and a regular
double-span structural grid arranged on a 9 x 9 meter module. Stairs, elevators and
toilets were concentrated in two cores placed in the central part of the main block. The
Esso headquarters, completed in 1966, is representative of the features of the complex and it is
analysed in this paper, based on the documents from the Moretti archive and the SGI archive. The
existing literature on this building concerns the architectural genesis in relation to the work of
Moretti and the characteristics of the curtain wall with reference to the Italian construction
framework [2]. In this paper the authors concentrate their investigation on the
relationship between the aesthetical research deployed by Moretti and the techniques used
for the steel structure and the
curtain wall.
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Melsens, S., Bertels, I. & Srivastava, A. |
2019 |
India’s Architects Act, 1972: the triumph of identity work? in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 577-90 |
In India qualified architects were the ‘youngest’ amongst several building professions in charge of
the design and construction of buildings. Yet, this relatively small group of
professionals, only active in major cities, campaigned for an Architects Act that would
legitimise their monopoly on practice from early on.
Analysis of the Journal of the Indian Institute of Architects shows that the J.J. School of Art and
the architects’ professional organisation, the IIA, were important forums for the
preparatory identity work that would give native architects the conviction to plead for such
an Act. It is there that Indian architects cultivated their social and cultural capital, and gained
exposure to the international status of the profession. |
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Mornati, S. |
2019 |
Originality and Lightness in the Work of Riccardo Morandi: the Metronio Covered Market in Rome in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 591-603 |
The Metronio Covered Market is one of the minor works of Riccardo Morandi (1902-1989) but it is the
only significant and spectacular architectural-structural composition that faces the street. This paper seeks to illustrate the original character of the building within the context of the usual building typology of the local market and place the constructive choices adopted in the panorama of the extensive experimentation on structural solutions conducted by the engineer. |
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Presland, T. |
2019 |
The Power and Glory: A Study of John Laing & Son Limited through its Photographic Archive in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 604-18 |
This paper seeks to offer an alternative view by presenting early research for a PhD in Architectural
History into the history of John Laing & Son Limited (henceforth John Laing) through an investigation
of the John Laing Collection, an archive of approximately 230,000 photographs, held by Historic
England, documenting a wide range of the company’s activities from its early work in the late 1890s to
the 1970s. Historic England’s report on the collection notes that there are few records created by a single
company which have such scope and breadth in this field of endeavour [4]. Whilst the collection covers
almost a century of the company’s history, the scope of research to date has been limited to the period
from the end of World War II to 1965, a period in which John Laing delivered a very wide range of
projects and can make some claim to have participated in the building of ‘Modern Britain’, as the country
reconstructed itself after the shattering impact of the war. |
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Raaffels L. et al |
2019 |
The Construction Details Of Lucien-Jacques Baucher’s Personal Residence (Brussels, 1965-66): Collaboration With René Sarger And Specialized Craftsmen in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 619-35 |
Ongoing research regarding architects’ houses in Brussels, gathering more than 300 houses built by and for the
architects themselves between 1830 and 1970, has already proven that this particular project often becomes the
full-scale business card of the architect or is considered as a test bench for new materials or construction
techniques. [1] Nevertheless, international surveys on architects’ houses often have a strong focus on the
interior and exterior design qualities, while little attention is given to their technical aspects. Therefore, this
paper investigates to what extent the underlying personal relationships stimulated the creation of innovative
constructive principles in the own residences of architects. Furthermore, it is questioned which drawings were
then required to manufacture these elements and whether the techniques used were also proposed to future
clients. |
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Reeder, L. |
2019 |
Accidental Environmentalists: Building Construction on the Rim, 1931 – 36 in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 636-50 |
Passive cooling and ventilation strategies; daylighting; local, repurposed, and salvaged materials; reused
buildings; and minimized site disruption are among the environmentally-beneficial strategies employed on the
Desert View Watchtower and Bright Angel Lodge and Cabins projects. But these strategies were not
implemented for the environment’s benefit. Instead these design and construction approaches were used to
achieve aesthetic goals, promote user comfort, and save time or money. These concerns—aesthetics, comfort, schedule, and budget—are still primary concerns for building professionals and owners today. We have advantages over our predecessors, including an understanding regarding the impact of buildings on the climate and a number of tools to mitigate it. If building professionals in the 1930s could reduce the environmental impact of buildings without even trying, then we should be doing far more than we are today. |
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Rinke, M. |
2019 |
Mechanization and early hybrid material use in glulam construction – The tram depot in Basel from 1916 in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 651-60 |
The Basel depot is a significant example of the early glulam development, not only in
Switzerland but in general. Beyond its recognition as an extraordinary case of industrial architecture that has been
published and celebrated nationally and internationally, it represents a turning point in the formation process of modern
timber engineering. While in the first glulam applications the design focused on the precise articulation of the
members making use of the new technology [7] to variably adjusting the cross section, the form decisions were
driven by looking at the ideal path of the structural forces, i.e. the parabolic shape, which was then directly
translated into glulam components with a regular cross section. But not only is the shape of the glulam
components themselves based on the regime of structural form ensuring maximum control of the internal
forces but also there are iron devices used for each of the three hinges of the arch, borrowed from
contemporary steel bridge design. This way, they control precisely which forces would be transferred to the
supporting structure. Accordingly, there are movable bearings on the exterior walls to only transfer vertical
loads and fixed bearings on the interior concrete columns. Consequently, the structural system is not only the
conceptual but also the constructional starting point ruling both the form of the principal glulam members and
the structural material below, the layout of concrete columns and brick walls. What is thus entirely different
from earlier glulam structures designed by Terner and Chopard, or the Schweiz. A.G. für Hetzer’sche
Holzkonstruktionen respectively, is the constructional clarity. No site joints, no improvised footings, no
integration of other functional elements in the structural system, such as the skylight. The tram depot in Basel
from 1916 is a significant example for consistent hybrid material use in glulam construction and for the
mechanisation of const |
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Santa Ana Lozada, L. & Santa Ana Lozada, P. |
2019 |
Creating a Modern Image of Mexico at the first decades of Twenty Century: Milliken Brothers Co. of New York in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 661-72 |
As result of the expertise of Milliken Brothers and the savings in time and budget they produced the firm
obtained contracts to produce, furnish and erect the National Theatre (1904-1934), design of Adamo Boari, the
Legislative Palace (1903-never finished) (Fig 8), design of Emile Benard, and the Ministry of Communications
and Public Works (1904-1911), design of Silvio Contri, among other oeuvres in the country. Unfortunately, as
the Revolution Wars of 1910 started and the Porfirio Díaz regime was overthrown, Milliken Brothers would
finish only the Ministry of Communications; in other cases, such as the National Theatre at the time when the
finishing works started, around 1930, Mexican steel was used to complete the work. |
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Stoyanova, I. |
2019 |
Comparing Plovdiv and Greek tobacco warehouses: comprehending a historic local construction type in Campbell, J. et al (Eds), Water, Doors and Buildings. Studies in the History of Construction. The Proceedings of the Sixth Conference of the pp.673-688 |
The architecture of the Greek warehouses had a microclimatic dimension. Comparing them
with Plovdiv warehouses reveals that the architecture of the latter had a microclimatic dimension
too. Thus, the definition of architecture for tobacco warehouses goes beyond grand building
dimensions and lavish decorations on the façades. It is a system of architectural
techniques that contributed to the natural regulation of microclimate
inside the warehouses so that tobacco manipulation and fermentation could take place. The comparison between Plovdiv and Greek warehouses as examples of Balkan tobacco
warehouses, with American tobacco warehouses, shows different design priorities resulted in
different construction types for the same architectural typology that evolved in similar
historical period yet in different parts of the world. The application of anti-seismic
techniques and especially their combination in a system that can be better seen in
the Greek experience was a distinctive feature of the local construction type in the Balkan region. |
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Vandyck, F., Wouters, I. & Bertels, I. |
2019 |
On the architecture, use and embedding of small-scale construction workshops in Brussels Capital Region (1894-1969) in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 689-702 |
This paper aims to further develop and contextualise these preliminary outcomes by deploying a similar
methodology to construction workspaces in two of the region’s urban districts that developed from the late
nineteenth century onwards. Rather than focusing on one specific subsector, this geographical demarcation aspires to
broaden the palette of studied construction actors. Thereby, a case-based comparison is drawn on the architectural,
locational and functional features of the legacy structures built by (and for the use of) historical bricklayers, general
contractors, electricians, plumbers etc. within similar geographical contexts. These insights, abstracted from a
process of inventorying and categorization, resonate with the idea of an industrial vernacular where local cultures of
building, economic influences and functional needs govern the design [7]. This ‘common-sense’ of building was -
apart from the research on timber workshops - also revealed in the governing impact of stored goods on the architecture of historical urban warehouses [8]. Well-aware of the way new-built constructions met such demands, it
is assumed that the workshops of carpenters, bricklayers or contractors were - more than other artefacts - ingrained
with locational motives and infrastructural needs. Accordingly, the typological analysis thereof is mobilized as a
knowledge instrument in ‘getting to know’ their spatial strategies [9]. |
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Ye, J. & Fivet, C. |
2019 |
The ancient Chinese opera spiral wooden domes in Campbell, J. et al, Water, Doors and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 703-14 |
This paper focuses on the spiral zaojing in the Ningbo area, Zhejiang province (South China). The field practice of surviving traditional wooden construction in rural China is discussed by looking at surviving examples (Figs 1-3), examining a newly-built example (Fig.8), its renovation process (Fig.9), the involved construction technology (Fig.7) and its evolution (Fig.8). |
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Maggi, C. |
2020 |
Iron reinforcements in the medieval and modern attics of Belgium in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 3-14 |
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Kosykh, A. |
2020 |
Building with Iron in Eighteenth-Century Tula: The Armory Capital of Russia and Its Iron Roofs in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 15-30 |
The first metallurgical centre of Russia, the old city of Tula is situated 180 km to the south of
Moscow. Known as the country’s centre for the production of armaments and metalwork, Tula was also
famous for the local blacksmiths that were considered the best in the country. The ingenuity of
these masters was praised in the Russian tale “Levsha” which tells the story of a left-handed
gunsmith from Tula capable of putting horseshoes on an English-made steel flea. More substantial
examples showcasing the high level of Tula’s blacksmiths can be found in the building
structures from the past that have survived to the present. This paper focuses on the iron roof over the Nikolas-Zaretskij Church. By summarizing the results of archival
research, on-site investigations, and material testing, the article analyzes the structure and the historical and
technical background that enabled its emergence. By comparing the roof over the Nikolas-Zaretskij Church with
iron roofs that were built in the city at the same time, this work aims to describe the iron construction techniques
used in eighteenth-century Tula. |
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Chalvatzi, K. M. |
2020 |
Early iron in Theatre Construction: the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction. The Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 31-44 |
This research focuses on the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, at the north-western corner of
the palace. Constructed shortly before the Théâtre-Français, this structure has a roof
that combined wrought iron and hollow pots.
Published and archival material as well as contemporary publications regarding the
structure are scarce. This study of the theatre includes a precise documentation of the structure and its joints, using both
hands-on and laser scanner techniques. Based on the survey, pertinent questions concerning the
structure are addressed, including dating and technical particularities.
The Théâtre du Palais-Royal is one of the oldest iron structures in France and certainly one of the
few known examples, where the roof consisting of wrought iron and hollow pots is preserved in a
good state. The structure allows the analysis of the details of the structure, its
context and influences. A relatively small theatre thus
becomes a key example in understanding early wrought iron roof structures in the eighteenth
century. |
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Peters, T. F. |
2020 |
Louis Bruyère’s innovative iron bridges and their contribution to the development of modern iron construction in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 45-58 |
The engineer and architect Louis Bruyère (1758-1831) built the first modern wrought-iron truss
bridge in 1808 and he proposed several others that demonstrated his innovative
preoccupation with the systematization and standardization of iron construction. The influence
that his built work and projects as well as his teaching at the École des Ponts et Chaussées in
Paris exerted on the development of modularized iron systems and their use in construction has
remained unacknowledged. This paper presents his work and uncovers his role in the genesis of
industrialized construction. |
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Espion, B. |
2020 |
Iron bridges in Belgium before 1853 in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction. The Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 59-72 |
There is no major study of the history of civil engineering in Belgium. In particular, very little
is known about the history of iron and steel bridge construction in Belgium in the 19th century.
