Iron and steel construction workshops in 19th and early 20th century Belgium: retrieving their oeuvre via trade catalogues

In the 19th century iron and steel were worldwide applied to construct halls, markets, stations and bridges. Belgium, being an early industrialised country on the European mainland, was famous for its iron and steel construction workshops and the export of iron and steel structures. Yet, the majority of the early Belgian construction workshops is hardly studied. As company archives of Belgian construction workshops are seldom preserved, we studied trade
catalogues of Belgian workshops involved in the construction of iron and steel bridges and buildings in the 19th and early-20th centuries. By focusing on catalogues, we offer insight into the oeuvre of these companies on the one hand, and on the other hand, we provide a broader context for the individual built structures worldwide.

Publication year:2021

Keywords:Construction History, Iron Workshops, Construction Sector

Accessibility:Open