Loathe it or love it, corrugated iron (CI) has woven its way into our cultural landscape. Its unique qualities have captured the imagination of engineers, designers and ordinary people for almost 180 years, resulting in a diverse architectural legacy that has touched the lives of millions around the globe.
The significance of CI is now recognised particularly in countries such as Australia and Iceland where it is commonly found in both historic and modern contexts. In contrast, the UK has been comparatively slow to accept the cultural value of CI, many observers considering it subordinate to more permanent and traditional materials. Considerable numbers of historic CI structures still survive, but many of these are under increasing threat from neglect, development pressures and changing social and economic conditions.
This article explores the development of corrugated iron and considers the problems and opportunities for conserving existing historic structures and adapting them for economically viable and sustainable alternative uses.
https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/corrugated-iron-architecture/corrugated-iron-architecture.htm
I wish people would speak for themselves.
It was much used, and loved, on the Scottish Western Isles. Many a sheiling was built just of corrugated iron, and these (mostly rusting) buildings are much loved.
I spent much of my youth roofing sheds and houses in CI. Horrible working with it in summer, it gets hot enough to burn skin even through jeans.
The early architecture included a distinctive bull-nosed veranda roofing style which is very attractive.
It is a terrible material in australia; the iron gets hot quickly and re-radiates the heat into the roof void below. Insulation is used now, to reduce this effect. Still isn't great, particularly combined with the peculiar Australian habit of using dark colours on roofs.