President Emmanuel Macron of France on Thursday dropped the unpopular idea of building a modern spire atop a restored Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, a possibility he had floated after a devastating fire sent the previous spire crashing through the roof. [...]
But the idea of a modern spire never caught on with critics or with public opinion, and Mr. Macron never committed to it.
— The New York Times
French President Macron's decision to let go of his long-championed vision of a contemporary spire for the fire-damaged Gothic cathedral comes one year after the French senate passed a bill approving the government's restoration plan under the condition that Notre Dame be restored to its "last known visual state" — including the 19th-century spire design by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
Architectural proposals for contemporary spires and novel construction methods quickly emerged after the devastating April '19 blaze, including plans to 3D-print the lost spire with its ashes.
This won't close the lid on the controversies surrounding the rebuilding efforts though as other issues remain debated, including the choice of construction materials. "The conservative restoration means that timber and lead will be used for the framework and the roofing, foregoing the opportunity to use safer, more sophisticated modern materials," reports The Art Newspaper. "The use of lead is particularly sensitive because of its toxicity when it contaminates water or air."
11 Comments
good
nothing to see here people, let's pretend it never happened!
remember that anti-fund Notre Dame internet campaign, in place of Notre Dame restoration - fund Flint Michigan? I bet nothing happened either (like there even was a rational arguement, maybe bots aren't that smart yet)....same old same old. The internet is cute!
good old internet, the great distraction...people like, share and retweet and think they made a difference and believe they can remove lead from tap water with enough likes.
good old stupidity, the great equalizer...people talk, spew and blather on and think they made a difference and believe they can change minds with enough volume.
but, enough about you...
Sneak, your volume is low lately, what gives? The ineffictiveness of the internet has become apparent. I often wonder what is the % or arguments between bots and humans?
Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I am indifferent as to the outcome of its repair/restoration/replacement. For the sake of art as art, I'd be much happier to clean it up, make it stable, and leave it as a ruin.
That's a very "John Ruskin" approach.
well, thank you.
Church has moved outdoors today anyway, so why not?
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