Architect Drawings : A Selection of Sketches by World Famous Architects Through History

Paxton, Joseph (1801–1865)
Crystal Palace proposal end elevation and cross-section sketch, June 11, 1850,
V&A Picture Library, CT 14412, Pen and ink on blotting paper
A businessman and gardener, Joseph Paxton designed the most prominent example of exhibition architecture
of his era. Born near Woburn, England, Paxton received little formal education. Starting work
early in life as a gardener, he moved in 1820 to the gardens at Woodhall, Hertfordshire (Chadwick,
1961).
Paxton was ambitious; he became a successful businessman, railway investor, and bridge builder.
It was in the design of glass structures that he was most innovative. His interest in horticultural
building design began with the Great Conservatory at Chadsworth and the additional pavilions on
the grounds. These conservatories were mostly constructed of glass and wood, where he developed
ridge and furrow systems for the roofs (Chadwick, 1961). With a concern for tropical plants
imported to England, Paxton refined the greenhouse with roof ventilation and heating elements
beneath the floor.
The Industrial Revolution, which coincided with the rise of wealth and power of Great Britain,
initiated London’s international exhibition of 1851. Henry Cole proposed to Prince Albert an industry
and commerce exposition. After rejecting all of the competition entries, the steering committee
(made up of engineers and architects) proposed a design that proved unpopular (Beaver, 1986). As
time was short, Paxton submitted a glass and iron structure composed of standardized parts that could
be quickly assembled and taken down (Beaver, 1986; McKean, 1994).
Named the ‘Crystal Palace’ by the magazine Punch, Paxton’s huge exhibition hall communicated
‘the new relationship established between the technical means and the desire for prestige and the
expressive aims of the building’ (Benevolo, 1971, pp. 101–102). Crystal Palace, was nearly one third of
a mile long (1851 feet), contained 900,000 square feet of glass, and 3300 iron columns. It was constructed
of twenty-four foot repeating bays set upon a raised wood slat floor.
Having a short time to conceive of an appropriate solution, Paxton sketched this section and elevation
(Figure 3.9) on blotter paper while attending a railway meeting (Chadwick, 1961). The sketch
shows a three-tiered structure with ridge and valley roof panels and a floor heating system utilized in
his earlier projects. This minimal sketch appears remarkably similar to the final construction. This
may in part be due to the restricted time allowed for design, but it also reveals how Paxton relied on
his former experience to find a solution. The flat roof with wavy lines can be more easily explained
by understanding his previous conservatory projects; it was not necessary to detail the elements with
which he was already familiar. Although the sub-floor heating system was ultimately not included in
the Crystal Palace, the sketch gives the essence of the arched iron structure and tall, central, nave-like
space. Surrounding Paxton’s sketches, the page shows spare notes, scratchings, and inkblots that
reveal the prior use of the paper as a railroad desk blotter. The ink bleeding into the paper from the
bold lines suggest a high level of confidence. The absorption of the ink into the blotting paper means
he sketched slowly with a certain amount of accuracy and experience. This project depended not on
complex relationships of spaces but rather upon rapid assembly (approximately five months) and
Paxton’s knowledge of the fabrication of iron components. With these components as a ‘kit of parts,’
the brief sketch could easily replicate the entire building. This sketch may be the only one Paxton
completed to describe the building as a whole, since it was necessary to translate the idea so swiftly
into construction drawings. The simple lines were able to provide the necessary information and
capture the essence of his conceptual thinking.
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