Belgium, and Wallonia in particular, are keen to remember the rich heritage, both tangible
and intangible, of an iron industry that has been very successful. Very early, from 1835
onwards, a dense network or railway lines was constructed across the country which necessitated the
erection of bridges and viaducts. Did the iron industry and the development of railway lines and
other communication routes lead to innovations in the construction or design of bridges or to
remarkable bridges? The purpose of this research is, by starting a systematic inventory work, to
give elements of answer to this question. The results of this study are arranged here in
three chapters essentially based on the structural typologies of bridges resulting from the
use of materials: suspension bridges – cast iron arch bridges - Neville
type truss bridges. |
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O’Dwyer, D. |
2020 |
The development in the design of beams from 1820 - 1860 in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 73-82 |
This paper considers the developments in beam design during the period from approximately 1820 to
1860. While the paper tracks the development of elastic analysis and the analysis of
continuous statically indeterminate multi-span beams, this is not the focus of the paper. The
paper is primarily concerned with how the pragmatic
design of beams evolved in parallel with the contemporaneous theoretical advances. The development and pragmatic adoption of bending theory by the engineering profession provides a
very early
example of how new knowledge is taken up and deployed by industry. |
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Sire, S. & Ragueneau, M. |
2020 |
Hybrid wrought iron and steel connections. The example of the electric arc welding reinforcement of the swing bridge in Brest (France) in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction. Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 83-92 |
The arsenal of Brest (western Brittany, France) is notable for a high level and acknowledged technological
innovation. During its development and expansion, the townscape of Brest, particularly the port landscape, has
evolved significantly. New communication lines were opened to enable industrial and economic development
outside the constricted boundaries of the city. Among these, a mobile, wrought iron bridge was built over the
River Penfeld between the two cities of Brest and Recouvrance and inaugurated in 1861. At that time, the hot
riveting process was the preferred joining method in metal constructions. In addition, wrought iron was the
material used in these constructions, as steels were not yet produced. Due to the ageing of the bridge, particularly
explained by the increase in traffic, it was decided to repair and reinforce the structure at the end of the 1920s.
But how can a structure be repaired and reinforced when its constitutive material is no longer manufactured?
During the 1930s, another joining process replaced progressively the hot riveted technique: the electric arc
welding. It was the chosen process for the repairs and reinforcement of the Brest bridge. This was therefore a
major scientific and industrial challenge: the welded metal structures were still recent and the welding of the
hybrid wrought iron and low carbon strengthening steel assemblies had been studied very little. |
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Wermiel, S. E. |
2020 |
Introduction of the Rolled I-beam in the U.S.A. in the 1850s, Revisited in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction. Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 93-104 |
Of the new construction materials introduced in the nineteenth century, the rolled
I-beam – a solid, metal structural element with a cross-section in the shape of a
capital ‘I’ – was one of the most important. In the mid-1850s, two American rolling mills
began to manufacture wrought-iron I-beams. These beams were rapidly adopted, and from an early
date, beams in a range of sizes and weights, rolled in American mills, were available in the U.S.
market. They were components of metal building frames, which evolved into
skeleton-frame
construction – one of America’s principal contributions to construction technology. The story of the beginning of I-beam manufacture in America has been treated in several texts [1].
This paper revisits the history, expanding on and correcting earlier work. It also revisits the
beginning of I-beam production
in France and Great Britain. |
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Stoyanova, I. |
2020 |
Plan B or learning about Construction History from reconstructions and repairs: the iron roof of Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 105-16 |
Finally, the iron roof of Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan is an example of how studying
reconstruction and repairs can fill in gaps in construction history and enrich the understanding of
even a well-researched structure. Thanks to the reports on reconstructions and repairs, the
value of this particular roof for the history of iron construction can be found in its
hybrid nature. The iron roof in the case of ‘Vittorio Emanuele II’ is actually a structure built
with 1860s wrought and cast iron, then reconstructed with 1940s steel, and finally repaired with
1980s steel. The multiple roof parts produced with these materials co-exist in one
structure through building techniques characteristic of iron construction from the respective
historical periods. Therefore, the iron roof in the case of ‘Vittorio Emanuele II’ stands out
as one single testimony of several episodes from the evolution of
structural iron as a building material and techniques for connecting iron to iron and steel and
iron to glass. |
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Wolf, K. |
2020 |
Rautennetze by Emil Hünnebeck – steel lamella roofs of the interwar period in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 117-28 |
This paper deals with the so called Rautennetz Bauweise, a structural latticework of
cold-pressed sheet steel
lamellas in a rhombic pattern, developed by the German inventor and engineer Emil Hünnebeck. As I will argue on the following pages, Hünnebeck’s approach
and construction method turns out to be more closely related to the Zollinger timber construction than to the
Junkers steel lamella system. Hünnebeck designed three different versions of his latticework pattern in quick
succession. After a brief phase of working with a double latticework pattern constructed from timber lamellas and
their somewhat unsuccessful translation into steel profiles, Hünnebeck went on to fundamentally redesign the
logic of his lattice work and lamellas. The result was a somewhat counter-intuitive, self-contained construction
system of comparatively small steel lamellas with reinforced joints that needed no stiffening purlins. |
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Gillet, V. |
2020 |
An iron-mounted stoneware façade in Paris: Charles Klein’s apartment building at rue Claude-Chahu 9 in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction. Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 129-42 |
The apartment building on rue Claude-Chahu embodies the acme of a construction technique previously
experimented on Avenue Rapp by the architect Jules Lavirotte in 1901 [38]. The exorbitant costs, almost three
times higher than the equivalent conventional Parisian dressed-stone façade, prevented this construction material
from being widely adopted. The manifest lack of success makes the building on rue Claude-Chahu a fascinating,
unique specimen for construction history today. A few months later, the kind of construction adopted for the
façade on rue Franklin opened new perspectives, as it significantly reduced both the building costs and the
surface devoted to construction [39]. The infill wall of the concrete frame consisted of a single layer of bricks
coated on the outside with stoneware tiles embedded in a layer of wet cement [40]. This highly efficient solution
provided the providential archetype for a generation of architects who sought to make use of reinforced-concrete
frames for housing and commercial buildings in Paris during the first quarter of the twentieth century. |
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Burchardt, J. |
2020 |
The Wire Nails Revolution: The History 1898-2000 in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 143-56 |
The increased production of wire nails is not only a Danish concept but an international one. For
instance, each person in New Zealand used around 2.2 kg per person in 1871, with a
rise to 4.4 kg in 1900. This higher consumption than in Denmark can be explained by the
widespread use of wood and the need for houses for many immigrants [21]. In contrast, the dominant
building method in Denmark was with bricks.
Traditions among carpenters created cultures with some special profiles. For instance, the typical
Danish nail was square and not round as in many other countries.
The nail market seen from Denmark was at first totally dominated by German companies. The Danish
company NKT was established to form a national counterweight. This succeeded, but the national and
international cartels disappeared after World War II, and for the last decades, the market has been
global, with most nails produced away
from Europe. |
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McGuinness, J. |
2020 |
The use of light-weight steel sections etc. in low status housing in England in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 157-70 |
The introduction of non-traditional building methods in England was hampered by the restrictive
nature of the Model Byelaws introduced by most local authorities. These restrictions limited the
use of steel and cast iron by requiring structural walls to be of a stated thickness according to
the height of the wall. However, a significant number of housing systems were developed and
constructed up to the end of the post-World War II housing drive. The range of designs can be
divided into three main groups:- 1) those where the steel was used to create a structural frame
which could be clad with a range of sheet materials, 2) where steel sheeting was applied to a frame
and 3)
where the steel was primarily a support for walling of another material. |
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Mornati, S. |
2020 |
Construction and Business Industrialization in Italy in the Second Post-War Period: the FEAL in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 171-84 |
Among the companies that were committed to promoting the scientific organization of
construction, FEAL (Fonderie Elettriche Alluminio e Leghe) certainly stood out and from 1945 - the
year of its foundation - it quickly established itself in the sector of prefabricated buildings.
The company was founded by Giovanni Varlonga, an engineer who distinguished himself for his
propensity for theoretical-experimental research in the field of industrialized building
components. He was engaged not only in design and study but also participated in
conferences and published articles in specialized magazines. |
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Spada, F. |
2020 |
Aspects of constructive innovation in the activity of the Società Generale Immobiliare (SGI) in Italy (1950s-1970s) in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 185-96 |
This paper is part of the Ph.D. research carried out by the author on the activity of Società
Generale Immobiliare (SGI) in Italy from 1950-70 in order to investigate the relationships between
major construction companies and technical developments in Italy in the twentieth century.
Similar studies have, only in some cases, proposed systematic visions, but have
nevertheless highlighted relations between these companies and fundamental evolutionary
changes in the relationship between architecture and construction in Italy |
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Nagel, E. |
2020 |
Made from steel. Good as gold? The 1950s detached steel houses by MAN in Germany in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 197-212 |
Formerly spreading in hundreds all over Germany, steel houses designed by the
Maschinenfabrik Augsburg Nürnberg (abbreviated MAN) now belong amongst the endangered species of
architecture. In 2015 and 2019 the opportunity arose not only to record steel buildings largely
preserved in their original condition but also to draw them in detail and to document them
photographically and textually. Unexpectedly, the comparison between the two examples showed that
prefabrication did not outweigh individual design. Now it is time to find out why the
highly praised design was not able to assert itself on the market. |
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Gelder, J. |
2020 |
Roman building services and architectural manuals: Part 2 in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 213-26 |
This paper extends a previous paper [1], collecting and comparing material on a further selection
of Roman building services – timber flumes, water supply tunnels, inverted water supply
siphons, terracotta water pipes, and the analemma – across architectural manuals from the
Roman and Renaissance periods. Transmission between these manuals, of ideas about these building
services, is considered. Comparison is again made with the architectural record, to determine the
extent to which these ideas were put into practice, and whether the manuals had a role in
this. The two papers could be read together. |
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Lapins, A. |
2020 |
Water Management in Medieval German Castles in Latvia in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 227-34 |
Medieval castles, like today’s modern households, cannot be imagined without access to
water. As medieval castles were also defensive fortifications, the issue was of utmost
importance. Castle builders paid attention to both the location of water sources as well as the
management of water for drinking, household purposes and for drainage. Solutions differ from
site to site, and not all Latvian medieval castles have been researched. Nevertheless
some similarities can be observed and definite conclusions drawn. There is scarce information from
documentary sources and even fewer historic illustrations, so this study is made from
archaeological evidence, and on site survey observations. Modern instrumental surveying
techniques also provide data for architectural
research and analysis. |
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Veloudaki, C. & Theodossopoulos, D. |
2020 |
Oria Kastro on Kythnos: analysis of the built remains in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 235-48 |
Oria Kastro on Kythnos in the western Cyclades (Fig. 1) belonged to this type of insular
strongholds. Built on a remote cliff in the north-western part of the island, it has traditionally
been considered Kythnos’ medieval capital, founded in the early Byzantine period (ca.
seventh century AD) [2]. What we currently see, however, is predominantly the Latin phase
as in the early thirteenth century Kythnos was among the islands conquered by Marco Sanudo and his
comrades following the Fourth Crusade [3]. At first, the island was under the direct rule of the
Duke of Naxos, but later it was ceded to the Gozzadini, a noble family from Bologna. The Gozzadini
held
Kythnos for almost three centuries (1336-1617) leaving their mark on its built environment [4]. This study is part of a wider attempt to document and analyse the remains of the
Kastro. Through detailed surveys, it aims to record the range of building techniques in the most
prominent and well-preserved buildings in an attempt to distinguish the possible western influences
and the way these new Latin elements were integrated
into the local building practice. |
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Maissen, M/ |
2020 |
On the Subsequent Vaulting of Churches in the Late Gothic Period: The Collegiate Church of San
Vittore Mauro in Poschiavo, Switzerland in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 249-60 |
The most remarkable example of subsequent vaulting in south-eastern Switzerland is the collegiate
church of San Vittore Mauro in Poschiavo, whose original substance of the predecessor
building actually necessitated a complete new construction. However, through the implementation
and further development of already known and proven techniques, a unique solution could be created
here, which solved both the structural as well as the design problems. Since subsequent vaulting
has hardly been acknowledged in research on vault constructions, and the phenomenon itself was
often just considered a marginal note, comparative examples outside the region discussed above are
missing. It would be interesting to see whether the solutions described were also
applied in other church buildings and whether there were regional differences. Until these
questions can be addressed, however,
more in-depth studies on further objects are required. |
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Mair, R. |
2020 |
The pumping stations of the historical Augsburg drinking water supply in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 261-74 |
An essential part of Augsburg’s historic water management system, which was inscribed on the UNESCO
World Heritage List in 2019, was the drinking water supply for the upper city. From the early
fifteenth century onwards, a system of pumping stations and up to nine water towers was
created, which was replaced by a central waterworks as late as 1879. While these facilities
are well documented from the seventeenth century onwards, knowledge about their early period is
often based on circumstantial evidence and still requires a great deal of
research. |
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Burgassi, V. & Volpiano, M. |
2020 |
Tradition and innovation: the construction of court palaces and the role of professional figures in eighteenth-century Piedmont in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 275-86 |
It is against this background that our research group at the Politecnico di Torino undertook the
study discussed in the present article. Comparative studies on this material are
particularly fruitful, especially in light of the coherence that characterizes all the sites
examined: the recurrent presence of workers not only from Piedmont but also, typically, from the
area of the Lombard and Swiss lakes; the use of recurrent decorative models and
techniques associated with particular families or workshops; the role of ducal and
royal architects, who are actively involved in multiple projects at the same time; and
– underpinning the process – the complex administrative apparatus by which the state
exercised rigorous control over these projects – as can be understood from the archival data –
which is a fundamental factor in our understanding of how construction actually worked
in this context [2]. |
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Grazia D’Amelio, M. & Grieco, L. |
2020 |
Gunshots, wind, melodies, water jets and bubbling: hydraulic valves for the Teatro delle Acque of Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 287-302 |
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Wheeler, W. R. |
2020 |
Post-Colonial New World Dutch Framing Innovations and the Development of the Balloon Frame in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 303-16 |
This paper presents adaptations made to NWD framing strategies in buildings constructed
in New York and Ontario that anticipate the principal innovations attributed to the balloon
frame method of construction, including thru-studding, sawn structural elements, and second floor
joists supported by girts and nailed to the side of studs. The westward transmission of this
building tradition has been mapped to 1825, and supports a case for attributing an influential
role in the development of the balloon frame to carpenters following NWD practices.
