Industrial Revolution (Architecture) - HSTARC2

Industrial Revolution is quite an interesting topic and as much of a word to look at, why? Let us divide it in its root word which is Industry/Industrial and Revolution. When we say industrial it’s almost an instant that we think of work, machineries and factories. On the other hand, when we say revolution it would be about people or event related to making a change. From that we can see that this topic is about a turn and change which led to the development in terms of people, work, factory and machines. To the fast paced improvement, to modern development, to the journey towards the future!

Industrial revolution started at the early 17^th century, but it was not until the late 18^th century that the real development was evident which furthered until the 19^th century and it gave way to the future onwards. So what was that change that was so evident and helped developed what we have today? It is, ladies and gentlemen, the shift of manual labor to mechanized works, machineries, and factories.

 The fast paced change that happened in the industrial revolution gave way to a lot of different opportunities, materials and technology. The shift from manual labor dramatically changed the production rates of almost all things. It was almost as if when one thing was discovered to be of use in building, it was again used to further the development. And then again another was discovered. It was remarkable and everybody was in hype into the building process. The discovery of using coal, the use of materials such as metal and iron (refined), the in-depth usage of steam for power are just some of the great addition of this era.

Child Labor

          However, though it may seem all that great to development. It came with a price. Since society was so indulged in the pace, they focused so much into the making and development of things. They sacrificed a factor that mainly caught my attention. This is the people who do the labor, even children and women were made to work regardless of their age on which some even died. And since cities were on a high, a lot of people went to go to the cities which gave way to diseases and overpopulation. Another thing was that people who were rich kept getting the goods and money and of course the poor, well you know what happens. But yeah, it was needed… I guess.

Eiffel Tower, Metal Structure

I can imagine how architecture was greatly boosted up by this industrial revolution. Materials were given new and productive choices, mainly the metal was a utmost great addition. The workload is done in less time since the machineries and technology are there. The refined road, railways and canals solved the time consummation of delivery of materials. Definitely this was a time of joy, excitement and prosperity for the builders.

          If not for the industrial revolution, we might have been stuck and still be doing manual labors up to now, I cannot even start to imagine how much technology would cut off in our current time line and be gone if the industrial revolution had not sparked, had not happen.