Alexandre G. Eiffel

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was the architect behind one of the greatest structures to be built during the Industrial Revolution—the Eiffel Tower. The 1000-foot (305-m) tower is Eiffel’s best known project, prompting millions to visit it every year. Eiffel’s 1889 creation was very much a personal as well as a public symbol. Having funded the majority of the tower's construction, Eiffel fought for its survival throughout his life. The symbol of liberty and ambition was Eiffel’s greatest and final gift to the city of romance.

[edit] History

[edit] Birth and Early Life

Eiffel was born on December 15, 1832 in Dijon, France. His ancestors owned a successful tapestry-making business that was wealthy and had a good reputation. His father went against tradition and joined to fight for Napoleon’s army. When he returned, he married Eiffel’s mother, a member of a wealthy merchant family. Eiffel was close to his mother, who held a good education in high regards. She also used her smart business sense to help Eiffel start his own business later down the line.^[1]

Eiffel had plans to attend the prestigious French university Polytechnique but was not accepted. Instead, he studied chemistry at the Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures. He graduated at the age of 22 and was supposed to go work at his uncle’s vinegar firm before a falling out with the family squashed those plans. Eiffel took up work with the French Society of Civil Engineers, but it went bankrupt after several months. He went on to become chief of research for the General Railway Equipment Co. This move proved to be very profitable, as railways were at the height of their construction. At the age of 25, Eiffel acted as the commissioner of two lines: the Compagnie d’Orleans and the Compagnie du Midi.

Eiffel married Marie Gaudelet, a childhood friend, in 1862, and they moved to Paris two years later. He opened his own business in the suburbs of Paris, a metal-working shop. One of Eiffel’s great accomplishments at this time was developing trusses and arches that were light in weight and resistant to wind. He was now becoming skilled at building bridges. One of his biggest projects was the bridge over the Sioule River. At 262 feet (80 m), it was the tallest bridge in the world at this time. His stellar reputation only improved with each passing project and the number gradually grew. To his name, he is credited for the Oporto Bridge, the Viana Bridge, the Pest Train Station in Hungary, the Tan An Bridge in China and the dome of the Nice Observatory. He also assisted with the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the internal of the Statue of Liberty.

His wife died at the young age of 32, having born him five children. He never remarried after her passing.^[2]

[edit] Eiffel Tower

Eiffel proposed the concept of a wrought-iron tower to the City of Paris as a symbol of France’s participation in the Industrial Revolution. The city accepted and offered to provide three installments of $300,000 towards the funding of the tower. Although a generous subsidy, it was not near enough to cover the project costs of $1.6 million. Insistent that it commence, Eiffel was prepared to pay the remainder of the costs to ensure the tower would stand.

Despite having little experience with building towers, Eiffel was determined and confident. He decided to use a weaving design of wrought iron to build the structure. It was cheap and would hold its own against the forces of the wind. Two chief of researchers, Emile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin, provided the design for the Eiffel Tower.

During construction of the tower, Eiffel faced a myriad of criticism. Parisian artisans criticized the tower, saying it would hurt the skyline and deflect from the beauty of the city. Others insisted that the tower would collapse once it reached certain heights. Nevertheless, Eiffel was steadfast in his determination.

Eiffel had many obstacles to overcome during the construction phase. When the foundations of the Eiffel Tower were being laid, the proximity of the tower to the Seine River posed the possibility of water leakage. Water-tight caissons were developed to combat this issue. Eiffel also arrived at solutions to bring the tower to its colossal height. He used special four-ton cranes that would lift the materials up the tower as it was being built. When the tower reach heights that would no longer permit use of these cranes, Eiffel employed cranes mounted on tracks to travel up the elevator beams.

Eiffel completed the tower on March 28, 1889.

The tower was supposed to be demolished after 20 years, but Eiffel insisted that the national symbol should remain. Upon learning of the tower’s ability to send radio signals as far as North America, the City decided to allow the tower to stand.

[edit] Life After the Tower

Although the tower made him famous, Eiffel's reputation suffered greatly when his company took on the Panama Canal project. The company that hired him went bankrupt, an event that affected hundreds of thousands of French investors. Eiffel was accused of profiteering and was ordered to jail. His name was eventually cleared but he had already given up on the architectural industry. He decided, instead, to devote his life to the study of aerodynamics. One of his notable inventions was the wind tunnel.^[3]

[edit] Death

Eiffel died on December 27, 1923, at 91 years old.

[edit] References

1. ↑ Plumley, Karen. Gustave Eiffel: The Man Behind the Masterpiece. Paris Eiffel Tower News, 2008-09-25.
2. ↑ Harris, Joseph. The Tallest Tower. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 1975.
3. ↑ Modern Marvels. “Architectural Wonders” – The History Channel. Eiffel Tower, 2007.