This contribution does not discount the potential influence of building traditions originating in
France or England (by way of New England); in fact it is likely that the convergence of building
traditions in the mid-west—a region that lacked a dominant established European-American
culture—created an atmosphere of experimentation and
adaptation that resulted in the balloon frame and its variants. |
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Mazzone, G. |
2020 |
The rise of Stereotomy. The evolution of geometric applications in architecture from the Renaissance to the Baroque in France and Italy in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 317-30 |
During the Baroque, before leaving its role as material par excellence in architecture, stone knew
its most refined applications through Stereotomy, the French art of stone cutting. The article
follows the historical trends leading to this complex construction technique, combining
notions from Architectural history, to principles and advancements in other disciplines such
as Mathematics, Geometry and Astronomy. The article describes the main approaches to Stereotomy
highlighting their intrinsic difficulties.
Examples from French architectural history—still in the lead for stereotomy—are
accompanied by Italian experiments on the topic by the Baroque architect Guarino Guarini.
Additional questions approached throughout the article inquire about the possible
revitalization of stereotomic principles in contemporary practice |
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Campbell, J. W.P. |
2020 |
The Significance of John Theophilus Desaguliers’s Course of Experimental Philosophy to the History of Hydraulics and what it reveals about the First Pump-driven Fountains in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 331-46 |
The design of water features and fountains, and the use of waterwheels for power were well advanced
in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, but the scientific and engineering
literature generally lagged behind practice. Those involved in water engineering in the late
Medieval and Renaissance periods had generally trained by working under existing experts and must
have relied on rules of thumb and while there were books produced on fountain design they were
notably lacking in technical detail. The problems associated with fountain design were to do with
problems of flow. Fountains up until the end of the seventeenth century were invariably driven by
reservoirs at some height above the gardens. The pressure was created by potential difference and
the problems the fountain designer was interested in were how many spouts could be fed from the
reservoir at a time, how dramatic they would be, and how long they would operate for before the
reservoir ran dry. There were also, of course, much more practical matters to do with the design
and manufacture of pipes and of spouts and valves to control them and dealing with air pockets and
the surges in pressure caused by turning the system on and off, and then for those places not
blessed with a high hill on which to place a reservoir above the garden, there were
problems of pumping water into cisterns that could carry out the same purpose, albeit for a shorter
time. Histories of Hydraulics and Fluid Dynamics tend to dwell on those books and
writers whose work moved the theory forward [1]. Thus they tend to discuss Simon Stevin
(1548-1620), Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), Benedetto Casteli (1577-1644), Evangelista Torrecelli
(1608-1647), Isaac Newton (1642-1727), Gottfreid Leibniz (1646-1717), Daniel Bernouli
(1700-1782) and Leonhard Euler (1707-1783). While there is no doubting the long-term
significance of these figur |
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Chrimes, M. |
2020 |
Jesse Hartley in 1797: evidence on the making of the Liverpool Docks Engineer in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 347-64 |
The diary gives a picture of the busy life of a.trainee mason and surveyor of the 1790s. As with
the young Telford there is nothing to suggest an awareness of a career in civil engineering. The
diary shows little of the thoughts of the young Jesse, suggesting a private person. If one wonders
how much a teenage engineer might know about the works of their locality, the answer suggested here
is a great deal. Likewise he would have known who the leading local designers and reliable
suppliers were. While there is nothing to suggest the knowledge of engineering science
that might have appeared in a more academically trained engineer, he was evidently
literate and numerate. Of particular interest are his sketches of the Lune aqueduct and
Skerton Bridge, which George Stephenson visited when Hartley was advising the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway. At an early age he learned
what good bridge design looked like, and also what was involved in managing a major bridge project. |
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Herrero-García, E. & Gil-Crespo, I-J. |
2020 |
Industrial technology and brick vaults construction in Spain, 18th century: The Royal Glass Factory in La Granja in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 365-78 |
La Real Fábrica de Cristales de La Granja (The Royal Glass Factory in La Granja, Segovia) was built and
enlarged along the 18th century. The construction process reveals how the builders made decisions about the
distribution of the works for glass manufacturing, considering the position of the kilns, the expulsion of smoke,
the lighting, the construction techniques and even places for the workers relaxation.
Brick vaults were erected to avoid fires, and several of them were built without centering. Two large domes
function as chimneys. There were 32 sets to temper the glass, and the surplus heat was used to warm the rooms
for the workers. The position and orientation of the glass polishing tables were very important because this
machinery needed the force of water for moving material and the glass had to be near windows oriented towards
West, to facilitate the detection of defects and irregularities. The wooden warehouses were placed closer to the
kilns.
The authors have drafted the Master Plan of this building and have studied its history, its construction, its
operations, its relationship with other similar factories in Spain and Europe, as well as other issues such as
cultural heritage, management, conservation, maintenance, and architectural proposals [1]. This piece will
examine both the technical requirements and the construction process of this building. |
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Romano, L. |
2020 |
Fighting fires. Jean-Far Eustache de Saint-Far’s contribution to the debate on fireproof constructions in France at the end of the eighteenth century in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 379-88 |
In the light of these considerations, the paper deepens Saint-Far’s contribution to the debate on fireproof
constructions in France at the end of the eighteenth century. The study reconstructs the genesis of his inventions
through the critical reading of documents preserved in the Parisian archives (Archives Nationales and Archives du
Musée des Arts et Métiers) providing a small advancement in the history of fire engineering in France [3].
Moreover, the proposed subject fits within the current literature on the figures of architects-engineers-artisans and on the role of the technical invention in the Age of Enlightenment [4]: both are themes of interest for Architecture
but also for human and social sciences. |
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Holzer, S. M. & Knobling, C. |
2020 |
The laminated arch in the first half of the 19th century: A status report from Switzerland in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 389-404 |
Switzerland has a unique cultural heritage of about 130 still preserved wooden bridges, which were built before
1900 [1]. Being a transit country for hundreds of years, bridges were therefore a location factor that had to be
preserved and further developed.
The fact that many bridges were built of wood may have been due to the local availability of this building material.
Also, a wooden bridge was faster and cheaper to build than a stone bridge. Highly specialized carpenters were
available in sufficient numbers and quality - a development that favoured bridge building and was in turn
encouraged by it. The admiration for these structures and the relief they brought to travelers led to the fact that the
names of outstanding master builders, first and foremost Hans-Ulrich Grubenmann (1709-1783), but also Joseph
Ritter (1745-1809) or Blasius Baltenschwyler (1752-1832) are known far beyond the borders of Switzerland. |
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Bulckaen, L. & Devos, R. |
2020 |
The engineer as mediator in complex architectural projects at the turn of the nineteenth century: the case study of Louis Cloquet in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 405-18 |
This paper wants to highlight the fact that because of this heightened complexity in building at
the end of the nineteenth century, the way that professionals in building collaborated
also needed to become much more efficient. Ironically maybe, this demand for efficiency
resulted also in an increase in building bureaucracy: the paperwork necessary to organize the
design and execution of a building and with it, a paper trail for historians today. The reason
for this use of paper was the fact that particular knowledge and information needed
to be communicated to the actors in the building process. The increased
complexity also induced a further differentiation of responsibilities resulting in the
professionalization of certain groups [2]. The latter was reflected in the rise of multiple
organizations for building professionals that emerged in Belgium. Already in 1872 the
Société Centrale des Architectes de Belgique (S.C.A.B.) was formed, defending the position of the
architect. Next to that, the contractors founded the Fédération des Constructeurs
Générales in 1881 [3] and the engineers assembled in 1885 in the Société Royale Belge des
Ingénieurs et des Industriels [4]. One of the general questions on collaboration is the issue of authorship in building. Throughout architecture and
construction history, the authorship of buildings has been attributed habitually to “the architect”, making
abstraction of not only the many collaborators, but also his factual tasks and roles, training and profile. Looking
carefully at the case study of Louis Cloquet, being an engineer, reveals exchanges with many other actors. |
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Weber, C. |
2020 |
Professional organisations of Architects and Engineers and their journals in nineteenth century German States in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 419-32 |
The Berliner Architektenverein was in its form of scientific communication ‘prototypical’ for all further German
speaking architectural and engineering associations, which subsequently emerged in numerous Prussian provinces
and the other German States; such as the Württembergischer Verein für Baukunde in Stuttgart (1842), the
Sächsischer Ingenieur- und Architektenverein in Dresden (1846), the Architekten- und Ingenieurverein im
Königreich Hannover (1851), or the Bayrischer Architekten- und Ingenieurverein in Munich (1867) [29].
Following the Berlin example, these other architects’ associations in the individual German-speaking countries
also published their own journals during the nineteenth century, e. g. the Austrian engineersʼ association:
Zeitschrift des Österreichischen Ingenieur-Vereins since 1849. The association of the Kingdom of Hanover,
independent until the annexation of Hanover by Prussia: Notizblatt des Architekten- und Ingenieurvereins für das
Königreich Hannover since 1851, published together with the association of Saxonia since 1896 [30]. Most of the
associations, formed in the different German States and in individual industrial cities, all had their own
publication media. In contrast to these regional and locally organised architects’ associations, the VDI pursued
professional politics from the beginning, one being the “intimate cooperation of the intellectual forces of German
technology” [31]. Thus, in the case of the German States in the nineteenth century, it can be concluded, that the
professional associations and their journals made a contribution to nation-building on a scientifically
discipline-specific level. |
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Stampfer, L. |
2020 |
Do As The Romans Do: possible Roman influences on the construction of Nordic settlers in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 433-42 |
This paper explores parallels between Icelandic turf construction and Roman masonry. While many of the
constructional principles show strong similarities, there is also enough reason to doubt that either one served as a
model for the other. Let it be clear right from the start that it is not this paper’s aim to prove a connection between
the two, but rather to present a comparison of parallels to see what can be learned from them for future research. |
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Thuy, A. |
2020 |
The ‘Pilzdecken’ of the Federal Granary in Altdorf: “a paragon facility for the modern art of building” in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 443-56 |
The paper investigates the mushroom structure of the Altdorf granary and contextualises
it within Maillart’s œuvre. A military building, the development of the project and its remote
location in a mountain valley in the canton Uri and its cultural historic role in the overall
strategic considerations of Switzerland is reconstructed. The paper follows the development of
girderless slabs from Maillart’s patent to the application in Altdorf. The two technologically
crucial aspects – the form of the mushrooms and the reinforcement layout – are explained and
discussed in detail. |
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Guagliardi, V. |
2020 |
Building reconstruction following the 1905 Calabria Earthquake in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 457-64 |
Calabrian building heritage is an expression of the many seismic events that have affected its different provinces.
