The History of World Expositions |
The London World Exposition 1851
As late as June 1850, a commission convened on the building itself. It considered the 254 drafts that had been handed in and rejected them all. The draft put forward by the commission itself included an oblong three-naved hall, which was to be crowned by a large dome of brick, steel and iron plates. This was attacked heavily by parliament and the press. Never could this monstrosity have been built within a year. In parliament, resistance against the whole project grew amongst the conservatives, since funding had become insecure, and large stocks of ancient trees were threatened in Hyde Park. The “Times”, too, joined the opponents, seeing technological progress endangered by virtually inviting foreigners to come and conduct industrial espionage. Into this seemingly irresolvable situation the landscape architect Joseph Paxton introduced his own draft at the beginning of July, which stood out from all the other drafts by its lightness, the small cost, and the possibility of erecting and also tearing down the building quickly. Paxton had been able to apply his experience gained in building large conservatories directly to the new task, and was working together with some of the most experienced rail engineers. Because of this, his daring design seemed so convincing and was realisable within a short time. |
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EXPOSEEUM - The Museum of World Exhibitions, Hanover, Expo Plaza 11 Open every Sunday from 11 to 16 |
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