History of Corrugated Iron

Archaeology delves into the analysis of material culture, yet some materials are perceived as more refined than others. While corrugated iron is often dismissed as a cheap and unattractive alternative to traditional building materials, it possesses a rich and fascinating history.

If you seek further information, please visit corrugated steel plate supplier.

David Miles, the chief archaeological advisor to English Heritage, references a definitive book by Adam Mornement and Simon Holloway that explores this unique material's past. His journey commences in an illustrious palace in Ghana and concludes with an architect of great acclaim. It's remarkable to discover the cultural significance of corrugated iron.

Mount Krobo, a granite formation towering 1,000 feet above the Ghanaian landscape, is crowned by the remnants of the Krobo people's abandoned city. This community, displaced by the British army, left behind traditional houses and workshops along the stone terraces. Marking the site are the remnants of a palace, with walls still reaching impressive heights. Surprisingly, the palace's roof was constructed from corrugated iron sheets, likely imported from Britain. It is unexpected to find such an industrial material adorning the highest echelon of a once-wealthy West African civilization, yet this revelation aligns with its broader historical context.

For those of us raised in post-war Britain, corrugated iron symbolized air raid shelters and makeshift garden sheds, a commonplace material that rarely caught one’s attention. It certainly was not regarded as an architectural marvel. While Emperor Augustus might have boasted about leaving Rome a city adorned in marble, corrugated iron is a different story altogether. The term "corrugated" itself traces back to the Latin word "ruga," meaning wrinkled.

Nonetheless, corrugated sheet metal epitomizes the quintessential modern building material: practical, strong, and inexpensive, yet simple and unpretentious. Its benefits, including cost-effectiveness, durability, ease of transport, and recyclability, lead statisticians to suggest it provided shelter to more people in the 20th century than any other building material. Finally, it garners the acclaim it rightly deserves in the beautiful and engaging book, Corrugated Iron: Building on the Frontier by Adam Mornement and Simon Holloway (Frances Lincoln Ltd £35).

The Rise of Corrugated Iron

The tale begins with Henry Palmer of the London Dock Company, who patented "indented or corrugated metallic sheets" in the late 18th century. Massive cargo was flowing into the Thames, and the docks struggled to handle the shear volume. The solution was the establishment of the London Dock in 1805, which opened new space for 300 vessels. This port welcomed a deluge of goods, from wine to turpentine. However, as the existing facilities became overwhelmed, a new design was necessary. Palmer, working under Thomas Telford, devised lightweight corrugated iron sheets to cover expansive new warehouses; he later sold the patent to Richard Walker, a contractor in the New Docks. The Turpentine Shed, completed around 1818, became the first building to feature a roof constructed with these innovative sheets. This design received accolades for its elegance, strength, and economical benefit, a feat not achieved since the times of Adam. Other notable structures followed in the 19th century, including the Eastern Counties Railway Station and Price's Candle Works in Battersea, which boasted an expansive three-acre roof.

Walker’s patent expired in 1843, leading to a surge of new competitors and emphasizing corrugated iron as a global industrial vernacular. The Great Exhibition of 1851 showcased these advancements, invigorated by Victorian innovation and royal backing. Notably, the Queen’s consort, Prince Albert, commissioned a corrugated iron ballroom for Balmoral, which remains today as the oldest metal sheet building still standing.

The Decline of Corrugated Iron's Aesthetic Appeal

Despite its functional advantages, corrugated iron faced criticism from architects who considered it a threat to traditional aesthetics. William Morris, in a 1888 pamphlet, condemned the spread of this material as a plague across the landscape. Aesthetic considerations took a backseat in the frontiers of expansion; by the end of the gold rush era, California was teeming with over 80,000 gold diggers amidst rudimentary shanties. Prefabricated wooden structures began to surface, but corrugated iron quickly captured a reputation for being more affordable, fireproof, and comfortable. British manufacturers promptly responded to this demand, offering fully furnished homes complete with décor. The decline of mining in California pivoted the market toward Australia, where a new wave of corrugated iron structures proliferated, including churches and community buildings.

The company is a premier provider in supplying the world’s best uses of wire rod. We offer everything you need in one place, assisted by our knowledgeable team ready to help you find the right products.

During this period, across the British Empire and within Britain, "tin tabernacles" surfaced, serving as mission halls and non-conformist chapels for burgeoning industrial communities. Critics like John Ruskin deemed them as deceptive architectures, yet workers adapted quickly, using these structures to cultivate Methodism and the Labour party.

The Renaissance of Corrugated Iron

In the 20th century, corrugated iron became emblematic in military designs; the name of Peter Nissen became synonymous with the semi-circular corrugated barrack hut. By the end of WWI, over 100,000 Nissen huts had housed millions of troops. Subsequent developments like the Quonset hut emerged from American designers, while massive structures were also constructed to accommodate airships, despite their eventual downfall after the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. During WWII, Britain saw the construction of 2,000,000 corrugated iron air raid shelters for civilian use.

In modern times, corrugated metal sheeting serves as housing in the barrios and makeshift towns surrounding extensive urban areas. It remains the preferred material due to its lightweight nature, ease of transport, fire resistance, and versatility in construction, allowing it to meet diverse needs during crises.

Remarkably, corrugated metal found a revival in the late 20th century as architects like Walter Gropius and Buckminster Fuller pushed design boundaries. The shiny and sleek aesthetic also catered to California's "desert modernists." The eye-catching Stahl House, designed by Pierre Koenig, reinvigorated corrugated iron as a glamorous building material. This modernistic approach influenced Frank Gehry, leading to iconic structures like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

Australia firmly holds the cultural connection with corrugated iron, which has even been embraced within Aboriginal communities, likened to "man-made bark" that lightly touches the earth. Architect Glenn Murcutt, winner of the Pritzker Prize in 2002, has harnessed corrugated iron to create breathtaking structures that redefine its role in architecture.

This article is an excerpt featured in the full publication of World Archaeology Issue 28. Click here to subscribe.