In particular, the earthquake that occurred on the night between 7 and 8 September 1905 produced considerable
damage to the municipalities of Vibo Valentia and Cosenza, which appear to range from being "slightly
damaged" to "totally destroyed". To manage the crisis situation and deal with the reconstruction, special
"Committees" were organized to respond to the emergency with the construction of houses adopting different
construction techniques.
Through the analysis of a case study, the town of Gasponi in the Vibonese area, which is the third among the
inhabited areas of the municipality of Drapia to suffer damage from the earthquake, is intended to show the
construction technique used for the construction of semi-stable houses. The semi-stable buildings made entirely
of timber, easy to execute and with a planned duration of five to six years, were preferable to barracks, which
were also made of wood, but which were more expensive and with significant hygienic problems.
Plans, elevations and sections, derived from bibliographical and archival sources, help to highlight the design
scheme adopted and underlines the use of wood, which, thanks to its performance capabilities, has regained
interest both on a structural and on a physical-technical level.
The reconstruction proved to be interesting as it offered a valid alternative to emergency buildings, responding to
the opportunity for rapid construction procedures, but also to the necessary criteria of sustainability and energy
efficiency. |
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Theodossopoulos, D. & Gratsia, I. |
2020 |
Andreas Dracopoulos and Ergoliptiki, and the Introduction of Reinforced Concrete in Greece in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 465-76 |
This work aims to understand the particular technology used by Ergoliptiki in their early concrete
buildings in the Greek context, framing them in the UK and Italian contexts, which have
been more deeply studied and had concrete regulations from the first 20 years of the century.
The major early concrete frames Ergoliptiki built in Athens in the 1920s will be discussed, which
were behind some very large scale buildings for the period but still in eclectic styles that do not
reveal the tectonics of the material (mainly because they were created before the advent of
Modernism). As there is little in general on the introduction of reinforced concrete
in Greece, a
reflection will be made on further stages for research. |
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Haddadi, R. & Rinke, M. |
2020 |
Early glulam for temporary large scale structures in Switzerland in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 477-88 |
This paper examines early temporary large-span structures in glulam. Four case studies are chosen
from the early examples of temporary glulam structures: a footbridge in Lausanne, a skating rink in
Geneva, both from1910, a singing festival hall in Zurich from 1911 as well as an
aeroplane hangar in Frauenfeld from 1913. In the following, the focus will be on the
criteria of choice of construction material, the construction process and typologies as
well as performance. Furthermore, this paper seeks to explain how the short lifespan
influenced construction strategies and detailing and how the construction techniques allowed for a
secondary market of the components. We will note how construction strategies of temporary
structures influenced the developing
industrialisation and mechanisation of glulam construction. |
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Dimitriadi, L. |
2020 |
The geometry and structure of an early freeform roof: the Europe 1 Transmitter Building in the Saar in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 489-500 |
French engineer Bernard Laffaille is considered as a pioneer who has used the geometry of
negatively curved surfaces in construction and has introduced innovative structural solutions such
as suspended and tensioned roofs. Bernard Laffaille worked on the study of the structure of the
Europe 1 Longwave Transmitter Building in the Saar (Sauberg), designed by the architect
Jean-François Guédy and built in 1954 for the Société Sarroise de
Télévision. |
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Verdonck, A. |
2020 |
The history of Hasco-Relief: a Dutch decorative render that found its way to Belgian craftsmen in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 501-12 |
The Dutch paint manufacturer S. A. Hermann A. Schreuder & Co. developed and patented Hasco-Relief
in the 1930s at their plant in Schoonhoven (Province of South-Holland) [1]. This modern interior
finish - recommended as an ideal wall covering with exceptional effects - was a pasty mixture
of oil binders and pigments that was embossed after application. Hasco-Relief is related
to cement-containing cold glaze [2] - a solid, glossy and waterproof wall finish based
on cement mortar - which was very popular from a hygienic point of view [3]. Hasco
was available in a wide variety of colours and found its way to the international market. Even a
verb was generated to describe the new application technique, the so-called Hasconeren
(Hasconizing). This decorative finish went out of fashion and since the application and formula
of both Hasco and also cement-containing cold glaze were mainly transferred orally among
contractors, the know-how of this craft has been lost |
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Greco, L/ |
2020 |
Mountain Buildings: Prefabrication in Italian Alpine Shelters
(1925-44) in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 513-26 |
The previous work on Italian Alpine architecture has considered the shelters, analysing their typological evolution
in the context of mountain construction in the period between the two world wars and in the 1940s [6]. This paper
intends to examine the effects that some of these attempts to advance knowledge had on the slow evolution of the
Italian building sector nd its move towards industrialization of the processes and products. With this purpose in
mind, the analysis aims to consider the organization of the design and construction process, the phases of
transport and the assembly of the prefabricated components used for these buildings to evaluate them with reference to the general development of prefabrication in Italy during the interwar period. |
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Sowder, A. M. & Sowder, E. |
2020 |
Indestructible: The Construction of Stormproof Concrete Hurricane Houses in the 1930s Florida Keys in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 527-40 |
Hurricane Houses have “much to tell about rebuilding community
and modern construction techniques adapted to the imperatives of building and living in a hurricane
environment [25].” In design and materiality, Hurricane Houses were meant to withstand worst-case
weather scenarios, a novel departure from other Florida Keys residences built for comfort
under average conditions and removal or abandonment under extremes. Over 80 years later,
at least 20 still stand and none are known to have been destroyed in subsequent
hurricanes. This paper expands on the environmental, political, and technical influences
leading to the construction of Hurricane Houses. |
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Nannini, S. |
2020 |
Icelandic Concrete Surfaces: Guðjón Samúelsson’s Steining (1930–50) in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 541-52 |
In the United Kingdom, pebbledash has been associated either with the experiments of the arts and crafts
movement, or with the dull and grey legacy of Postwar housing [43]. Despite the technical similarities, the
Icelandic Steining stemmed from a distinct history and was granted a completely different future. When it was
first employed in the 1930s, it physically reflected the country’s material shortage and the national pride for the
development of Icelandic architecture. When it was rediscovered in the 1990s, Steining was not treated as a
burden from the past, but as key quality of Iceland’s twentieth-century built heritage. Indeed, Steining can be
placed on the thin line that divides nature and artificiality, once again highlighting one of the many dichotomies
characterising concrete as a building material and method [44]. Although his invention did not differ enough from
other render techniques to be granted a patent, Guðjón Samúlsson was able to project a variety of meanings that
could change the way one would look at his Steining surfaces. Icelandic economic struggle, resource scarcity,
geology, nationalism, and architectural experimentations were all condensed into a single, yet expressive, layer of
concrete render |
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Rusak, M/ |
2020 |
Norwegian Systems Architecture: Timber Prefabrication of Moelven Brug in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 553-64 |
A Norwegian State Oil company annual report from 1981 presents an image “of the world’s heaviest tow”: a
colossal 643.000-ton concrete structure is about to be drowned to become a part of the new Statfjord oil platform
near Stavanger, Norway [1] (Fig.1). Curiously, at the bottom of this colossal structure stands a seemingly
out-of-place two-floor timber house. This juxtaposition between a feat of industrial engineering and a simple
wooden structure is however misleading: the house is a product of one of the most sophisticated timber
prefabrication systems in Europe, a mid-century Norwegian tour-de-force of industrial rationalisation of a
traditional craft. Produced by Moelven Brug – a former sawmill turned to prefabrication – this structure resulted
from a vision of a networked production system with a peculiar set of client relations, reflective of a definitive
moment in time within industrialising post-WWII Norway. Moelven structures were crucial for the project of
Norwegian modernity: they closely accompanied industrialisation, welfare state development and oil adventure,
and became an intrinsic part of the new, rational everyday landscape, a technologically driven consumption
paradise of the 1960s. |
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Boller, G. & Schwartz, J. |
2020 |
Modelling the form. Heinz Isler, Frei Otto and their approaches to form-finding in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 565-76 |
Frei Otto started his design explorations looking closely at
natural phenomena, analysing them through a scientific approach. Somehow, he put science into his form finding
methods and they helped him in the definition of the correct design solution for every proposed problem. Heinz
Isler, instead, used nature mainly as a formal reference. His form finding devices were much more related to a
traditional craftmanship that confined physical laws to an immediate understanding of structures and for this
reason, they were also powerful as a communicative tool, allowing him to present his shells through his physical
experiments. Acting as a consultant engineer in most of his collaborative projects, it seems that his most
recognized expertise at that time was in the development of complex measuring experimental devices, to validate
the proposed design. This recognition is quite different from the one for which he is well-known in the
engineering community today: he stands as the reference for an innovative experimental approach to shell design,
based on form finding models. As highlighted in the projects studied in this text, his scientific contribution seems
to be more related to validating experimental methods, through which he was able to confirm or correct the shape
designed by someone else, rather than to the form finding physical models. From this perspective, Heinz Isler’s
contribution to the free form shells that are considered his masterpieces needs to be examined more closely: if in
the cases analysed the form was mainly defined by the architect and Isler helped in its further definition and
validation, is it still possible to consider the form to be found purely through Isler’s form finding method,
subordinating the role of the architect involved in the design process? These questions arise in the broader
understanding of Heinz Isler’s contribution to the history of engineering and culture and open up a different
understanding of his work, with |
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Mendoza, M. & Ruiz-Funes, J I. del C. |
2020 |
Preservation and conservation of Felix Candela’s historic concrete shell: Los Manantiales restaurant in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 577-86 |
In 1958, and commissioned by the Joaquín Álvarez Ordóñez, Candela built Los Manantiales restaurant,
one of his most famous thin-shell concrete structures on the banks of the Xochimilco
canals. To this date Xochimilco is primarily a recreational area in the Southern part of
Mexico City and in 1987 it was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Formed by an eight-sided
groined vault, Los Manantiales concrete shell covers an area of 900 square meters, and which
represents the best of many examples of ‘free edge’ concrete shells built by Cubiertas
Ala. |
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Mendoza, M. et al |
2020 |
The Cosmic Rays Pavilion: the first hypar concrete shell in Latin-America, constructed at Ciudad Universitaria campus, Mexico City (UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 587-98 |
The Cosmic Rays Pavilion at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, is one of the most iconic
structures built as part of the original master plan of Ciudad Universitaria campus in Mexico City. The structure
was designed and built in 1952 by the Spanish born architect Felix Candela who had recently co-founded the
construction company Cubiertas Ala. This innovative hypar concrete structure was the seventh concrete shell built
by Candela at that time and was also the first hypar thin-shell concrete built in Latin-America. Furthermore, the
construction methods that Candela developed for this hypar shell were pioneering of its time, not only Mexico but
around the world. It is estimated that the life-span of reinforced concrete is in the range of 50-100 years and this is
very much depending on the maintenance and repair that is given to the structure. The site visits and surveys
presented in this paper have shown that the sixty-eight-year-old hypar concrete shell of the Cosmic Rays Pavilion
has been damaged due to inadequate maintenance and poor repair. Considering the importance of its architectural
it is paramount to ensure that the adequate conservation techniques and procedures are followed to maximise the
life-span and effective use of the pavilion. |
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Dobbels, J. |
2020 |
Delineating construction competences and expertise. Analysis of twentieth-century dispute settlement by the Brussels’ contracting company Entreprises Générales Henri Ruttiens et Fils in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, p 599 |
Therefore, this paper analyses three disputes of the Brussels’ general contracting company Entreprises Générales
Henri Ruttiens et Fils (1878-2000) in order to capture the delineation of this contractor’s professional
competences. The archival documents relating to this company’s disputes from the period 1960-1980 are
preserved in the company archive, which has been donated to the Belgian State Archives [6]. The dispute files
contain correspondence between the different parties, correspondence with their lawyers, court files, reports from
experts, excerpts from publications that were used to support theirs claims, etc. Disputes from this period offer
insights into the professional functioning of Belgian contractors, who obtained a legal embedding in 1964 with
the Law on business licenses for contractors. How was this reflected in day-to-day construction practice? In the
analysis, the content of these disputes is studied: what were the causes of these conflicts? How did the involved
parties specify their responsibilities and competences? Since such twentieth-century construction disputes have
only been studied sporadically, explicit attention is paid to the different forms and procedures of dispute
settlement in the construction sector. In order to do so, the key issue of (judicial) experts and expertise is first
discussed. |
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Albuerne, A/ |
2020 |
Robin Hood Gardens: Reinforced concrete design and construction of a museum artefact in reinforced concrete in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 611-24 |
Robin Hood Gardens (RHG) estate is one of the best known and most influential projects by London-based
architects Alison and Peter Smithson. Constructed between 1968 and 1972, it gave the Smithsons the first [1]
(and final [2]) opportunity to implement their innovative ideas for mass housing. These included the streets in the
sky concept, reproduced in many housing projects to follow. The influence of this project is further reflected in
the number of articles, books and theses written about the design, interpretation and social functioning of this
New Brutalism icon [3].
