Crystal_Palace

- In 1851, England captured the imagination of the world with its Great Exhibition, housed in the magnificent Crystal Palace, designed and built to demonstrate the best and most beautiful products of the Industrial Age, with items on display from all of the corners of the earth. The construction of the Crystal Palace coincides with the development of modern building techniques.

Defending The Design of the Crystal Palace-
by Joseph Paxton (Ryan M)

I know that there have been many complaints and worries about the new Crystal Palace[1]. Let me assure you, however, that all your worries have been taken care of. First of all, the elm trees standing in Rotten Row[2] will not be destroyed or bothered in any way. The design of the palace has been altered so that a magnificent arched transept now covers the trees. The transept will do nothing to the structure of the building except preserve the trees and add magnificence to the palace.

Another commonly voiced worry concerns the structure itself. Unlike all other designs (which are made mainly of concrete, masonry, and elaborate decorations), my version of the Crystal Palace is made completely of glass and steel[3]. This design is obviously temporary, whereas heavy masonry or stone would unfortunately quite permanently reside in Hyde Park. Also, my design is very inexpensive compared to the cost of a huge brick or concrete structure such as the others proposed. When the exhibition ends in October 1851, the building will simply be moved elsewhere, restoring the park to its natural beauty.

Many of you are also worried about the structural soundness of a building made completely of glass and iron. Will the high level of noise and motion of all the visitors to the Exhibition shatter the glass or cause the building to cave in? I assure you, the Crystal Palace is perfectly safe. As a matter of fact, the army was brought into the Palace and vigorously tested a section of the floor just to be absolutely sure that the Great Exhibition is completely safe to any visitors. Also, crossbeams have been added to the beams of the iron infrastructure to keep the building sturdy[4]. The Crystal Palace is just as safe as any other building in London.

I have heard that yet another problem has arisen amongst the citizens of South Kensington. They fear that “…the whole of Kensington Gardens…will be turned into the bivouac of all the vagabonds of London…” when the exhibition starts. To that, I must say I cannot assure you that you will not be bothered, however we will do our best to keep you safe and comfortable. The profit that will be made[5] will be more than enough to repay you for any damage that is done. Again, though, I promise that we will do our best to keep these “vagabonds” contained in Hyde Park.

If we can make a few small sacrifices now, we will gain much larger things in the long run for our country. We must all cooperate, and if everything goes smoothly, The Great Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations should open on May 1, 1851; right on schedule.

[1] The home of the Exhibition of 1851 was dubbed the “Crystal Palace” by Punch magazine in London.

[2] Rotten Row is the common name for the section of Hyde Park in which the Crystal Palace was built.

[3] Joseph Paxton based his Crystal Palace design on the greenhouse he designed at Chatsworth for the Duke of Devonshire’s Victoria Regia water lilies. Paxton, originally working as the Duke’s gardener, had no architectural or engineering credentials whatsoever. It is sometimes said that Paxton’s inspiration came from observing the water lilies at Chatsworth; he copied their “strong ribs and delicate cross-ribs” in designing the Crystal Palace.

[4] These wooden crossbeams were not necessary; they were placed to visually reassure visitors of the building’s sturdiness.

[5] The Crystal Palace was a financial success also; it made a profit of £186,437 when it finally closed. The commissioners of the project knew that the Exhibition would make money, but they did not expect quite this much. The Great Exhibition of 1851 also sported a total visitor count of 6,201,856 at closing.

A Poetic Tribute to The Crystal Palace
by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (Stefanie B.)

Steel and Gold, and Cool and Wine,
Fabric Rough on Fairy Fine
And shapes and Hughes of art divine
All of beauty, All of Use
That one fair planet can produce[3]

[1]The crystal palace is a grand structure in which many from afar come to see. Its walls, all made of glass, and its supports all made of cast-iron[2]. The glass gives the magnificent structure an airy-light feeling. Water shoots 250ft in the air from the fountains that occupy it, and a great tree, “The Lungs of London” stands proud in the middle. Yet this grand building that is so wonderful has faults as well.

Yet that is not all that the Crystal Palace is. To our Queen Victoria the Crystal Palace is another home and to inventors it is a place to show off their great works. Some think the Crystal Palace was mistake and I, as a poet, can understand their feelings. The Crystal Palace is not a mistake; it is the greatest creation on the face of the earth.

The Crystal Palace is a place to come to see wonders and enchantment. People may come to see the beautiful indoor parks and fountains that leap into the air. They may come to see copies of the greatest statues built by man or to see the replicas of Egyptian sphinxes. The Crystal Palace is the most advanced building for it was made with almost only machines yet it introduces us to an age where some do not want to go.

Some people believe that the Crystal Palace was built in the wrong location for it disrupted nature and prevented growth. It is true that during the building of the Crystal Palace trees, and flowers were destroyed to make room for it and that 21 acres of our beautiful Hyde Park were demolished for this building. Our own beautiful Elm Tree[4], which we have come to love, was actually one of 10 trees but 9 of them were cut down.

The Crystal Palace is a building in which many people have mixed feelings. It is a structure that is admired all over the world. It is a creation in which nobody will forget.[5]

[1] The paper is written in Alfred Lord Tennyson’s perspective. He was England’s most famous poet in the 1800’s. Lord Tennyson was a very awkward man and wrote differently from most people. The way this paper is written, is exactly the way he would write a paper.

[2] A neat fact about the Crystal Palace is that when it was raining the workers would ride on something called a “Covered Wagon” along the gutters of the building so that they could still continue to work.

[3] Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote this poem after the completion of the Crystal Palace.

[4] The Elm Tree was in the center of the Crystal Palace. Originally the Elm Tree was going to be cut down with the rest of the trees and the Crystal Palace was going to have a flat roof. But they decided against cutting it down and the builders of the Palace ended up building around this great Tree, which is why the Palace has a round roof. The tree came to be called “The Lungs of London.”

[5] The Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire on November 30^th, 1936

The Crystal Palace

Defending The Design of the Crystal Palace- by Joseph Paxton (Ryan M)

Defending The Design of the Crystal Palace-
by Joseph Paxton (Ryan M)