Figure 1: Notre Dame Cathedral engulfed in flames on 15th April 2019
Following the devastating fire on 15th April 2019, ‘An international architectural competition to redesign the roofline of Notre Dame Cathedral has been announced days after fire ripped through its roof causing its 300ft spire to collapse.’ (Guardian readers, 2019)
The purpose was to discover innovative designs for the roof, while acknowledging the historic context of the cathedral. Prime minister Édouard Philippe said the competition would give the cathedral ‘a spire suited to the techniques and challenges of our time’ and ‘will allow us to ask the question of whether we should even recreate the spire as it was conceived by Viollet-le-Duc, or, as is often the case in the evolution of heritage, whether we should endow Notre Dame with a new spire. This is obviously a huge challenge, a historic responsibility.’ (Baldwin, 2019)
The scope of the design competition was focused on the roofline and spire but also included proposals for the surrounding areas. The competition was open to international architects and designers and attracted some of the biggest names in our industry to submit a proposal. Let’s have a closer look at three examples of the proposed designs, which represent diverse design options for this gothic masterpiece.
The Paris Heartbeat. A proposal submitted by Zeyu Cai and Sibei Li that included a mirrored spire with a time capsule at the summit.
Speaking of their design, Cai and Li say ‘We believe the 2019 fire will mark a new era for Notre Dame. The new spire is interpreted into poly mirrors, gently reflecting the context together with the mirror roof. Every moment the building will have a new look, matching the changing urban environment. In addition, a time capsule, designed to be open every half century, is floating at the top of the spire. The magnetic levitation installation is made to keep the memory of the past and reserve space for future story.’ (Baldwin, 2019b)
Palingenesis. A proposal submitted by Vinent Callebaut included a roof top garden and glass roof depicting a gothic and biometric forest.
Speaking of their proposal, Vincent Callebaut describes his thought process in redesigning the roofline and spire ‘Now, as we start thinking about Notre-Dame’s reconstruction, questions arise as to how we can architecturally summarize the human intelligence of our era and depict the prospects of Catholicism. More specifically: How can we write the contemporary history of our country, but also that of science, art and spirituality together? For it is hardly enough to reproduce the past as it used to be; we must project ourselves towards a desirable future, conveying to the world the thirst for transcendence that propels human beings. Thus, we seek to present a transcendent project, a symbol of a resilient and ecological future that offers the city Paris a set of solutions inspired by biomimicry, defined here as a common ethic for a fairer symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.’ (CALLEBAUT, 2019)
Light and Airy Roof. A proposal submitted by Foster and Partners included a glass and steel topper to replace the ruined roof.
Ultimately, and despite the high-profile entrants, in 2020, The National Commission for Heritage and Architecture presented plans to respect the previously existing structure and restore the cathedral to its prior state.
‘Rebuilding efforts will also use original materials, like wood for the roofing. The report states that these restoration measures will ensure the authenticity, harmony and coherence of this masterpiece of Gothic architecture.’ (Friends, 2021)
What do you think about the entrants for the rebuild of The Notre Dame Cathedral? Do you support the like for like restoration, or was this a missed opportunity to showcase our most up to date, innovative building design for the next generation?
If you can get your hands on the book ‘Visions of Notre-Dame’ (details below) which was published to celebrate this architectural competition, there are more design ideas to explore!
| Visions of Notre-Dame: Unique, Bold, and Curious Ideas for the Future of Notre-Dame Cathedral | |
| Editor | Joshua Sanabria |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Goarchitect LLC, 2019 |
| ISBN | 1732945152, 9781732945159 |
References
Baldwin, E. (2019a, April 17). France Announces Competition to Redesign the Spire of Notre Dame. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/915355/france-announces-competition-to-redesign-the-spire-of-notre-dame
Baldwin, E. (2019b, August 5). Zeyu Cai and Sibei Li Win The Peoples Notre-Dame Design Competition. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/922296/zeyu-cai-and-sibei-li-win-the-peoples-notre-dame-design-competition
CALLEBAUT, D. (2019). PALINGENESIS, VCA’S TRIBUTE TO NOTRE-DAME. VINCENT CALLEBAUT ARCHITECTURES. https://vincent.callebaut.org/object/190503_tributetonotredame/tributetonotredame/projects
Friends, N. (2021). Latest Reconstruction Progress | Notre-Dame Restoration 2021. Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris. https://www.friendsofnotredamedeparis.org/reconstruction-progress/
Guardian readers. (2019, April 18). Share your ideas for a renewed Notre Dame cathedral. The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/18/share-your-ideas-for-a-renewed-notre-dame-cathedral
Figures
Figure 1: Notre Dame Cathedral engulfed in flames on 15th April 2019
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/16/world-leaders-react-to-devastating-notre-dame-fire-in-paris
Figure 2: Notre Dame Cathedral
https://www.paristoversailles.com/notre-dame-cathedral-tour/
Figure 3: The Paris Heartbeat Design Proposal
https://pragmatika.media/en/news/brilliantovo-objavlen-pobeditel-konkursa-na-dizajn-kryshi-dlja-notr-dama/
Figure 4: Li Sibei
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1160770.shtml
Figure 5: Zeyu Cai
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1160770.shtml
Figure 6: The Palingenesis Design Proposal
https://vincent.callebaut.org/object/190503_tributetonotredame/tributetonotredame/projects
Figure 7: The Palingenesis Design Proposal within context
https://vincent.callebaut.org/object/190503_tributetonotredame/tributetonotredame/projects
Figure 8: Vincent Callebaut https://www.archiweb.cz/en/vincent-callebaut
Figure 9: The Light and Airy Roof Proposal
https://www.dezyncle.com/en/articles/5-design-proposals-to-reconstruct-the-notre-dame-cathedral-spire#:~:text=Architect%20Norman%20Foster%2C%20most%20famous,slender%20needle%20touching%20heaven’s%20clouds.
Figure 10: Norman Foster
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/nov/22/norman-foster-i-have-no-power-as-an-architect-sustainability
