The Significance of Scientific and Environmental Experimentation in the Design of the Crystal Palace

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• Henrik Schoenefeldt, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge
• Monday 10 May 2010, 18:00-19:00
• Old Combination Room, Wolfson College, Cambridge.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Henrik Schoenefeldt.

POSTPONED DUE TO ILLNESS FROM 6 MAY TO 10 MAY 2010

The Talk is part of REFRACTIONS OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE -Two Talks on the Great Exhibition of 1851

The Talk explores significance of scientific and environmental experimentation in the design of the Crystal Palace. Henrik investigates how the scientific methods and environmental design principles originally developed in the context of the horticultural glasshouse in the first half of the nineeteenth century provided the foundation for pioneering experiments with appropriating glass structures for specifically human purposes. Contemporary Sources reveal that the Great Exhibition provided the context within which Joseph Paxton was able to conduct one of the earliest experiment with adopting the horticultural glasshouse prototype for human use. Henrik will illustrate how the glass structure of Crystal Palace was adapted for the purpose of the display and preservation of artefacts as well as for the health and comfort human beings. Furthermore he discusses the post-occupancy history of the building. This will include an account of the design modification implemented during the period of the Great Exhibition to improve the internal environment conditions. He will also illustrate the process by which the interior environment was systematically monitored and recorded for the purpose of a scientific post-occupancy evaluation of its environmental performance.

Biography: Henrik Schoenefeldt studied at the Prince’s Foundation, Portsmouth University and TU-Wien. In 2007 he was awarded an M.Phil in Environmental Design at the University of Cambridge, where he is currently a PhD student, pursuing research into the history of all-glass buildings in the nineteenth century under the supervision of Professor Alan Short. For his PhD studies he has been awarded the RIBA LKE Ozolins studentship. Recent research also included the study of the design history of the United Nations Secretariat Building, focusing on the development of the glass facade and the environmental design strategy. He is also undergraduate supervisor at the Department of Architecture.

This talk is part of the Refractions of the Crystal Palace - 2 Talks on the Great Exhibition of 1851 series.

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• Old Combination Room, Wolfson College, Cambridge

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