The combination of glass and iron in design is very reminiscent of Victorian architecture. Some of my favourite buildings in this period were built with these materials, including London’s Crystal Palace, pictured above. This stunning piece of architecture was built in London’s Hyde Park to host the Great Exhibition of 1851. At the time of its construction, it included the most amount of glass ever used in a building. Resultantly, there was little need for interior lights as there was an abundance of natural lighting – hence Crystal Palace. Following the exhibition, the building was reconstructed in South London suburb, Sydenham Hill. It stood there until 1936 when it was sadly destroyed by a fire.

The design which was revolutionised in the industrial age still holds some inspiration for modern times. Windows made from steel and glass can work very well, especially in industrial inspired interiors. The thick steel lines which break up the extent of the glass add an interesting touch to the transparency. Below, I have selected some beautiful instances of this: