The Galerie des machines was a colossal hall of iron, steel, and glass built to house the industrial exhibits of the eighteen eighty-nine Exposition Universelle. Spanning three hundred sixty-four feet without any internal supports, it was the largest vaulted building of its time. Designed by architect Ferdinand Dutert and engineer Victor Contamin, the pavilion featured twenty massive three-hinged arches that tapered to slender, hinged bases at the ground. This structural innovation gave the structure an unexpected appearance of lightness, as if the giant roof were barely touching the floor.
Galerie des machines
stadium
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