A controversial project from the early years, RHG was loved by some and despised by others [4]. Judged unfit for
living, in 2015 it was condemned to demolition after losing its second battle for listing that culminated a 10-year
struggle to save the estate, led by The Twentieth Century Society and supported by eminent members of the
architecture community [5] (e.g. Zaha Hadid, Peter St John or Richard Rogers, among others). |
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Giannetti, I. |
2020 |
Reinforced concrete, industry and design: Balency prefabricated panels between France and Italy in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 625-38 |
Similarly to the pattern of the stages of reinforced concrete development in the years 1900-1950,
the main actors in this brave age of late modernity were prefabricated-systems patents. Throughout
the massive industrialization undergone by building since the late 1940s to tackle housing
shortage, patents afforded the means to make technical innovations commercially
available; thanks to patents, in fact, performances (essential when dealing with
industrial products) could be codified. At the same time, the intellectual property of
products could be protected, so as to allow them to be used in a wide range of markets.In this context, it is meaningful to trace the journey of inventions between France and Italy, that
is to say between a country that since the 1940s had been embracing building industrialization to
make public housing planning decisions, and nearby Italy, which was quite backward from a
technological point of view, as was confirmed by the 1949 decision to boost craftsmanship applied
to building in the INA-casa plan (the main plan laying down the
guidelines for the country`s housing and employment innovations) [1]. |
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Ladinski, V. B. |
2020 |
The Legacy of the Émigré Russian Architects in Former Yugoslavia in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 639-50 |
Based on the official 1921 Census [18] there were 25,615 Ukrainians and 20,568 Russians in the Kingdom of
Serbs, Croats and Slovenes thus making them 0.21 per cent and 0.17 per cent, respectively, of the
overall population in
the country. Therefore, this research investigates the contribution and the built legacy of the émigré Russian
architects in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and the successor states. This study
provides further contribution to the increasing interest in the architecture and construction in
the former Yugoslavia and its successor states, and is based on a review of mostly secondary
sources, access to materials available in the National Archive of the
Republic of North Macedonia, as well as visits to some of the remaining buildings. |
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Fuentes, P. & Guerra-Pestonit, R. A. |
2020 |
The Vaults of Sint-Theresia’s church in Dilbeek (Belgium): Tradition and Innovation in Tile Vaults in the 20th Century in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 651-64 |
Tile vaults are a particular type of vault built without centering. Thin bricks (tiles) are placed flatwise, creating a
thin surface formed by one or more layers of bricks. The bricks are set with plaster mortar. Plaster mortar hardens
very fast, providing a cohesive bond that holds the bricks in place during construction without the need of a
centering. The lightness of these vaults, together with the few constructional means that are required, make of this
technique a very economic one. Historically, tile vaults have been used in Mediterranean countries, such as Spain,
south-east of France, and Italy. At the end of the nineteenth century, Rafael Guastavino (1842-1908) exported this
technique to the United States, where he built thousands of vaults. This story is well-known [1]. However, what it
is not so well-known is the transmission of tile vaults to the rest of Europe. An ongoing research project about the
history of the construction of Belgian vaults has discovered that this technique was introduced in Belgium at the
beginning of the twentieth century, not only in churches but also in museums, palaces and other representative
buildings [2]. There is no evidence of earlier tile vaults in the country. However, between 1900 and 1950,
hundreds of tile vaults were built in Belgium, and several contractors were specialized in this technique.
This paper explains the context of the construction of tile vaults in Belgium and studies the tile vaults of the
church of Sint-Theresia van het kind Jezus, in Dilbeek with their innovations in construction and geometry |
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Rinke, M. & Haddadi, R. |
2020 |
Transforming the traditional timber roof – the sports hall in
Birsfelden as an early glulam application in Switzerland in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 665-78 |
The beginning of the twentieth century marks a decisive point of transition for timber construction. After the
development of large span structures in the nineteenth century using new structural and constructional typologies
based on newly established scientific methods, the construction industry sought to push the construction of the
material itself. Based on the experience with the fabrication of smaller, precisely shaped timber components,
German master carpenter Otto Hetzer was granted the first patent for glue-laminated timber in 1906 [1]. One of the earliest contributors to the glulam development are the Swiss engineers Bernhard
Terner and Charles Chopard who acquired the Hetzer patent in 1908 and the exclusive right in Switzerland [3].
During the following 24 years, they developed many extraordinary and internationally acknowledged glulam
structures and established an early high-profile timber engineering focus in Switzerland. Apart from these
celebrated and widely published large-scale structures [4], many exceptional smaller applications are part of their
portfolio, mostly in roof structures and low-rise urban developments. |
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Van de Voorde, S. & Raaffels, L. |
2020 |
The private house of engineer Jean-Marie Huberty and its hypar roof. A unique experiment in concrete construction in Belgium in the 1960s in Campbell, J. et al, Steel and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Construction History Society, pp 679-92 |
In 1961-64, Jean-Marie Huberty (1932-2014) built a modest house for himself and his family, somewhat
concealed on a plot in La Hulpe, located a few kilometres south-east of Brussels (Fig.1). Fair-faced concrete was
used extensively. The unique character of this house is further enhanced by the experimental nature of the roof: it
was constructed as a thin shell in reinforced concrete only 5 centimetres thick, composed of two adjacent
hyperbolic paraboloid surfaces, spanning roughly 10 by 20 metres. For the design of this unusual, daring roof
structure, Huberty called in the help of engineer André Paduart (1914-85), Belgium’s key figure when it comes to
thin shells in reinforced concrete. It was carried out by a local contractor, who had little experience in reinforced
concrete construction, in an almost archaic way.
The analysis of the house is mainly based on interviews with Jean-Marie Huberty and documents from his private
archive [1]. The highly experimental design and construction of the house captures one’s imagination, yet it is
almost completely absent from the history of concrete architecture in Belgium. In this paper, we will analyse the
construction history of this one-off experiment, including the contribution of each of the actors involved, the
relationship between them and their motivations, in order to (re)position this unique building in the history of
concrete architecture. |
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Gouzouguec, S., and Rapin, T. |
2006 |
Architecture in Paris in the second half of the 14th C: the Middle Ages seen through the eyes of the accountants. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1363-1374 |
Conference paper examining the construction history of buildings erected for Charles V and Charles VI, but demolished from the early 15th century, using financial records. Though edited and published from the and of the 19th C, the published versions differ from the primary sources in several respects. The paper uses two example buildings to demonstrate the importance of using primary rather than secondary sources: the College Dormans-Beauvais (1378-1384) and the Hotel de Nesle-Jean (c. 1390). |
France, 14th century, medieval, Valois, Royal, methodological, historiographical, |
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Graciani, A. |
2006 |
Notes on ’Tapia Walls’ in Seville (Spain) during the 16th Century in the Modern Age. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1375-1386. |
Conference paper examining the technology and use of timber-framed, lime-bound, rammed-earth walling in Spain during the Middle Ages and Early Modern period. |
Spain, earth, medieval, wall, Moorish |
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Graf, F. |
2006 |
Construction History and its role in the conservation of contemporary buildings: case studies of curtain walling by Mare Saugey in Geneva (Switzerland) 1951-7 and 2000-5. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1387 - 1408 |
Conference paper examining the value of Construction History to the management and conservation of 20th C buildings, particularly non-retail buildings and those with curtain-wall envelopes. Case studies: The Mont Blanc Centre (1951-4), The Terreaux-Cornavin Office Block (1951-55), The Gare Centre Tenement and Commercial Building (1954-57), |
20th Century, Twentieth, conservation, contemporary, cladding, curtain wall |
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Grau, J., and Garcia, J. |
2006 |
Technological and Industrial Colonisation. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1409-1418. |
Conference paper combining Construction History and ethnography in a comparison of traditional construction processes in India and Spain and mechanisms of global knowledge transfer. |
Spain, India, vernacular, knowledge transfer |
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Guardigli, L. |
2006 |
Ildebrando Tabarroni, Ingeneure: Construction in Bologna between the two world wars. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1419-1440. |
Conference paper examining the professional life of I. Tabarroni between 1905 and the late 1950, based on his personal archives donated to the University of Bologna. Includes his patented floor systems that use expanded metal lath (EML) of 1903, designs for an earthquake-resistant churches and houses, the Fascist colony of Rimini, social housing projects. |
Italy, 20th century, engineer, seismic |
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Vega, J.M.G., and Bejarano, M.R. |
2006 |
The origins of the Wine House architecture in Jerez de la Frontera: an analysis of the Bodegas built in the 16th and 17th centuries. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1441-1454. |
Conference paper examining the layout, structures and construction of the vast underground wine cellars of Spain, using primary archives sources including drawings and specifications from the late 16th C. Identifies individual designers and contractors and the specific techniques and terminology of these structures. |
Spain, vaults, cellars, 16th, 17th, masonry, contracts, designs, specifications. |
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Guy, J.L. |
2006 |
Building construction practice in the Colony of New South wales from the arrival of the First Fleet to the end of the Primitive Era and its influence in later time. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1476-1500 |
Conference paper examining how european construction practice was exported to Australia in the late 18th and early 19th century, under the peculiar circumstances of a penal colony. Case studies of surviving primary buildings: Early Convict Huts, Sydney; Convict Huts, Parramatta; Government House, Sydney Cove; St Phillips Church, Church Hill; Elizabeth Farm, Parramatta; St John’s Church, Parramatta; Government House, Parramatta; Ebenezer Church, Hawkesbury River; Dundullimal, Dubbo; Cottage, Hill End. |
Australia, 18th, 19th, colony, colonisation, colonialism, convicts, knowledge transfer |
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Hahmann, L. |
2006 |
How stiff is a curved timber plank? Historical discussions about Curved Plank structures. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1501-1516 |
Conference paper examining the development of arched and domed structures using laminated plank elements from the Renaissance to the 20th century. Case studies: Halle au Ble, Paris; La Muette; ARGE Hochofenhalle; Bunte Brueke; Berlin cattle market. People: Leonardo da Vinci, Serlio, de L’Orme, Gilly, Eytelwein, Voit, Romberg, Karsten, Funk, Ardant, Navier, |
France, Germany, Switzerland, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, timber, composite, laminated |
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Haseley, A. |
2006 |
Masonry construction in Olympia, Greece during the Roman Imperial period- mapping, classification and dating. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1517-1540 |
Conference paper examining the Romanisation of Greece during the Roman Imperial period, when Greece became the first mass tourist destination of the Ancient World, as manifest in the archaeological remains of Roman and Romanized Greek structures. Identifies changes in construction practice and materials. Case studies: The southwest baths, Olympia; Greek Hypocaust Bath, Olympia; Kladeos Bath, Olympia; Leonidaion, Olympia; North Bath, Olympia; Nympaeum of Herodes Atticus; Workshop of Pheidias; House of Nero; |
Classical Greece, Roman, Olympia, Imperial |
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van der Heijden, J., Visscher, H., and Meijer, F. |
2006 |
Shifting responsibilities in building control in the Netherlands: a historical perspective. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1541-1554 |
Conference paper examining how building regulations and building control has developed in the Netherlands from the Middle Ages, and how it might evolve. |
Netherlands, regulations, control, medieval, 17th, 18th, 19th. |
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Heres, B. |
2006 |
The iron roof trusses of the New Hermitage in St Petersburg - structural survey, analysis and assessment of a masterpiece of structural steelwork from the 1840s. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1555-1568. |
Conference paper presenting an archaeological, historical and statical study of the iron/steel roof trusses of the New Hermitage and the rest of the World Heritage site. Possibly some confusion between iron and steel and doesn’t appear to recognise the long history of iron construction in Russia, but otherwise a useful study. |
Russia, 19th, iron, steel, Demidov, Bauforschung, buildings-archaeology, statics |
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Heyman, J. |
2006 |
Timber Vaults. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1569-1578. |
Conference paper examining the apparent imitation of masonry vaults using timber during the Middle Ages. Using York Minster, St Albans and Lincoln cathedrals as case studies, the paper reviews the mechanics of Gothic quadripartite stone vaults, noting that the diagonal ribs are the main structural elements. The ribs are also the main elements of a timebr vault; far from imitating masonry construction, medieval carpenters built their vaults to reflect correct structural action. In detail, however, the webs of the two types of vaults distribute their loads to the ribs in different ways. Masonry webs cannot resist tension and act primarily as compressive shells. The planks of a timber vault, however, can act in bending, so an arching action in the webs is not required. |
Vaults, timber, Gothic, statics, analysis, medieval, compression, tension. |
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Holton, A. |
2006 |
The working space of the medieval Master Mason: the tracing houses of York Minster and Wells Cathedral. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1579-1598. |
Conference paper presenting an archaeo-spatial analysis of the working spaces of medieval Master masons, particularly those containing plaster-covered tracing floors. Were they built specially or just commandeered; were they used for specific parts of the construction process; can they illustrate working practices ?. Uses sequential and 3D graphic analyses. |
Britain, medieval, masonry, tracing, design, BIM, ecclesiastical |
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How, C. |
2006 |
Translated tradition in the Portland Bay Settlement. Traditional timber framing techniques in a cultural development - some features revealed in the Steam Packet Inn, Portland, Victoria, Australia. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1599-1618. |
Conference paper examining the transfer of timber framing technology and construction from Britain to Australia in the early 19th C, revealing a continuity of East Anglian construction practice and the birth of Australian vernacular framing. |
Australia, 18th, 18th, timber framing, knowledge transfer, carpentry, balloon frames |
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Huerta, S., and Ruiz, A. |
2006 |
Some notes on Gothic building processes: the expertises of Segovia Cathedral. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1619-1632. |
Conference paper examining how large Gothic structures such as cathedrals were constructed, based on late medieval documentary sources such as contemporaneous technical literature (mainly Spanish) and ’expertises’ - i.e. the analyses of independent specialists engaged by project sponsors to address specific problems. Specifically: while Heyman has established the statics of such structures, the buildings and component structures must have been in equilibrium during the construction process, implying the use of substantial temporary supports. Principal names: Rodrigo Gil de Hontanon (1500-1577), Enrique Egas (fl. 1532), Francisco de Colonia (fl. 1536). |
Spain, 16th, cathedral, gothic, masonry, statics, scaffolding, temporary supports, archives |
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Hurst, L. |
2006 |
The rise and fall of the use of bond timbers in brick buildings in England. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1633-1654. |
Conference paper examining the methods used by early bricklayers in England to incorporate tension-bearing members within brickwork. Bond timbers are a feature of buildings world-wide, especially in seismically active areas, but were a feature of nearly all brick buildings built in England throughout the 18th and until about the middle of the 19th C. Initially installed in the inner skin of the outer walls, they were latterly employed in the central/internal walls where they were known as ’chain bonds’. Presents drawings of buildings under construction in early 19th C London showing the practice. |
Britain, 18th, 19th, brickwork, lacing, reinforcement. |
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Isohata, H. |
2006 |
Construction History in education - why and how it should be learned. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1655-1672 |
Conference paper examining the value of Construction History, as an academic discipline, to the teaching of contemporary construction practice, with specific reference to Japan. The development of the Japanese construction industry is discussed and the awareness of a cultural and historical profile for civil engineering clarified. Case studies of the teaching of Construction History in civil engineering colleges are examined. Finally, the role of Construction History in education more generally is explored. |
Japan, 20th C, education, teaching, training |
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Esteban, S.I. |
2006 |
International and universal exhibitions: new building construction techniques in Spanish pavilions from 1937-2000. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1673-1684 |
Conference paper examining the significance of exhibition pavilions as vehicles for architectural and construction experimentation. Commencing with the Spanish pavilion at the Paris Exhibition of 1937, it discusses works by: Sert (1902-1983), Lacasa (1899-1966), Corrales (1921-), Molezin (1922-1994), Carvajal (1926-), Lasso (1920-1995), Cruz (1948-) and Ortiz (1947-). |
Spain, Spanish, 20th, recreational |
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Jackson, M., Kosso, C., Marra, F., and Hay, R. |
2006 |
Geological basis of Vitruvius’ empirical observations of material characteristics of rock utilized in Roman masonry. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1685-1704. |
Conference paper examining the material characteristics and sources of building stone used in Roman masonry, and the manner in which Vitruvius described them. The paper concludes that Vitruvius’ observations and opinions were/are authoritative. |
Italy, Roman, masonry, Vitruvius, Tuff, Travertine, Bolsena, analysis, thin-section |
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Janssen, J. |
2006 |
On construction and the rise of wage labour 1349-1563. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1705-1718. |
Conference paper presenting a Marxist analysis of the forces effecting innovation in building design and construction during the Middle Ages. |
Britain, medieval, capitalism, marxism, supply and demand. |
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Anaya, J., Azpilicueta, E., and Casinello, P. |
2006 |
Historical patents and the evolution of Twentieth Century architectural construction with reinforced and pre-stressed concrete. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1719-1740 |
Conference paper summarising the development of concrete-based construction in the 20th C through an analysis of patents. Concentrates on Spanish buildings, designers and patents but refers to the French and German precursors. Well illustrated with, for instance, photographs of reinforcement bar anchors etc. |
Spain, concrete, patents, 20th, Monier, Freysinnet, |
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Jost, H-U. |
2006 |
The introduction of reinforced concrete in Switzerland (1890-1914): social and cultural aspects. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1741 -1754. |
Conference paper examining the social and cultural factors that facilitated and challenged the introduction of reinforced concrete as a building material to Switzerland. Case studies: Stauffacher Bridge (1899), Tavanasa Bridge (1905), Devil Bridge on the Gotthard (1883), Altdorf Grain Siloes (1912-13). |
Switzerland, concrete, reinforced concrete, Heimatschutz, bridge |
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Kahlow, A. |
2006 |
Johann August Roebling (1806-1869): early projects in context. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1755-1776. |
Conference paper examining the formative years, education and training in Germany of the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge. |
Germany, USA, suspension bridges, wire, 19th |
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Kazaks, V., and Kazaks, K. |
2006 |
Development of a national program for identifying, investigating and preservation of ’Endangered Handicrafts’. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1777-1792. |
Conference paper presenting a slightly polemical analysis of the need for a Heimatschutz-type programme to preserve vernacular traditions in Latvia. |
Latvia, vernacular, crafts, 20th |
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Kierdorf, A. |
2006 |
Early Mushroom Slab construction in Switzerland, Russia and the USA - a study in parallel technological development. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1793-1808. |
Conference paper examining the circumstances under which parallel technological developments in reinforced concrete design and construction took place in several countries, and the possible effect of trade literature on those developments. Case studies: C.A.P. Turner (USA), Robert Maillart (Switzerland and Russia), Artur Loleit (Russia), Max Mayer, Henri Marcus, Victor Lewes (Germany). |
Concrete, 19th, 20th, patents, innovation, knowledge transfer. |
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Kurrer, K-E. |
2006 |
On the relationship between construction engineering and strength of materials in Gerstner’s ’Handbook of Mechanics’. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1809-1828. |
Conference paper examining the seminal work of Franz Joseph Ritter von Gerstner (1756-1832) as an engineer, scientist and educational reformer during the early 19th century, partly as a consequence of the defeat, by Revolutionary France, of the Imperial Army of German states. This lead, in part, to the establishment of the second oldest technical university in the world at Prague in 1808. Concentrates on his experiments and publications about the material strengths of construction materials. |
Europe, Austro-Hungarian Empire, 18th, 19th, analyses, innovation, knowledge transfer |
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Lancaster, L. |
2006 |
Large freestanding barrel vaults in the Roman Empire: a comparison of structural techniques. Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 1829-1844. |
Conference paper examining the innovative ways Roman engineers achieved the structural goals realised by barrel vaults using different materials and methods in different parts of the Empire between AD1900 and AD200. Case studies: Temple of Divine Hadrian (Rome), Sanctuary of Sulis Minerva (Bath), Theatre Baths (Argos). |
Roman, masonry, barrel vaults, 1st century AD |
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How, C. |
2020 |
Historic nail development and morphology as a way of developing dating methods. PhD Thesis, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. |
The definitive study of the history of nails as chronologically specific industrial artefacts and building components. Collating thousands of dated nails from archaeological excavations and building surveys from across the world, together with a critical review of published work. Metallurgy, manual and machine production, distribution and use and the chronological and geographical variations therein. Excellent illustrations including high quality line drawings identifying the morphological characteristics of the principal types |
nails, nagel, clout, metallurgy, fastenings |
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Gallotta, E. |
2019 |
Le mur E sur les pentes meridionales du Palatin a Rome: histoire de la construction et relations avec le contexte in Bienvenu, G., Rousteau Chambon, H. & Monteil, M., Construire ! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, actes du 3eme Congrès Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes 21-23 June 2017), pp. 55-66. |
Raphaël fut le premier à comprendre que l’architecture de Rome antique, aujourd’hui appauvrie d’ornements et de fonctions, se réduit à ses aspects constructifs qui lui donnent l’image de « ...os du corps sans chair... » (Lettre à Léon X, 1519). L’étude des structures archéologique s’appuie sur une méthodologie que privilégie l’observation directe et l’analyse en vis-à-vis, en devenant leurs mêmes sources historiques en absence d’autres données documentaires. Cette méthodologie a été expérimentée dans l’étude d’un mur en maçonnerie (« Mur E ») sur les pentes sud-ouest du Palatin: il se prolonge sur une cinquantaine de mètres et se développe en hauteur sur une dizaine. En particulier, il se trouve en aval du contexte monumental où est bâti la Maison d’Auguste, qui faisait partie d’un sanctuaire sacré dont les restitutions considèrent le Mur E comme la limite d’une terrasse projetée vers le Cirque Maxime. Cependant, l’analyse des aspects structuraux de ses élévations a révélé une histoire plus compliquée : les nouvelles connaissances sur la construction, la stratigraphie et la chronologie ont permis d’identifier un système de substructures couvertes de voûtes en berceau, dont le Mur E était un élément essentiel. Les travaux ont été conduits en se basant sur les études publiées, l’observation directe et le relevé architectural, en intégrant de manière opportune les sources iconographiques (du IIIe au XXe siècle) et épigraphiques (timbres sur briques). Les représentations graphiques ont comparé les techniques constructives/matériaux et la chronologie proposée par les archéologues, identifiant les relations entre les éléments architecturaux du Mur E et de l’environs immédiat. |
archéologie, architecte, archéologue, sources, structure, chantier |
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Langenbach, R. |
2006 |
Saga of the half-timbered skyscraper: what does half-timbered construction have to do with the Chicago Frame ?, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1845-1866 |
Conference paper examining the structural relationship between timber-framed buildings of Europe and metal-framed tall buildings of America, and the historical development of the latter, with reference to earthquake-resistant buildings of Europe and Western Asia. |
frame, timber, skyscraper, earthquake, Chicago |
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Larson, N. |
2006 |
Building a stone house in Ulster County, New York in 1751, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1867-1883 |
Conference paper examining the cultural, economic and technological factors effecting the construction of stone houses in NE America in the 18th century, and the specific histories of several case study buildings incl. the Bevier House, the Daniel Hasbrouck House, Bevier-Elting House. . |
USA, America, 18th century, stone, masonry, Dutch, colonies, emigration |
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Lavigne, O. |
2006 |
Tool marks and construction in ancient Tanis. in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1883-1900. |
Conference paper examining how identification and study of masonry tool marks can elucidate the construction history of ancient Egyptian structures revealed through archaeological excavation such as at Tanis. Presents a methodology and a summary description of the structure known as Petrie’s Well; then descriptions of the quarry, evidence of preparatory cutting in the workshops, in-situ cutting and final dressing. Very well illustrated with plans, photographs and reconstruction drawings illustrating the conclusions. |
Egypt, Tanis, Amon, masonry, quarrying, dressing, sanctuary, temple |
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Lennie, L., and Banfill, P. |
2006 |
A heritage of shops: an investigation into the evolution of historic shopfronts in Perth and Perthshire, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1901-1920. |
Conference paper examining the historical development of shopfronts in Scotland, with particular reference to Perthshire, and proposals for their conservation. Considers the influence of local and national designers from the later 19th C until the end of WW2, together with an examination of the styles, materials they adopted. Presents a summary economic, social and architectural history of shops and then a detailed gazetteer of known designers active during the late 19th - mid 20th C. |
Scotland, 19th C, shops, shopfront, retail |
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Leslie, T. |
2006 |
’Buildings without walls’: Curtain wall development in Chicago architecture of the 1890s, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1921-1936. |
Conference paper examining the structural history of the skyscraper in Chicago during the late 19th and 20th C with reference to the principal exemplars, viz: the Home Insurance Building (1885), the Tacoma Building (1889), the Reliance Building (1895), the Fisher Building (1896). In this case, the term ’curtain wall’ refers to the infill panels within the steel frame, not the basement walling method. |
USA, America, Chicago, 19th C, skyscraper, frame, steel |
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Lewis, M. |
2006 |
Puncheons and dragons: Renaissance carpentry and semantics, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1937-1956. |
Conference paper examining the etymology and function of diagonal ’dragon beams’ in timber construction, drawing on Italian and French models and their British expression. Well illustrated. |
Britain, 17th, 18th, timber, frame, Fachwerkbauweise, dragon, ties, diagonals |
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Lopez, G. |
2006 |
Poleni’s manuscript about the dome of St Peter’s, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1957-1980. |
