Journal 2
I was most interested in the development to modernity from the lecture on The Great Exhibition of 1851. From the use of cast iron and its overall structure. During the development, many structures started to utilize cast iron as their main material. The suspension bridge that was mentioned, was restored with cast iron. Cast iron is one of the oldest materials used for outdoor construction. It was easy to use and fast to install. Additionally, it was durable especially being relatively cheap compared to other materials. This included the Crystal Palace. The Crystal Palace used cast iron not entirely but as their main structure. It was easy and quick to install and it allowed them to save space. Cast iron permits high ceilings with sleek columns that support making it more functional. This lead me to realize that whenever I think about New York City, I think about the architecture. It made me want to research further on cast iron and the reason why most of the buildings in New York City utilizes this material the most. Most of the buildings in SoHo utilizes cast iron as their main structure. SoHo is also known as the Cast Iron Historic District of New York. There are about 250 cast iron buildings. However, there are several downfalls to cast iron. It is not always the best material to use when handling tension or when having to be bent. This is due to the fact that its tensile strength is low and it may be brittle at times. It also rusts and oxidizes. This is not always a con when it comes to cast iron because it provides its own aesthetic in architecture. For example, New York City. The city has its own style because of the cast iron providing intricate designs and patterns.