Brussels iron and steel builders in the 19th and 20th centuries: a macroeconomic and spatial exploration

In construction history research, the focus is often on large and prominent enterprises, whilst small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain largely overlooked. Yet, in Brussels, like in other major cities like London, 67% of construction workers were employed in SMEs in 1896 – a number that remained relatively constant until today. Accordingly, these historically long-neglected members of the urban construction industry were largely responsible for meeting the growing demand for building and ongoing maintenance during
the city’s expansion during the 19th and 20th centuries. SMEs can, therefore, be considered as equally crucial and persistent players in urban construction economies. This paper seeks to sketch a broader framework of the Brussels’ construction industry during the past two centuries, including both SMEs and larger enterprises. We particularly focus on iron and steel builders, including merchants, foundries, forges and steel joiners, yet also draw comparisons with another subsector, namely joiners and carpenters.