Conference paper examining 18th C concerns about the stability of the dome of S. Peter’s basilica in Rome, and how those concerns were addressed through survey and mathematical modelling presented in a ’parere’ by Boscovich, Le Seur, Jacquier and finally Giovanni Poleni (1683-1761). Explains contemporaneous understandings of arches, vaults and domes; survey and inspection methods; the roles of professionals and academics in 18th C Italy; and the remedial measures available. |
Italy, Rome, 18th C, domes, statics, repair, failure, survey, theory |
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Iori, T. |
2006 |
Engineers in Italian architecture: the role of reinforced concrete in the first half of the Twentieth Century, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1981-1996. |
Conference paper examining the introduction and development of reinforced concrete in Italy, using sources at the Italian Patents Office Archives and specialist engineering magazines. To what extent was the technique imported, what role did the post-earthquake reconstruction of Messina and Reggio play, what role did Italians play in the international debate on the application of classical theory to a non-homogenous material, and how were limitations on the use of steel in Italy’s autarchic period overcome. Well illustrated with photographs of the principal structures, incl. Social Theatre in Rovigio (1902-4), Risorgimento Bridge in Rome (1911), Post Office in Bologna (1933-5) |
Italy, 19th, 20th, reinforced concrete, beton armee, eisenbeton, cemento armato |
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Louw, H. |
2006 |
Greeks, Romans and Goths in an age of iron, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 1997-2016. |
Conference paper positing that the so-called ’iron problem’ of mid 19th C British architecture is a much deeper cultural phenomenon that has conditioned architectural thinking throughout the Victorian period and beyond. |
Britain, 19th, iron, steel, pre-fabrication |
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Lynch, G., Watt, D., and Colston, B. |
2006 |
An investigation of hand tools used for English cut-and-rubbed and gauged brickwork, in J. W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol. 2, pp 2017-2037. |
Conference paper examining the history and practice of decorative brickwork using bricks that have been cut to shape. Presents a definition of ’rubbing’, the characteristics of the bricks and their fabric, its history in Britain from the 14th C, the tools and how they were used. Well illustrated and supported by extracts from contemporaneous trade literature. |
Britain, bricks, brickwork, gauging |
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Malvezzi, R., Alessandri, C., and Mallardo, V. |
2006 |
On the seismic vulnerability of a Renaissance ’Palce with Loggia’: a Limit Analysis approach, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2055-2076. |
Conference paper presenting the results of the first analysis of the seismic vulnerability of an historic building in Italy, as required by Italian law. The case study building - the Palace of San Francesco or the Palace of Renata di Francia in Ferrara - is a brickwork building of the early 16th C. The analysis comprised a ’kinematic’ study of the statics of the building, particularly of the connections between the structural components, based on a 3D lazer scan and comprehensive historical study of the building and comparable archetypes. |
Italy, Renaissance, 16th, statics, seismic, BIM, brickwork |
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Marconi, N. |
2006 |
Machine and symbol: between tradition in the execution and technical progress. The erection of the Marian Column in Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (1613-1614), in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2077-2094. |
Conference paper examining the logistical challenges facing 17th C Italian architects and engineers in the transport and erection of the Marian Column monument in central Rome. Presents a history of the project, the principle people involved and an explanation of the mechanical devices created to achieve it. Well illustrated with contemporary drawings and
a photograph of a contemporaneous scale model of the scaffolding used. |
Italy, 17th , baroque, scaffolding, temporary works, Fontana, Maderno, |
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Marin-Palma, A., et al |
2006 |
The ceiling panelwork of the Hunters’ Lounge in the Infantado Palace in Guadalajara, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2095-2110. |
Conference paper presenting a reconstruction of the structure and appearance of the carved wooden ceiling of a 15th C palace in Spain, destroyed in 1936, based on historical research, archaeological analysis and 3D graphic modelling. Names the sponsors and craftsmen involved in the 15th C and presents an explanation of the how carved ceilings of this type were created. |
Spain, 15th, baroque, BIM, ceiling, gualderas, testeros, almizate, harnerulo, peinazos |
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Martens, P. |
2006 |
Construction and destruction of military architecture in the mid 16th century Low Countries: some observations on labour force, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2111-2124. |
Conference paper examining how military fortifications were constructed in Europe in the 16th century, their effect on town development, and how they were purposely dismantled once redundant. Very detailed analysis of the labour requirements of construction and decommissioning, based on archive sources and historical treatises.. |
Netherlands, 16th, military, fortifications, defences, labour, engineering |
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Mateus, J.M. |
2006 |
The science of fortification in Malta in the context of European architectural treatises and military academics, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2125-2138. |
Conference paper explaining that analysis of the fortifications of Malta, and anywhere else, can be understood only with prior understanding of the contemporaneous influence of military and civil engineering theory as articulated in engineering treatises of the 15th and 16th centuries. Presents a summary history of military engineering in Europe, the principal published works and their authors, and a comparison of the different approaches adopted. |
Malta, 16th , military, fortifications, defences, engineering |
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Mende, M. |
2006 |
The crucial impact of improvements in steel-making and rolling on 19th and early 20th century building construction, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2159-2170. |
Conference paper examining how technological developments in the production of raw materials and components effects the design and construction of buildings, with specific reference to the production of rolled iron and steel beams in Europe. Presents a detailed history of the production of the ’I’ beam and its chronologically specific morphological variations. |
Germany, France, 19th, ’I-beams’, RSJ, iron, steel, rolling, manufacture |
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Menghini, A.B. |
2006 |
Building traditions and technical innovations in the Mediterranean. Architecture in 1930s Apulia: Gaetano Minnucci’s Accademia Marinari in Brindisi, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2171-2188. |
Conference paper examining how Italian architects and engineers of the autarchy period adapted Classical architecture to the use of reinforced concrete to create stunning and functional buildings, using the Accademia Marinari at Brindisi as a case study. This will be interesting to anyone studying the Nazi colossus of Prora, which was clearly influenced by this Italian prototype. |
Italy, 20th, concrete, Fascists, Prora, educational |
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Mileto, C., Vegas, F., and Garcia, J.A. |
2006 |
Stratigraphic study of Hernando de Zafra Arab baths in Granada, Spain, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2189-2202. |
Conference paper presenting an archaeological analysis of the Arab-built baths of Granada, demonstrating the structure’s complex chronological development and history of repair and modification, together with a summary history of Arab baths and later European appreciation of them. . |
Spain, Moorish, baths, archaeology, Bauforschung, BIM |
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Miquel, M., Montero, E., and Serra, A. |
2006 |
Factors of technical innovation in Valencian architecture during the Medieval and Modern Ages: learning, know-how and inspiring admiration, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2203-2223. |
Conference paper examining the cultural factors effecting the aesthetic and technological development of Valencian architecture between the 14th and 16th centuries, with specific reference to stereotomy and decorative masonry. |
Spain, renaissance, 14th, 15th, 16th, stereotomy, drawing, knowledge transfer, innovation |
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Mislin, M. |
2006 |
The planning and building process of two Paris bridges in the sixteenth and seventeenth century, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2223-2240. |
Conference paper examining the technical and spatial innovation represented by the Pont Notre Dame and Pont Marie in Paris, the first known bridges built on piled foundations. Presents the people and processes involved in the spatial and engineering design, the construction and modification of the bridges to accommodate permanent buildings and vehicular movement. |
Paris, 16th, 17th, bridges, piles, Didier de Felin, Blois Colin Biart, |
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Mongelli, A. |
2006 |
A new wood roofing system: Marac’s barracks and Colonel Armand Rose Emy’s innovative system, in J.W.P. Campbell et al (Eds), Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Construction History, Vol 2, pp 2241-2260. |
Conference paper examining 19th century innovations in timber engineering in France, including the early use of laminated timber components. Well illustrated with contemporaneous drawings and models plus recent photographs of some of the buildings and their timber elements. |
France, 19th, timber, de L’Orme, lamination, pre-fabrication, carpentry, charpenterie |
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Romano, L. |
2019 |
Voûtes légères. Technique de construction en poterie creuse en France et en Italie aux XVIIIe et XIXe siècle in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 1183-91.
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La première moitié du XIXe siècle est pour le Royaume de Naples une époque marquée par des avancées scientifiques importantes dans le domaine de l’architecture : la domination française (1806-1815) et la fondation de l’École des Ponts et Chaussées ont fortement influencé l’histoire de la construction dans le sud de l’Italie pendant cette période. La littérature technique italienne, notamment l’oeuvre de Francesco de Cesare, dévoilent multiples allusions aux écrits français, qui confirment les échanges scientifiques entre la France et l’Italie. Une grande attention est accordée aux différents types des matériaux et aux techniques de construction utilisées pour bâtir les voûtes : parmi ces techniques, un rôle d’un grand intérêt est joué par les anciennes voûtes en tubes creux d’argile. Cette technique de construction, utilisée depuis l’époque romaine, a subi au fil des siècles de profondes transformations ayant des conséquences significatives en termes de construction et de profil structurel.
Toutefois, c’est au début du XIXe siècle qu’on constate une nouvelle diffusion du système constructive, décelable grâce à plusieurs exemples en France, en Russie, en Allemagne et en l’Italie. À la lumière de ces considérations, cette étude vise à approfondir la question de la diffusion des voûtes légères en poterie creuse entre la France et le Royaume de Naples au cours de la première moitié du XIXe siècle à travers l?interprétation de la littérature constructive française et italienne et aussi à l’analyse directe des architectures emblématiques.
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Architecte, circulation des savoirs, littérature constructive, matériau traditionnel, mise en œuvre, restauration |
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Guyodo, J.-N. & Blanchard, A. |
2019 |
Reflechir avant de construire: architectures domestiques neolithiques du Nord-Ouest de la France (v"-me millenaires av. J.-C.) in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 19-28. |
Durant le Préhistoire récente, de la conception, en tant que représentation de quelque chose qui n’existe pas encore, au projet architectural, plusieurs scenarii possibles sont confrontés en vue d’une construction civile répondant notamment aux intérêts stratégiques et économiques des sociétés sédentaires agro-pastorales néolithiques. Que ces habitats soient saisonniers ou pérennes, le processus, intégré au schème technique, semble invariable, toutefois ouvert à une multitude de choix offerts. Le projet architectural (talus d’enceinte, bâtiment, organisation des espaces bâtis ou non) et le gros œuvre (fondations, murs, planchers, etc.) sont aussi régis par la recherche (prospection minérale) et la disponibilité (ou non) des matériaux (identification des ressources, disponibilité et adéquation) et leur choix (formes, volumes, intérêt architectonique, technique de manipulation et de transport, etc.) puisque l’exploitation du milieu minéral (prélèvement, carrières) et la transformation du paysage (affouillement, terrassement, stockage) seront des préalables, notamment pour les élévations en pierres sèches. De l’extraction à la production et à la construction (utilisation des matériaux extraits, bruts et/ou transformés), la variabilité des formes architecturales, qu’elles soient en terre, pierre et/ou bois, est propre aux attentes et finalités (solidité, utilité et élégance) des bâtisseurs. Le programme de construction et son déroulé, jusqu’à l’achèvement et dont l’usage, sont souvent touchés du doigt par les archéologues, ainsi que les techniques, savoir-faire et par la même l’organisation sociale (nombre de personnes, efficacité, avantages, temps) du chantier. |
archéologie, matériau traditionnel, mise en œuvre, paysage, Savoir, faire, travail, Préhistoire |
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Monteil, M. |
2019 |
Les aqueducs des villes de l’ ouest de la Gaule Lyonnaise (Bretagne et Pays de la Loire): techniques et processus de construction a l’ epoque romaine in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 29-42 |
À l’époque romaine, la gestion de l’eau en contexte urbain se traduit par la mise en place d’équipements hydrauliques qui témoignent de multiples innovations et permettent d’évaluer le niveau de romanisation des villes, tout en éclairant certains aspects de la vie urbaine. L’approvisionnement en eau peut ainsi revêtir plusieurs formes, depuis les plus élémentaires –récupération des eaux zénithales par des citernes ou des eaux souterraines par des puits – jusqu’aux plus sophistiquées avec les aqueducs. Dans ce dernier cas, l’eau conduite sous pression nécessite des aménagements spécifiques (canal, ouvrages d’art) et aboutit à un château d’eau depuis lequel elle est ensuite distribuée. Elle contribue ainsi à l’hygiène, au confort et à l’agrément, en alimentant des fontaines, des bassins ou encore des thermes. Dans un autre registre, une attention particulière est portée à l’évacuation des eaux usées et de ruissellement (égouts construits ou fossés) ou encore à la lutte contre les risques d’inondation lorsque les villes sont au contact de cours d’eau Cette thématique est ici abordée à l’échelle d’une partie de l’ouest des Gaules romaines (Bretagne et Pays de la Loire), sous la forme d’une synthèse fondée sur la documentation archéologique. Cette dernière, aussi inégale et hétérogène soit-elle, fait apparaître la multiplicité des solutions techniques et des processus constructifs, en lien avec des paramètres d’ordre économique et social ou qui tiennent à l’approvisionnement en matériaux. Certains ouvrages relèvent d’initiatives privées, tandis que d’autres sont manifestement à mettre en relation avec des chantiers publics.
