Industrial architecture is architecture used for manufacturing, distribution, or storage. It has a tendency to be more function-focused and utilitarian; indeed, early Modern architecture was inspired by previous works of industrial architecture.
Industrial architecture originated with the Industrial Revolution, as world economies shifted from agrarian to manufacturing-focused. New building types such as the factory and mill required large square footage and efficient, functional structures. Many early designs were built using brick, and with the advent of iron and steel processing, industrial buildings began to incorporate those materials into their designs.
Over time, industrial buildings have become more sprawling, and they often have sleeker metal facades without windows instead of the large windows of the past. New products and industrial processes result in more specialized designs, like the automobile factory.
Industrial architecture is characterized by its priority of function, from which its other features derive. Its expression was simple even in the lavish Victorian era, as ornament was minimal or absent entirely, and today aesthetics are almost never considered. Finishes are absent and structure is always exposed. Buildings are often large, either sprawling single-story plants (more common today) or having several stories with similar square footage. The designs are often adapted to the machinery that the space will hold.