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archéologie, drainage, hydraulique, chantier, ouvrage d’art, confort et santé |
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Seigneuret, D. |
2019 |
L’ organisation des chantiers de construction en Arabie antique: l’ exemple du temple de Dharih en Jordanie in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 43-54
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L’ensemble de Khirbet edh-Dharih (village, sanctuaire et dépendances) est situé à 80 km au nord de Pétra et à 150 km au sud d’Amman. Il s’étend sur environ 500 m du nord au sud et sur 200 m d’est en ouest, sur une terrasse naturelle localisée à 700 m d’altitude. Notre communication permettra de s’interroger sur l’état de conservation du temple bâti au IIe siècle de notre ère, encore visible aujourd’hui à l’état de ruine (23 m x 17 m). Nous proposons de présenter différentes hypothèses concernant le travail des ouvriers sur le site de Dharih dans l’Antiquité : problèmes liés à l’outillage, aux matériaux ainsi qu’aux techniques de construction depuis la phase dite « positive » de l’édification jusqu’à la phase dite « négative » de la destruction ou du réemploi. Notre but est donc de déterminer et de comprendre la démarche des constructeurs antiques. L’état de nos connaissances sur les carrières de pierre de Dharih fera ainsi l’objet d’un premier point (extraction, bardage, transport des blocs, matériaux particuliers). Ces conclusions sont rapportées après observation minutieuse des fronts de carrière et des traces de taille. Nous poursuivrons cette présentation par l’analyse des techniques de construction du temple (le levage, l’assemblage, les scellements, la taille dite ’au ravalement’, l’appareillage des murs, les outils employés). Nous nous questionnerons ainsi sur les mesures prises par les constructeurs du temple en réponse aux effets dévastateurs des tremblements de terre très fréquents dans cette région tout en replaçant ces résultats dans une thématique transversale que nous pourrions appeler "archéologie de la sismicité". Nous achèverons cette comunication par une mise en contexte générale des techniques de construction dans la Province romaine d’Arabie en proposant de répondre aux questions suivantes : Comment les bâtiments nabatéens ont-t-ils été pensé et conçu ? L’architecture de ces édifices répond-elle à des principes précis et rigoureux ? |
Antiquité, archéologie, architecture, constructeur, fondation, Jordanie, matériau traditionnel, outil, savoir, faire, stabilité, sismicité, transport |
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Camuffo, P. & Urgu, A. |
2019 |
Le chantier de construction entre le x1e et le xne siecle clans deux contextes insulaires: la Sardaigne et la Corse in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 67-76
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L’étude des techniques constructives des maçonneries en pierre et du chantier de construction a désormais atteint un développement remarquable. L’analyse des caractéristiques non seulement formelle d’un mur constitue la première étape de l’étude des stratifications constructives d’un bâtiment et permet de recueillir un ensemble remarquable d’informations : l’origine et la provenance du matériel lapidaire, sa forme, ses dimensions, les traces des outils de travail utilisés, la disposition des éléments en pierre, les caractéristiques du mortier, les signes liés au chantier de construction (trous de boulin, marques lapidaires, ...). Ces données, opportunément collectés, élaborés et classifiés, aident à établir comparaisons objectives entre les différentes structures au sein d’un même territoire et de comparer les façons de construire aussi bien que d’organiser les chantiers dans des territoires adjacents pour mettre en évidence les similitudes et les différences, qui, quoiqu’en partie liés aux ressources naturelles disponibles, cependant sont en majorité dues à contraintes de type culturel et à l’existence ou non de relations politiques et économiques. Les études récentes sur l’architecture religieuse corse et sarde, conduits au sein de l’Université de Corse et de Sassari en collaboration avec celle de Lyon, ont apporté de nouvelles données qui permettent de réfléchir, sur des bases objectives, sur les façons dans lesquels les rapports de pouvoir peuvent se révéler grâce à des programmes de construction précis. L’examen comparé de l’architecture religieuse médiévale de la Corse et de la Sardaigne montre en effet pour l’XIe-XIIe siècle affinités fortes entre l’organisation du chantier et les techniques constructives utilisées en Toscane et dans les deux îles limitrophes. |
Circulation des savoirs, mise en œuvre, savoir, faire, appareillage, apprentissage, Moyen Age |
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Litoux, E. |
2019 |
Etude archeologique d’un grand chantier castral: la forteresse de Saint-Louis a Angers in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 77-86
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Lorsque Saint Louis reprend le contrôle d’Angers en 1230, il décide de mettre immédiatement en chantier une enceinte urbaine longue de 3,8 km ainsi qu’une imposante forteresse sur le promontoire dominant la Maine. Le suivi archéologique des travaux de restauration récemment menés sur le front sud du château d’Angers a offert la possibilité d’engager l’étude d’un ensemble architectural exceptionnel par son ampleur. L’opération archéologique a confirmé la grande homogénéité du front sud, tant sur le plan conceptuel que sur les aspects plus techniques : caractère très normé et répétitif du programme architectural, standardisation dans les processus de mise en œuvre des matériaux. La maîtrise d’ouvrage capétienne transparaît dans des choix architecturaux et techniques en net décalage avec les pratiques habituellement rencontrées à la même époque sur les chantiers angevins (choix des matériaux, gabarits des pierres de taille, traitement des voûtes...). Cependant, pour homogène qu’il soit, ce chantier, l’un des plus ambitieux dans le royaume capétien, n’en a pas moins dû être réalisé en tranches successives en fonction des contingences techniques telles que l’approvisionnement en matériaux de construction ou que la répartition des équipes d’ouvriers. Le croisement des différentes approches — étude pétrographique, analyses de mortier, étude des traces d’ancrages des rampes d’échafaudage hélicoïdales, mesures des appareils de pierre de taille et de moellons, examen critique des rares sources écrites — a offert la possibilité de suivre la progression des travaux à une échelle rarement atteinte sur des ouvrages défensifs médiévaux, et de mieux appréhender l’organisation de ce chantier d’exception. Le chantier, financé sur le budget de la couronne, a bénéficié de moyens permettant un approvisionnement en matériaux de qualité et une progression manifestement très rapide. |
Archéologie, castellologie, économie, Moyen age, Anjou |
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Huang, L. |
2019 |
De l’ Auvergne a Conques: apropos d’une geographie de techniques de construction romane in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 87-94
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Faute de sources textuelles, la datation des chantiers romans majeurs de l’ancien diocèse de Clermont fait, depuis longtemps, l’objet de nombreuses controverses. Les récentes études archéologiques du bâti situent l’ouverture de ces chantiers, au plus tôt, dans le deuxième quart du XIIe siècle, sans suffisamment prendre en compte l’évolution technique romane dans les régions limitrophes. Le chantier de Sainte-Foy de Conques constitue, à cet égard, un repère chronologique éclairant. Situé aux franges méridionales du Massif central, le chantier rouergat emploie, dès le milieu du XIe siècle, les mêmes techniques de taille que celles pratiquées en Auvergne, avant de les abandonner au début du siècle suivant. Les marques lapidaires réalisées dans la deuxième moitié du XIe siècle présentent également des caractéristiques similaires à celles des chantiers auvergnats. Un écart chronologique tellement important ne peut pourtant pas s’expliquer par un transfert technique lentement accompli de Conques en Auvergne. Tout d’abord, l’émergence de la taille alternée, de la taille décorative en chevrons et des marques lapidaires majoritairement alphabétiques est indissociable de la romanité qui perdure en Auvergne romane, alors que ce facteur fait défaut à Conques. Ensuite, l’abbatiale de Conques et certains édifices auvergnats tels que Saint-Martin d’Artonne appartiennent, par une évolution de méthodes de taille comparable, à une même géographie technique dès le milieu du XIe siècle. Enfin, le marquage de Conques, sans équivalent dans les autres régions limitrophes, n’est pratiqué qu’à une étape de construction avancée, ce qui plaide pour une éventuelle importation depuis l’Auvergne. |
France, Moyen Âge, archéologie, chantier, production, constructeur |
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Guillouët, J.-M. |
2019 |
Un gothique hyper-technique? L’ architecture gothique flamboyante et ses savoir-faire in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 95-102
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Carrefours professionnels et techniques, les chantiers de construction sont, au Moyen Âge, les lieux de la condensation technique des métiers de la construction. Des cas célèbres comme celui du Duomo de Milan ont permis de mettre en évidence leur rôle dans la constitution puis la transmission des savoir-faire et des pratiques constructives médiévales ; et cela à l’échelle européenne. C’est en prenant en compte la nature éminemment locale de leur historicité qu’il est possible de comprendre la place du chantier dans la constitution et l’affirmation de la figure de l’artiste avant l’époque moderne. À la fin du Moyen Âge, un certain nombre de procédures techniques et de dispositifs stéréotomiques virtuoses sont en effet pris dans les logiques compétitives régulant les rapports entre les acteurs du chantier. Elles s’inscrivent dans ce régime des « hautes eaux » du technique caractéristique gothique tardif qui trouve alors son expression dans bien d’autres domaines de la production artistique et artisanale. L’observation fine de ces savoir-faire, de leur affichage et des fonctions leur étant assignées à l’intérieur de la loge médiévale permet de bien comprendre comment, à la fin du Moyen Âge, le chantier de construction est le laboratoire d’une individuation artistique par la technique. |
artisan, chantier, métiers du bâtiment, Outil, Savoir, faire, Technicien |
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Prigent, D. |
2019 |
Le moyen appareil: du bloc irregulier au parallelepipede rectangle in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Entre Antiquité et Époque contemporaine, Actes du 3eme Congres Francophone d’Histoire de la Construction (Nantes, 21-23 June 2017), pp. 113-24
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Daniel Prigent Pôle archéologique départemental de Maine-et-Loire, chercheur associé à l’UMR 6298 ArTeHiS L’histoire des matériaux aux époques médiévale et moderne reste guidée par les sources textuelles qui fournissent des mesures précises (hauteur, longueur, épaisseur) lors de l’achat de lots de pierres à la carrière et par l’observation des productions depuis la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle. Les pierres de construction sont ainsi considérées comme des parallélépipèdes rectangles réguliers parfaitement standardisées. Les observations réalisées en fouille et lors de travaux de restauration dans le Val de Loire, où règne un calcaire tendre Turonien, le tuffeau blanc, montrent en revanche qu’il n’en est rien pour le Moyen Âge et l’Époque moderne. Les blocs provenant des carrières sont alors, et depuis le début de la construction en pierre de taille en moyen appareil (Xe siècle), de taille variées dont seules les faces de parement sont soigneusement dressées, mais dont les hauteurs sont standardisées et la répartition des valeurs de longueurs s’étale de part et d’autre d’un ou deux modes, la dispersion variant dans le temps. Ce type de production entraîne une relation carrière-chantier fort différent de celui qui prévaudra à partir du milieu du XIXe siècle et qui conduira à l’abandon progressif des centres d’extraction traditionnels. Mots-clés Chantier, matériau, Val de Loire, Moyen Age, Époque moderne, XIXe siècle
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Epoque moderne, Val de Loire, matériau, chantier, XIXe siècle |
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Manase, V. |
2019 |
La reconstruction de Dieppe apres la « grande bombarderie » de 1694 in Bienvenu, G., Monteil, M. & Rousteau-Chabon, H., Construire! Ent |
